Guides: Research Assistants: For Research Assistants

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For Research Assistants

This guide is designed to provide basic information on library services and policies for research assistants (RAs) at Georgetown Law.

Assistance & Training

Assistance at the Reference Desk Call (202-662-9140) or visit the Reference Desk for answers to quick questions or assistance with source collection.
Reference Desk Hours
Research Consultations For in-depth research questions or help developing a research plan, consider a research consultation, which is a one-on-one meeting with a librarian who often has expertise in the particular topic.

Faculty RA Legal Research Primer This guide provides information on best practices for source collecting, formatting and content of research memos, and research strategies for the most common research requests (e.g., annotated bibliographies and 50-state surveys).

Training: At the beginning of each semester and summer, the library offers training for new RAs. The training is announced through a student-wide email as well as through the Office of Student Life's weekly events email. For questions about the library training for RAs, contact Suzanne Miller in Library Research Services.

Source Collection Information for Research Assistants
Training Materials (accessible by Law Center only) Video and Powerpoint presentation of an introduction to library databases and best research practices. Other training materials include our legal research primer, general research memo guidelines, the Rombauer method, and a guide on searching for articles using the library catalog.

Printing & Photocopying

Photocopying and Printing: Faculty and supervising staff may request that the Service Desk add their RAs to the faculty or office's PaperCut account by filling out the Student Worker Cloud Printing Access to Staff Xerox Machines form.

Checking Out Books & Interlibrary Loan

Georgetown Law Library Book	Submit a completed Faculty Research Assistant Authorization form (available as a PDF) to the Circulation Desk. Once you are registered as a faculty RA, when you bring a Law Library book to the Circulation Desk, you may ask the staff to check out the book to that proxy account. This service is overseen by Access Services, 202-662-9131, lawcirc@georgetown.edu.
Local Academic Library Book	Do not place a local academic loan order under your name. Ask your faculty to email the citation to the Law Library's Research Services department, at lawlibraryresearch@georgetown.edu. Or, you may email the citation to Research Services, but you must also cc your faculty. Research Services will then take the steps to submit a local loan request for the faculty. Once received, Research Services will check out and deliver the book to the faculty. You must cc your faculty in your email to Research Services, i.e., your faculty must be aware that you have contacted the library on their behalf.
Interlibrary Loan Book	Do not place an ILL request under your name. Ask your faculty to email the citation to the Law Library's Research Service department, at lawlibraryresearch@georgetown.edu. Or, you may email the citation to Research Services, but you must also cc your faculty. Research Services will then take the steps to submit an ILLiad request for the faculty. Once the book arrives at the Law Library, Research Services will deliver it to the faculty. You must cc your faculty in your email to Research Services, i.e., your faculty must be aware that you have contacted the library on their behalf. Interlibrary Loan does not accept emailed citations or requests. For more information about ILL, please see How to Submit an ILL as an RA.

Research Guides and Tutorials

Check the Research Guides and Tutorials pages for assistance with specific subjects or guidance with a research process.

Research Shelves

RAs may request a research shelf at the Circulation Desk.

Summer Use of Lexis, Westlaw & Bloomberg Law

Access to Lexis, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law may be restricted over the summer. However, these services allow for the extension of access in certain circumstances. Extensions are usually granted for students working as research assistants for professors. Visit the Lexis, Westlaw & Bloomberg services and policies page for details.

Remote Access

Wherever you work during the summer, you can use our electronic databases and contact the Reference Desk for help.

Updated

JJM (6/21)

SMM (4/25)

Research Assistants

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