There are multiple ways to research law outside of this library. These resources are able to provide more specialist materials than some of the free materials available online.

The Carothers Library at URI has in-person resources available to the general public. 

The Carothers Library also has in-person and online access to primary and secondary legal materials through the library's catalog. 

Law libraries are an amazing resource because they have access to legal databases and more advanced secondary materials. Law libraries also are more efficient because they have the resources that are pertinent to the surrounding jurisdiction. Law libraries are helpful for lawyer, law students, judges, and other members of the legal professions; however, the general public is able to access public law libraries, too, for their own legal research or for self-representation. 

Law libraries have an abundance of legal resources.

For example, law libraries may have access to: WestLaw, LexisNexis, and Bloomberg Law. These databases provide access to both primary and secondary sources of law. Law libraries also may have access to the Pacer system which is an electronic database for cases.

Additionally, law libraries have multitudes of physical materials, including books on and about the law. Typically, there are practice guides relevant to the nearby jurisdictions which are very useful for representation in legal cases. 

Law librarians are an amazing resource in law libraries! Law librarians are not able to provide legal advice or interpretation but can help to: explain where library materials are, locate resources within the library, and instruct on legal research methods and strategies.

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