Burns Law Library, Summer 2021 Operations

We are pleased to announce that current law students and recent law alumni will be able to join a limited on-campus cohort for the purpose of using the Jacob Burns Law Library during the summer of 2021 through the end of July, according to standards set forth below.

Current students and recent alumni must request permission from the Dean of Students no later than 12:00 pm (Eastern Time) on Monday, June 7, 2021.  Requests must be made by submitting a completed application that includes the individual’s name, GWID, and a statement demonstrating that the individual agrees to follow all University protocols for on-campus access.  The on-campus protocols include submitting documentation of having received a COVID-19 vaccination to the GW Colonial Health Center (mychc@gwu.edu) and periodic testing.  Once approved, individuals will receive from the Dean of Students a URL for the Libcal reservation system to make a reservation for using the library.

Information about requesting permission for an emergency one-time visit to the law library is also available in this guide.

The law library will be open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. To use the library, students and alumni will be required to make a reservation using the Libcal reservation system. The link to the reservation system will be provided only to those individuals who have been given permission to use the library. They can make reservations no sooner than the day before they seek to access the library, and must make them by midnight of the day before they seek access.

 In addition to their name and GWID, individuals will be asked to provide their cell phone number (so that library personnel can contact them in the library if their time has expired and they have not checked out). Access will be limited to using the library for a maximum of four hours on any day. No more than twenty users will be permitted in the library at any given time.

The reservation form asks individuals to confirm that they have complied with testing protocols and puts them on notice that failure to do so or to follow library policies during this period could result in a charge of a violation of the Code of Student Conduct.  The reservation form also sets out the following rules:

• The individual must be able to show the green “badge” supplied by the GW Colonial Health Center on their phone or device.
• Masks must be worn at all times while using the library.
• In order to enforce the mask policy, no food or drinks are permitted in the library.
• Individuals must depart at the end of their reserved time unless permission to remain is granted by library staff members.
• There are no collaborative spaces in the library.  All areas of the library are reserved for quiet, individual study.
• Seating is permitted only in designated sets. Chairs must not be moved to different locations.
• Social distancing is required at all times. All directional signs must be followed.

Library users are permitted to go only into the Burns Law Library and to the printing stations.

When an individual who is a member of the cohort with an activated ID comes to the building, they will be able to access Burns using the pad at the building entrance. Only the entrance at 716 20th Street will be enabled.

Once in the library, the individual will go to the Circulation Desk to be checked in. The individual will be informed that they must return to the Circulation Desk to check out upon departure and will be reminded to follow all library safety procedures.