Mission Statement
The Kresge Law Library supports foundational research and provides direction for in-depth research on legal issues of interest to our faculty and students by maintaining comprehensive core collections in a variety of formats on each area of law covered by our curriculum or that is the subject of faculty research. The Library provides access to high-quality library services designed to meet the curriculum, research, professional, intellectual, creative, and personal needs of the Detroit Mercy community, and provides Detroit lawyers and residents with access to basic legal information.
The Library staff will provide students and faculty with guidance and assistance in both locating information and planning research strategies.
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Staff
Patrick Meyer
Library Director & Associate Professor of Law
(313) 596-0240Haley Behr
Circulation Assistant
(313) 596-9462Alicia Y. Dyer
Head of Public Services
(313) 596-9404Jennifer Hostetler
Reference & Government Documents Librarian
(313) 596-9415Benjamin Houston
Reference & Serials Librarian
(313) 596-9414Elaine Manning
Cataloging Assistant
(313) 596-0246Stephanie McCoy
Night Manager & Research Specialist
(313) 596-0241Latha Rangarajan
Head of Technical Services
(313) 596-9824Zachary Turk
Electronic Services Specialist
(313) 596-9461
Byron D. Cooper
Director Emeritus -
Searching the Collection
Murphy, the online catalog
The library's online catalog can be accessed here. Items can be located in the catalog with the following search parameters: keyword, title, author, subject, LC call #, government document #, ISBN/ISSN, or OCLC #.
The online catalog is named in honor of Frank Murphy, Veteran of the First World War, US Attorney in Detroit, Recorders Court Judge, Mayor of the city of Detroit, Governor-General and High Commissioner of the Philippines, Governor of Michigan, Attorney General of the United States, and Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
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Special Collections
Electronic Resources
The library provides access to a wide variety of electronic resources, including electronic journal indices and abstracts, tables of contents of journals, and full-text electronic journals. Several of the library's resources are accessible to Detroit Mercy Law faculty and law students not only in the library, but also through remote access.
Government Documents
The library owns the comprehensive ProQuest Congressional database, accessible from public computers on the first floor. In addition, print materials are located on the ground floor. All documents published after 1990 are available for searching on Murphy. The Catalog of United States Government Publications online database may also be used to access the collection.
International and Foreign Law Collection
The majority of the international law materials and foreign law collections are located on the ground floor (English, Canadian).
Law School Exams
The library has print copies of law school exams dated between 1955 and 2013; all exams are located on the first floor, Row 16. There are also select model answers available at the circulation desk.
Michigan Records and Briefs
These materials are located on the ground floor of the library. Please see a reference librarian for assistance.
Microfiche
The microfiche collection includes: Congressional Information Service, Federal Register, Congressional Record, and US Supreme Court Records and Briefs. These materials are located on the ground floor of the library in the microfiche room. Librarians are available to help find items and to operate the reader-printer.
"Movies and the Law" DVD Collection
The DVD collection includes movie classics, such as Inherit the Wind and Twelve Angry Men, as well as newer titles, such as The Lincoln Lawyer. These materials are located on the first floor of the library.
Periodicals
Periodicals are located on the third floor of the library and are also available to the Detroit Mercy Law school community in many subscription databases. Please contact a reference librarian with your questions.
Reserves
Reserve items are located behind the circulation desk and include study aids, hornbooks and treatises, Michigan practice materials, Michigan statutes, court rules, and course reserve materials.
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Acquisitions
The library collection includes historical materials, but also reflects current legal developments and modern legal scholarship. The library updates its collection on an ongoing basis by acquiring legal monographs, subscribing to new legal databases, and purchasing other items as needed.
If a member of the Detroit Mercy law school community (a faculty member, administrator, or student) requires access to an item that is not part of the collection, that patron may request that the library purchase the item. Requests may be made in person with a librarian or by contacting one of our librarians via email.