What is Solaris?
Solaris, the School of Law Academic Research Information Service, is the Law Library’s signature research and information retrieval service, exclusively for faculty at the UC Irvine School of Law. Solaris is the only place you need to go for anything related to Library resources.
What are Solaris’ hours of operation?
Solaris is available to process new requests during regular business hours.
Who is eligible to use Solaris?
Solaris is a service intended exclusively for faculty at the UC Irvine School of Law. Visiting, joint-appointed, and adjunct faculty are also eligible to use Solaris; however, we ask that you limit your Solaris requests to materials related to your teaching and research at the Law School. Either you or your faculty assistant on your behalf may submit a request to Solaris.
May my research assistant submit a request to Solaris on my behalf?
Solaris is a service for faculty only. Our librarians will be happy to partner individually with your RA, however, to ensure that they are able to locate and retrieve the materials they need. You may send an RA partnering request to Solaris.
How do I submit a request to Solaris?
Simply send an e-mail to solaris@law.uci.edu and include as much information about your request as possible. You may also submit a written request at the Law Library Service Counter or call us and we will forward your requests to the Solaris e-mail.
If I request a document or book, what happens next?
We will locate and retrieve the item, and deliver it to your office chair. If we need more information from you, you will receive an e-mail from DocSolaris, our document delivery branch. We will also notify you if any unusual situation arises with respect to your request.
How long does it take to receive a requested item?
Response times vary depending on availability of the item, but we will do everything in our power to provide you with requested materials within one to two business days. DocSolaris will notify and update you if we are not able to provide you with materials within 48 hours.
If I send a list of items, how long does it take to receive all of the items on the list?
We will deliver the items as we receive them, rather than waiting to compile them for a one-time delivery. You should allow at least two weeks to receive all of the items on a list of more than five document requests. If you prioritize your list for us, we will work to fill the requests in that order.
In which format – paper or electronic – will I receive my requested item?
If an item is available electronically, we will download and save the document in your Solaris folder on the shared drive at: \\fsdata1.law.uci.edu\Data\Solaris\. Let us know if you would prefer that we deliver your request in paper.
What do the gold and orange flags in the books mean?
When we check a book out to you we will insert a flag/bookmark with the due date. Gold-flagged books generally may be renewed unless they are recalled. Orange-flagged books, by contrast, will need to be returned within a limited period of time so please pay special attention to those items.
Are there any restrictions on what I can borrow from the Law Library’s collection?
While many of the volumes in the Law Library do not circulate because they are part of the Reading Room or Reference collection, faculty can borrow any of these volumes for up to 72 hours.
If I request assistance with a research project, what happens next?
A librarian will contact you through RefSolaris, our research and reference branch, to discuss your project, including scope and time for completion. We will work with you to attempt to personalize our service to meet your needs.
If I have Solaris, do I need my own research assistant?
We encourage you to use your own RA when feasible, especially with respect to longer-term or larger projects that might strain our resources. Our librarians will be happy to partner individually with your RA to ensure that their research strategy is effective for the project they are assigned.
What types of research can Solaris do for me?
Librarians and specialized research assistants supervised by librarians are available for discrete and shorter-term projects. We can search for cases or materials on a topic, research legal and interdisciplinary issues, locate statistical information, and compile bibliographies, to name a few. Do not hesitate to ask Solaris; we will work with you to meet as many of your needs as possible.
If I request assistance with some other information need – course reserves, acquisitions requests, current awareness, assistance with electronic resources, etc. – what happens next?
A librarian or staff member will contact you. We will work with you to provide the assistance you need, to the best of our ability.
May I submit a “rush” request to Solaris?
If you have an emergency rush request, we will do our best to accommodate your needs. Please bear in mind that, depending on availability of items and staff resources, we may not be able to meet your rush deadline.
Whom do I contact if I want to report a problem or check on the status of my request?
Send an e-mail to Solaris. We will investigate and respond as soon as possible.
How are books and print items delivered to me?
The Solaris cart makes a daily round, leaving the Library at 2:30 pm, Monday through Friday. We will knock on your door; if no one answers, we will unlock the door and place your items on your chair. Let us know if you would prefer that we deliver items to your faculty assistant instead.
How do I return borrowed books and that Solaris delivers to me?
Leave materials on your chair, give them to your faculty assistant, or send an e-mail to Solaris alerting us that you have materials to pick up. We will retrieve them during the daily Solaris run and return them for you. You can also call 824-7261 to schedule a pick up.
Can Solaris help me manage my Library account?
Yes, we will check your account on a weekly basis and renew any items that are coming due. If an item has been recalled or is unable to be renewed for some reason, we will alert you and pick it up during the next Solaris run. Once each semester, we will also email an inventory of your Library account for your review.