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Rooms and Other Spaces: Study Spaces During Finals

Library Room Use During Finals

On final exam days, all library study rooms, conference rooms, computer labs, and study lounges are presumptively reserved for exam takers. Rooms are assigned by the exam center and unused rooms are released by 9:30 a.m. At that time, library Information Desk staff can tell you which rooms are being used for exams.

Prior to 9:30 a.m., you can check out a study room with the understanding that we may need to ask you to vacate the room if it needs to be used for finals. Please stay in the room so that we can easily find you if we need to ask you to relocate. The same goes for the unlocked rooms: if you choose to use one before 9:30 a.m., please stay in the room. If that room is assigned to a test-taker, you will need to leave.

Based on the order in which rooms are assigned, you are least likely to be asked to leave the following unlocked Law Library rooms:

  • Microform room, LL03 (Not used for finals, but there is a small chance someone would need to use a microform)
  • Lower Level Lounge (area outside of LL19)
  • Study Lounges, 262 and 263 
  • Lower Level conference rooms, LL04, LL15, and LL16

Additional options outside the Law Library are available.

In all Law School locations, please remember

  • Minimize noise. Others are likely either studying or taking exams nearby.
  • Be considerate when choosing space. If you are studying alone or with only one other person, please consider using a study room to leave the larger spaces for groups.

Best wishes for successful finals!

White Boards & Chalkboards

mobile white board

Source: Drake Law Library

Mobile white boards can also be found throughout different floors of the library.

The following library rooms have white boards:

White boards can also be found outside of LL19 in the Lower Level Lounge. However, since final exams may occur in LL19 and nearby conference rooms LL15 and LL16, students using these spaces must be quiet during exam administration.

There are also rolling white boards located throughout the library.

All Cartwright classrooms have white boards. On exam days, Cartwright classrooms are available for use after 1 p.m.

The following library rooms have a chalkboard:

  • LL03
  • 177
  • 268
  • 269
  • 282 (Selvy)
  • Study Room 367 (check out key at Information Desk)

Study Space outside the Law Library

Space is at a premium during finals, so the following options may also be useful:

Cartwright: 

  • Kerns Commons (be quiet when exams are in session)
  • Classrooms
    • Saturday & Sunday, from 7 a.m. - 11 p.m. during finals
    • Weekdays, from 1 p.m. - 11 p.m. during finals
  • Porterhouse lounge
  • During finals only, during work hours, when otherwise not reserved: conference rooms in Conlin (158) and Lamberti (125A) Bays 

Opperman:

  • During finals only, during work hours, when otherwise not reserved:
    • Zarley Conference Room (193, in CDO area)

Cowles Library:

  • Offers a variety of spaces, including Midnight Hall, a 24/7 study location.

Olmsted Center

  • Offers a variety of spaces (and a Starbucks)

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