About the Library

The Santa Clara University Mabie Law Library houses the legal reference and research collection for the students and faculty at the School of Law.  The first law library was established in 1903 in a small building behind the Mission Church to support the University’s new legal curriculum.  After a fire that destroyed the church and surrounding building, the law library was re-established in 1926 in nearby O’Connor Hall.  In 1931 the law library was moved to the second floor of the University’s main Varsi Library.  In 1963, the law library’s collection was sizably increased and moved to a new building adjoining the Law School’s Bergin Hall and named the Edwin A. Heafey Law Library.  Additions to the law library were completed in 1973 and 1988.  In March, 2018 the law library moved to its present location in the Law School’s newly completed Charney Hall, occupying the second and third floors. 

Law Library’s Mission and Goals

The law library’s primary mission is threefold:

• To support Santa Clara University School of Law’s goal to excel in preparing its students to meet the challenges of a legal profession that is increasingly global, technologically sophisticated, and culturally diverse.
• To provide a collection that supports the teaching, research, and writing programs of the faculty and students of the law school.
• To provide access to the collection by assisting and instructing faculty and students in utilizing the collection.

In carrying out the second and third components of the library’s mission, the library will achieve the first part of its mission to support the law school in preparing its students to meet the challenge of the legal profession. In fulfilling this mission, the library assumes responsibility for providing basic legal materials needed for the Santa Clara University community.

The library has two primary goals:

• To maintain an up-to-date collection that will keep pace with developing areas of the law and law related professions, as well as the changing needs of the law school curriculum. It is important that the collection evolves as the law evolves.
• To strive for excellence in providing both access to information and service to the library’s patrons.

The law library staff encourages suggestions regarding the improvement of law library services, equipment and the collection. Please feel free to leave suggestions in the digital suggestion box. Problems regarding law library security, lighting, equipment repairs, and general maintenance should also be reported to the law library staff at the information desk.  You can also submit suggestions via email to lawcirc@scu.edu or lawref@scu.edu.