NUsearch allows you to search across the consolidated library records of all Northwestern Libraries. This includes books, journals, journal and newspaper articles, videos, sound recordings, digital images and more. NUsearch has records for both print materials and electronic resources.

You can do a basic keyword search for articles. NUsearch assumes the operator AND - i.e. that you are searching for all the words you type - unless OR or NOT are specified between the words and phrases. To use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) within search phrases, you must enter them in uppercase letters. To search for a phrase, type quotation marks around the phrase. After the search is finished, use the filters to limit to peer-reviewed journals, subject heading categories, date, library location (we are Law Library in the library catalog) or available format (print or online).

For books at other NU Libraries such the Main Library, sign in with your NetID to "Request" the book. Select Pickup at Law Library. You will get an email when it is available for pickup, usually a few business days depending on our intercampus deliveries. When looking for books at the Law Library, take note of both the location code and the call number where you can find the book on the shelf. 

If you are looking for a specific article or book, use the Title and Author/Creator fields with a few keywords from the title and the author's last name to run the most efficient search.

NU also subscribes to a number of non-legal article databases. Use the NU Library A-Z Database Guide and use the "Subject" filter to find the best databases for non-legal research.

If our NU Libraries system does not have access to a resource you need, you can place an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request. We will try to fill your request through another library. 

Requesting Items via ILL

1. Log in to your ILL account.
   • First time users must create an account. You will be directed to login with your Northwestern Net Id.
   • Registered users can log in to your ILL account to make requests, check the status of your requests, or renew ILL materials.
   • Select whether you are requesting a book (i.e. the whole physical book that will need to be shipped to our library) or a chapter or article (i.e. an electronic copy). Provide as much information about the requested material as possible.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
      
2. Be sure to verify your citation in WorldCat (books and dissertations) or in an article database such as Westlaw, HeinOnline, or Lexis+ to ensure you get the resource you intended to request.