Access to Databases

Non-law UCLA students, faculty, and staff can access UCLA Library () databases:

• On campus, while connected to any UCLA wifi networks, including:
  • eduroam: A private, encrypted network that requires you to log in with a UCLA username (in the format jbruin@ucla.edu) and password. Recommended for UCLA students, faculty, and staff.
  • UCLA_WEB: A public network that does not require a log in. Can be used as a backup option if you are having trouble logging in to eduroam. 
• On campus, using computers in any UCLA office, classroom, computer lab, or library. 
• Off campus, with the UCLA VPN enabled. 

To enable the UCLA VPN, please see the instructions below:

The most popular legal database used by non-law UCLA students, faculty, and staff is:

Because Nexis Uni is a UCLA Library ()  database, non-law UCLA students, faculty, and staff can access it from anywhere- you do not need to visit the law library to use it.

The UCLA Law librarians maintain a free, online guide that explains how to use Nexis Uni and provides general advice on conducting legal research:

To access UCLA Law Library () databases, non-law UCLA students, faculty, and staff need to physically visit the law library and use the visitor computers in the law library's reference reading room. 

To be admitted to the UCLA Law Library, you'll need to show your BruinCard. Students must also make an advance reservation. 

We encourage you to check the UCLA Law Library's hours and access policies before visiting, to ensure that we are open and that you have everything you need to be admitted:

The UCLA Law Library welcome visits from non-law UCLA students, faculty, and staff.

However, many non-law UCLA students, faculty, and staff who visit the law library are trying to access:

• Databases that they can access from anywhere, without visiting the law library, such as Nexis Uni, HeinOnline, or ProQuest Legislative Insight.
• Databases that the law library cannot provide access to, even while visiting the law library, such as Lexis, Westlaw, or Bloomberg Law.

Before visiting the law library, we encourage you to email your research question to lawpatrons@law.ucla.edu, and we will be happy to recommend appropriate databases and tell you whether you need to visit the law library to access them. 

Unfortunately, the UCLA Law Library cannot give non-law students, faculty, or staff access to databases that require individual registration, such as Lexis, Westlaw, or Bloomberg Law. Doing so would violate our contracts with these databases. 

We recommend using Nexis Uni instead. You can also access basic versions of Lexis and Westlaw (without generative AI or other bells and whistles) at the public LA Law Library and many of its partner locations:

We regularly receive requests for clarifications and exceptions to the rules on Lexis, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law access. 

Our contracts DO allow us to provide access to:

• Adjunct faculty, while actively teaching a UCLA Law class. 
• Non-law UCLA faculty, while actively teaching a UCLA Law class.
• Non-law UCLA students, while actively taking a UCLA Law class.
• Faculty with joint appointment at UCLA Law, including 0% appointments. 
• Visiting scholars, while participating in UCLA Law's Visiting Scholars, Jurists and Researchers Program.

If you are in one of these groups, please see the "UCLA Law Students, Faculty, and Staff" page of this guide or email lawpatrons@law.ucla.edu for instructions on signing up for databases.

Unfortunately, our contracts do not allow us to provide access to:

• Attorneys who are employed at UCLA outside the law school.
• Non-law UCLA faculty who are not jointly appointed at the law school and not currently teaching a UCLA Law class. 

The UCLA Law Library's collections and services are focused on supporting academic research and training future attorneys.

If you are seeking access to UCLA Law Library databases because you are attempting to resolve a personal legal issue, we recommend the following resources instead: