II. GENERAL COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICIES
I. INTRODUCTION TO THE POLICY
- A. Overview of the Collection1. Subjects Covered. U.S. LawB. Organization of the Collection Development Program C. Cooperative Collection Development and Resource Sharing Agreements
2. International Law
3. Foreign Law
4. Rare Books and Special Collections
5. Exclusions
6. Duplication
7. Gift Policy
D. Collection Development Trends and New Directions
The Law Library collection serves the curriculum and research needs of the Cornell Law School faculty and students as a first priority. It also serves the legal research needs of the campus community, and of legal researchers more generally. The collection development policy supports the mission of the Law Library as defined in the Law Library's Strategic Plan, which states:
"The mission of the Law Library is to support legal scholarship and education by providing outstanding and innovative information services and resources to the Law School, University, and the worldwide research community."
The collection serves a number of Law School degree programs. In addition to the J.D., LL.M. and J.S.D. degrees, the Law School offers a J.D. degree with specialization in international legal affairs, and several joint degree programs, such as the J.D.-Master of Business Administration, J.D.-Master in Industrial & Labor Relations, J.D.-Master of Regional Planning and J.D.-Master of Arts in Philosophy, J.D.-Maitrise-en-droit (Paris I), and J.D.-MLLP (Berlin). The Berger International Legal Studies program and the new Jack Clarke program in East Asia law foster instruction and research in international and comparative law, including Cornell in Paris, an LL.M. for international students and an LL.M. for American students in international and comparative law. Four law reviews are published by Cornell Law School, a new peer-reviewed scholarly journal published by Blackwell, Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, and three law- student edited law reviews: Cornell Law Review, Cornell International Law Journal and Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy.
A. Overview of the Collection
As of June 30, 2003, the Law Library held a collection of 676,660 volumes, and ranked #19 among the 185 or so accredited law school libraries. Bound volumes numbered 512,902, and microform volume equivalents constituted 163,758 volumes, or 24% of the overall collection. The total number of titles in the collection was 208,453; the number of active serial subscriptions was 6,514.
The print collection is strong in Anglo-American law. One of its distinctive features is the large historical law collection, due to the age of the library which was founded in 1887, including many rare books and early American law treatises. The collection includes comprehensive coverage of Anglo-American primary source materials, including nearly all reported decisions of federal and state courts, as well as current and retrospective collections of federal and state codes and session laws. The Bennett Collection of state session laws and prior codes of the U.S. and all the states, in paper, is nearly unique in the U.S. It is supported by an endowment for statutory materials more than twenty-five years old.
The library provides excellent coverage of many areas of foreign and international law. A significant portion of the international and foreign law collection consists of continuations in the form of court reports, statutes, law reviews and journals, and looseleaf services. In recent years, the Library has curtailed many print subscriptions to foreign primary sources, for cost reasons, and because of the availability of reliable electronic sources. Both the U.S. and foreign and international law collections contain rich holdings of secondary sources, in particular, treatises and legal journals.
Current collecting builds on existing strengths. The Law Library is supporting and providing access to materials in print copy, as well as in alternate formats, such as microform, audio, video, and electronic sources, including Lexis, Westlaw, CDs, and Internet-based sources. Many of these primary and secondary electronic information sources are available locally and worldwide via the Internet. The Cornell University Library Gateway constitutes itself a major source of law-related and inter-disciplinary electronic databases. These resources can be accessed from faculty and staff offices, home computers, and the student computer lab, as well as many wireless points throughout the library and the law school.
Electronic information sources supplement, and increasingly replace print sources. The Law Library provides access to some little used materials through online databases, rather than collecting in paper, e.g., for state administrative codes. The Law Library is also responding to users' demands for information sources in electronic form, rather than in print, and is moving rapidly toward a much larger program of delivery of information to the library users desktop. This is evidenced by the Cornell Law Library Web site, which provides access to myriad information sources, as well as many different web guides that integrate print and electronic sources on a particular topic.
The library staff continuously reviews the collection and decides on the appropriate mix of print and electronic sources. Since 1996, several subject areas were systematically reviewed, in consultation with faculty, as part of the Cornell Legal Research Encyclopedia (no longer maintained), which provided a comprehensive compendium of legal information sources, with a topical and jurisdictional arrangement of all available formats, including print, microform, CDs, Westlaw, Lexis and the Internet, and was used as a collection development tool to add or to cancel materials in a particular format.
1. Subjects Covered. U.S. Law.
Strongly represented in the collection are U.S. federal and state law. Most subject areas of law, in particular subjects taught in the law school, or of special interest to a law faculty member, are collected, at the instructional and research levels. Increasingly, interdisciplinary subjects, such as "law and economics," and "law and psychology" have been collected, as well as developing areas of law, such as "feminist jurisprudence." Special strengths exist with law reform commission materials from the United States and former British Commonwealth countries (individually cataloged microform collection). The CIS microfiche collection of U.S. congressional materials goes back to 1989.
The Law Library is a selective depository for U.S. government documents; it collects 10% of the documents available through the Government Printing Office (GPO). It also increasingly provides access to the many electronic documents provided by GPO, individually cataloged and accessible through the online catalog. The Law Library is also a selective depository for New York State materials. Especially collected are materials published by the state legislature and selected state agencies.
2. International Law
The International Law collection focuses on treaties, international business transactions, international trade, public and private international law, international organizations, international environmental law, and human rights. The law of the European Union is of particular focus.
3. Foreign Law
The Foreign Law collection is strong in areas of traditional research strengths, Europe and the British Commonwealth, and building new ones, such as East Asia law:
- Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and other former British Commonwealth countries. Many print primary sources were recently cancelled, both for cost reasons, and because they are available through reliable governmental or quasi-governmental web sites, and/or online subscription services, including Lexis and Westlaw. The Library focuses its attention on monographic and periodical legal literature. In addition, it has created web guides that integrate print and electronic sources, to help researchers find the needed information, e.g., web guide on Australian law.
- Europe: major European countries whose legal culture has had significant influence on otherspreeminently France and Germany. In a slightly lower category, are Austria, Belgium, and Switzerland, countries which are not currently a major priority, but may become so, depending upon the future choice of a new chair of comparative law.
- Countries which are the focus for the new East Asian Center for Law and Culture: Japan, Peoples Republic of China; Republic of China (Taiwan), and North and South Korea. The law library has entered into a partnership with the Wason Library on campus, and pools money to purchase print and electronic materials. Wason mostly collects in the vernacular, and the Law Library in English.
- Liberia, due to the Cornell connection (the late Professor Milton Konvitz wrote the laws of Liberia), faculty interest (especially Professors Ndulo and Wippman) on the subjects raised by the current Liberian crisis.
- Middle East Law. A small fund, provided through the Jack Clarke Endowment for Middle East Law Studies, allows the library to purchase materials in the English language.
Generally, the Law Library selects in the English language on the law of most non-English-speaking countries, including Japan, the People's Republic of China, and other countries in East and Southeast Asia, but there is a significant collection of materials in French, German, and other European languages. Basic statutes and court reports in the vernacular used to be collected for many large countries of the world, with the exception of Southeast Asia (held in the Echols Collection, in Olin Library), Northern Africa, the Arab countries of the Middle East, Latin America, and the Iberian Peninsula. Primary sources, such as statutes, codes, and court reports, are still collected for some countries, but have been pared down, both because of cost reasons, and also because of their growing availability on foreign governmental or quasi-governmental web sites, as well as online services. Starting in 1996, an extensive Foreign Law Inventory by country was compiled. For current information, the Law Library's comprehensive Foreign and International Law Sources on the Internet is a must for researchers, pointing not only to sources, but also to useful research guides on a topic or on a country.
In addition to the priorities of the jurisdictions listed here, there are also subject priorities which are of great interest, and are collected irrespective of the jurisdiction. These currently include constitutional law, human rights, and womens rights.
The library collection may be impacted further if the chairs of Comparative Law, and the Chair of Chinese Law, are filled. The Library has greatly benefitted from the new Jack Clarke Fund International and Comparative Law Fund, which provides $100,000 per year for the collection.
4. Rare Books and Special Collections.
The rare book collection is one of the finest law rare book collection in the United States. It consists of over 2,000 volumes, primarily English and continental European law books, including many 16th and 17th century works, the endowed Earl Bennett collection of colonial and early statutory law, 19th century collection of trials (some earlier), and books acquired from the Samuel Thorne collection (legal historian and law professor at Harvard) .
The special collections include: General Donovan Nuremberg Trial Transcripts (and artifacts, such as the bust of General Donovan), Scottboro Boys Original Trial transcripts and artifacts (the replica of the train used as evidence, original photos of the trial); and artifacts related to the life and work of former Secretary of State William Rogers, including State Department travel photo albums.
As there is no endowment for rare books or special collections, except for the Bennett Endowment, the collection is enriched by gifts from law alumni, or friends of the law library. Rare books are not otherwise purchased.
5. Exclusions
Practitioner-oriented materials are collected very selectively. Normally, the Law Library does not select works of fiction or biographies (unless of U.S. Supreme Court justices), state-oriented treatises, or monographs about notorious trials.
6. Duplication
The duplication of materials held in other campus libraries is avoided, unless needed for the Law School curriculum or faculty research. The Law Library cooperates with other Cornell University Library units in the selection of materials. The Collection Development librarian is part of the CUL Social Science Selectors Team, and works with other team members to make acquisitions dollars go as far as possible. Agreements regarding purchases exist with the following unit libraries:
Industrial and Labor Relations - The Law Library collects Labor Law materials, but not materials on personnel policy, labor relations, or worker's compensation.
Engineering - The Law Library collects Environmental Law, but not technical information on the environment. The Law Library gets patent law, narrowly defined, while the Engineering Library holds the patents.
Fine Arts Library - The Law Library collects materials on zoning and the legal aspects of land use, but relies on the Fine Arts Library for other materials on city planning.
Olin Library - The Law Library collects international legal materials, including a comprehensive collection of law related U.N. materials, but also relies on Olin Library for materials on international relations.
7. Gift Policy
Gifts of materials for the Law Library collection are sent to the Collection Development librarian, who decides whether or not to accept them. The Law Library reserves the right to dispose of all gifts in any way that is beneficial to the Law Library. This includes acceptance, discard, or the sale or exchange of unwanted and/or duplicate materials. Gift evaluations are not provided.
Exchanges are used only if the publication for which the exchange is made can be acquired or acquired reliably no other way.
B. Organization of the Collection Development Program
1. The Process
A team of librarians participates in collection development and acquisitions, including the Collection Development Librarian (Charlie Finger), Assistant to the Head of Technical Services (Elizabeth Teskey), the Assistant Director (Pat Court), the Reference Librarian in charge of Foreign and International Law (Charlotte Bynum), and the Director (Claire Germain).
Elizabeth Teskey sorts through the advertisements and sends them to Charlie Finger and Charlotte Bynum. These librarians preselect materials and make recommendations, which are reviewed by Pat Court (U.S.) and the Director (foreign and international,) who makes final decisions regarding purchases over $200. Rothman Green Slips, a major selection tool, are reviewed weekly by the team.
The Collection Development Librarian orders the materials and serves as the Law Library representative in meeting with book publishers and dealers, and with CUL. He serves as a member of the CUL Collection Development Executive Team.
The materials selection process involves professional judgment, a thorough knowledge of the collection, and an ability to assess current and future needs. It often includes an analysis of other holdings in specific areas.
The selection process also requires a close interaction with the faculty, because of the need to anticipate their curricular and research needs. Faculty are consulted about certain titles, as part of the faculty liaison service provided by the Law Library. They may also make unsolicited specific suggestions and recommendations for purchases; every attempt is made to honor these requests.
2. Standing Orders and Blanket Orders
The Collection Development Librarian keeps track of standing orders. The Law Library subscribes to the following blanket orders:
ABA (most titles; some institute proceedings are not included; some serials need annual renewal OK)
AALL Publication Series
HMSO (selected titles)
Osgoode Society Publications
UN Category V (International Law) (microfiche)
West Publishing (Nutshells and Black Letter Series)
C. Cooperative Collection Development and Resource Sharing Agreements
Cooperative collection development and resource sharing agreements have become an integral part of the Law Library collection development program. They allow the Law Library to rely on other collections for lesser used, esoteric, or checked out materials. The Law Library has entered into cooperative agreements with the following organizations:
Cornell University Library (CUL)
The Law Library is an integral member of the Cornell University Library, and attempts, as much as possible, not to duplicate materials in other CUL libraries unless they are necessary because of high demand, class use, or inconvenience in access if not present in the Law Library collection. The other libraries are consulted for collaboration on expensive purchases. The Collection Development Librarian serves on the CUL Collection Development Excecutive Team, and thus participates in the decision-making process.
The Law Library is part of the CUL YBP (Yankee Book Peddler) approval plan, which covers most university presses. The Law Library receives the "K" publications. The approval plan was recently extended to additional publishers, such as Routledge, Cass, Elgar, and Manchester UP.
RLG (Research Libraries Group)
The Law Library is a member of the RLG ShaRes program, which provides reciprocal resource sharing among the largest research libraries. This arrangement provides expedited ILL and photocopy service.
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D. Collection Development Trends and New Directions
1. Transition to Digital Legal Information
The digital library is increasing exponentially, but the book production is not decreasing. There are new areas of regulation, new laws, new inter-disciplinary areas, new areas of foreign and international law, in a global society and economy. There are also new programs and degrees for the law school. These areas and new programs have created a noticeable added demand for foreign and international law information, as well as a demand for interdisciplinary materials in law and economics, law and history, psychology, medicine, etc. The law library considers these various factors, and is constantly evaluating and paring down, cancelling print publications, but also buying print and electronic publications in new areas.
The main problem with digital information is that the library owns nothing. It pays for content, but does not physically or contractually own the information. Furthermore, typically, when the subscription is cancelled, the Library does not have any archival rights. The Library focuses on negotiating better electronic licenses with the publishers, including the right to download archives of materials to a local server.
Electronic Licenses at CUL. The Law Library negotiates its own licenses for products that are only available to the Law School, e.g., the Environmental Law Institute. CUL negotiates the contracts for the entire campus. Each contract is different, and CUL tries to include as many CU units on the license, including Qatar. The standard request is for proxy access, use for ILL purposes, and the ability to use in coursepacks. Much use is made of the model license agreement at Yale at http://www.library.yale.edu/~llicense/standlicagree.html. IP access is always preferred. Some arrangements include back file access, and some have no guarantee.
Some of the legal and law-related E-journals are published by Kluwer, Oxford, Cambridge, and Blackwell.
Another problem posed by digital information is its built-in obsolescence. Hence the need to refresh, migrate, and somehow find a way to archive the information in a permanent way. The Library is working with several entities to attempt to resolve these issues, including NELLCO and a new national group LIPA (Legal Information Preservation Alliance).
The Library is also discussing the concept of shared repositories and libraries of record for the print copy of certain materials, to ensure that one copy of every legal source will be retained in at least a few locations.
The Library is also exploring a possible partnership with a Canadian law school, which would provide enhanced Interlibrary loan, faxing and sending of materials via Ariel (Internet software), as well as a formal agreement on collection development and reference and research assistance.
The Law Library's goal is to have a strong in-house collection that supports faculty and student curricular and research needs. It also strives to promote access to information in other collections and find ways to implement fast document delivery systems through cooperative agreements with other libraries. An major role is also to provide as much information in electronic form to the library users desktop.
2. Collection Review
The Law Library continuously evaluates its collection in all formats -- print, microform, and electronic -- to ensure that materials in the collection support the Law Library's mission of serving the information needs of the Law Library's users, and measuring integrity versus cost savings.
3. Cancellation of Print Materials
Since 1996, the law library has severely pared down its print collection. Shepards state citators, then regional citators; official state court reports (available on Lexis and Westlaw, Blue Book no longer requires a citation to the official report, only to the West reporter); duplicate copies of U.S. primary sources, e.g. U.S.C.A., U.S. Supreme Court Reporter, national reporter system; duplicate law reviews. The library stopped binding second copy of law reviews. Many U.K., Canadian, and Australian primary sources were also cancelled, in reliance on their availability on governmental or quasi-governmental sources, and commercial online services.
These cancellations are always done in consultation with the faculty. The following criteria apply, first used in an extensive review of expensive serials undertaken in 1999:
- Is the publication routed to faculty?
- Is it of current or potential interest to a particular faculty?
- Is it important for curricular and student needs?
- Is it duplicated in print somewhere else on campus?
- Is it available on Lexis or Westlaw in electronic form, including the current issue? [L/W]
- Is it available on CUL Library Gateway (electronic databases)?
- Is it available on other online services, or the Internet?
- Is it indexed? Is it included in a Table of Contents service (e.g., Current Contents)?
4. Policy Revision
As academic programs grow and change, and the number and formats of legal information resources proliferate, the Law Library will periodically review and revise this policy to ensure that it meets the needs of the School of Law community.
II. GENERAL COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICIES
These policies transcend subject boundaries and govern the collection of materials by type (primary/secondary sources), location, format, collection, or special character. For ease of access, the materials have been arranged in alphabetical sequence, with a summary preceding each fact sheet. The collections are listed at the end as a separate category.
The Table of Contents is reproduced below. The full text is available in print in the Law Library and on the law library web site.
Last update:
September, 2007
COLLECTION TYPES
TYPE: Administrative Decisions
FEDERAL
Decisions from several of the Federal agencies are received through the Federal Depository Program.In addition to getting decisions from the Federal Government, many administrative decisions are available through looseleaf services.
FORMAT:Hard copy is the format for earlier materials; current decisions are received in hard copy and, increasingly, posted on the Agencys web site, or occasionally in microfiche.
Lexis/Westlaw:Decisions of many, but not all, Federal agencies are available on both Lexis and Westlaw.
WEB:GPO Access (http://www.gpoaccess.gov/) is one of the best starting points to find this material.
STATE
The only New York State administrative decisions currently being collected in hard copy are the Education Department Reports.
Administrative decisions from other states, while collected in certain areas in the past, are not collected at the present time.
Lexis/Westlaw: State administrative decisions are selectively collected. Uniformity in areas of collection for all states in both databases does not exist.Areas covered include taxation, securities, public utilities, environmental law, workers' compensation, and housing.
WEB:New York States official web site (http://www.state.ny.us/) has links to the administrative agencies web sites, which normally provide the decisions.Many other states provide access via their web sites.
TYPE: American Law Reports (ALR)
FORMAT:
Print:Current copy is available in the Reading Room.
Lexis/Westlaw:Available on both Lexis and Westlaw; ALR2d-5th, ALR Fed
DUPLICATES:One copy is current and it is located in the Reading Room, a discontinued second copy is located in the stacks.
TYPE: Atlases
FORMAT:Print, most recent editions of Hammond World Atlas (Reference) and the Rand McNally Road Atlas (Reserve).
LOCATION:Reference and Reserve
Lexis/Westlaw:Maps and Atlases are not available on either service.
WEB:Map Quest (http://www.mapquest.com/) and Yahoo Maps (http://maps.yahoo.com/) are just a sampling of the many free map sites on the web.
TYPE: Attorney General Opinions
FEDERAL
FORMAT:Formal U.S. Attorney General opinions are available in print in Opinions of the Attorneys General of the United States, covering the period 1791-1974.Informal opinions of the U.S. Attorneys General appear in Opinions of the Office of Legal Counsel, with coverage starting in 1977.
Lexis/Westlaw:U.S. Attorney General opinions are available on both LEXIS and WESTLAW from 1791.
WEB:Opinions are also available at the Department of Justice web site (http://www.usdoj.gov/) beginning in 1992 with coverage to the present.
STATE
Opinions of the Attorneys General of New York State have been collected in print since 1889.Print availability of the opinions of Attorneys General of other state varies considerably.Currently we only receive the New York Attorney General Opinions in print.
Lexis/Westlaw:Coverage of state Attorney General opinions on Lexis exists for all states from at least 1977.Coverage of state Attorney General opinions on Westlaw exists for all states from at least 1977, with the exception of Rhode Island (from 1981) and Vermont (from 1983).
WEB: Opinions of the Attorney General of New York are also available on the Attorney Generals web site (http://www.oag.state.ny.us/) from 1995 to the present.Other states attorney general opinions are available at their respective attorney general web sites.
TYPE: Audiotapes
Audiotapes are very seldom ordered.Occasional material is ordered upon request of Law Faculty.See Videotapes.
A large part of the collection consists of tapes from AALS Annual Meetings and Workshops, and AALL Annual Meetings.In Special Reserve there is a large cabinet of older audiotapes.
TYPE: Bar Association Reports and Proceedings
American Bar Association Annual Reports are collected.
The law library has a selective collection of state bar association annual reports from earlier years.There is no active collection of state bar association reports or proceedings from any state.
FORMAT:Print only for the older material.
Lexis/Westlaw:Neither service has state bar neither association reports nor the American Bar Association Annual Report.
WEB: Many of the individual state bar associations post their annual reports on their web site.For example California (http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/reference/2_annual.htm) has their annual reports from 1998. Coverage varies from state to state.
TYPE: Bar Journals
We currently subscribe to bar journals, which are currently available from all states and the American Bar Association.
FORMAT:Print and microfiche (Hein set of bar publications)
Lexis/Westlaw:ABA Journal is available on both Lexis and Westlaw.Lexis has the following bar journals: Alabama, Arizona, Boston, CBA Record, Champion, Delaware, Federal Circuit, Florida, Hawaii, Houston, Missouri, Los Angeles, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Orange County, Oregon, Pennsylvania, The Record (of the Association of The Bar of the City of New York), Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Westchester.Westlaw has bar journals from: Arizona, Arkansas, Beverly Hills, Boston, CBA Record (Chicago), Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Federal Circuit, Federal Lawyer, Florida, Hawaii, Houston, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Los Angeles, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Orange County, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Westchester, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
TYPE: Bibliographies
The Law Library collects legal and law-related bibliographies.The most relevant are located in the Reference collection.Less relevant bibliographies are located in the stacks.
RETENTION:If bibliographies are updated or superseded, latest editions are located in Reference, and earlier editions are located in the stacks.
WEB:Many bibliographies and guides are available on the web.A quick google or yahoo search can reveal many sources.
TYPE: Casebooks
Casebooks are purchased if used as textbooks for courses taught in the Law School.Casebooks received as gifts, not used for the academic program, may be added to the collection if relevant.
LOCATION:Casebooks currently being used for courses are on Closed Reserve.Earlier editions of casebooks are located in the stacks.
RETENTION:Generally, one copy of earlier editions of casebooks is sent to the stacks.If the earlier editions have supplements, the latest are bound and are also sent to the stacks. Casebooks written by Cornell Law Faculty either past or current generally have one copy sent to the Cornelliana Collection.
TYPE: Codes (Statutory)
FEDERAL
For the United States, the United States Code is collected, as well as the United States Code Annotated and United States Code Service.One complete set of each is in the Reading Room.
DUPLICATES: A second copy of the United States Code, United States Code Annotated, and United States Code Service are acquired and are located in the stacks.
Lexis/Westlaw:Lexis has the United States Code Service; Westlaw has the United States Code Annotated.
WEB: GPO Access (http://www.gpoaccess.gov/) and LII (http://www.law.cornell.edu/) are two top choices for accessing the federal code on the web.
STATES
Codes are collected for the United States, the fifty states, and the District of Columbia.For the individual states and the District of Columbia, only annotated codes are collected.If a state has competing offerings of annotated codes, only one is collected, with the exception of New York State, for which both McKinney's Consolidated Laws of New York (West) and Consolidated Laws Service (Lexis Publishing) versions are collected.Advance legislative services are collected when available.
DUPLICATES:Two sets of both McKinney's Consolidated Laws of New York and Consolidated Laws Service are acquired.One set of each is located in the Reading Room.The additional set of McKinneys is located in special reserve while the CLS set is located in the stacks.
Lexis/Westlaw:An annotated version of the state codes is available on Lexis and Westlaw.
RETENTION:For codes whose publication format is bound volumes supplemented by packet parts or paperbound pamphlets, superseded volumes are transferred to the Bennett Collection.Pocket parts and pamphlets are not transferred.
An exception to this rule exists for McKinney's Consolidated Laws of New York.One copy of the annual superseded pocket parts to this set is bound and sent to the Bennett Collection when the new pocket parts arrive each year.
Those state codes updated every 2 years by revised paperbound editions are transferred to the Bennett Collection when the new editions arrive.
Superseded pages for those state codes in loose-leaf format are not retained.
Annual paperbound indexes to codes are not retained.
WEB:LII (http://www.law.cornell.edu/) provides many links to state codes.Washlaw (http://www.washlaw.edu/) provides additional links to legal material on the web including state codes.Findlaw (www.findlaw.com) is also another useful resource for state legal materials including codes. LexisOne (http://www.lexisone.com/) is another free site which requires registration for full access.
TYPE: Compact and Laser Discs
Generally CD-ROMs are an older technology and difficult to network.Therefore the acquisition of such products is discouraged.Due to the prohibition against non-law students and faculty using either Lexis or Westlaw we have elected to have a dedicated workstation for LegalTrac.LegalTrac provides indexing for state bar journals, which is not an option available on Legal Resource Index.
If a book arrives with a companion CD the CD will remain in the book.Single CD items are kept on Reserve.
TYPE: Constitutional Convention Proceedings
FEDERAL CONSTITUTION
In addition to M. Farrand, The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, and P.B. Kurland and R. Lerner, The Founders' Constitution, there are several publications, which provide secondary treatment of the Convention of 1787.
STATE CONSTITUTIONS
The only state for which thereis a concerted effort expended for collecting constitutional convention proceedings is New York State.
There are proceedings in the collection from random states for random years.
The Law Library does hold State Constitutional Conventions, Commissions & Amendments, 1959-1978: An Annotated Bibliography, and State Constitutional Conventions, Commissions & Amendments, 1979-1988: An Annotated Bibliography.
TYPE: Constitutions (U.S.)
U.S. and state constitutions are all available in the collection.Unannotated constitutions are in Constitutions of the United States, National and State.The unannotated U.S. Constitution is also available in the United States Code and other publications, such as Black's Law Dictionary and West's The Guide to American Law.
Annotated versions of the U.S. Constitution are available in The United States Constitution:Analysis and Interpretation, and in United States Code Annotated and United States Code Service.
Annotated versions of state constitutions are available in the annotated codes for each state.
Lexis/Westlaw:Both Lexis and Westlaw have annotated treatments of the United States and individual state constitutions.
WEB: Legal Information Institute (http://www.law.cornell.edu/), the National Archives Experience which provides actual images of the constitution is available at (http://www.archives.gov/national_archives_experience/declaration.html), and GPO Access (http://www.gpoaccess.gov/) are just a few of the many locations, which provide the constitution of the United States.State constitutions are available through links at LII or at individual state legislative and executive web sites.
TYPE: Constitutions (World)
The Law Library owns 3 significant loose-leaf sets, which contain the constitutions of political entities around the world.
The Law Library has Blaustein and Flanz (eds.), Constitutions of the Countries of the World:A Series of Updated Texts, Constitutional Chronologies and Annotated Bibliographies.(Ref. K3157.A2B64)
The constitutions of African Nations are collected in Constitutiones Africae, edited by F. Reyntjens.(K3157.A2 R46 1988)
Constitutions of Dependencies and Territories, edited by Albert P. Blaustein and Eric G. Blaustein, collects the constitutions of those political bodies.(Ref. K3157.E5 C75)
WEB:The Law Library of Congress contains many links to Constitutions of various countries in the world and is a great resource.(http://www.loc.gov/law/guide/nations.html)
RETENTION:Superseded versions of the constitutions in Constitutions of the Countries of the World are kept in the stacks.
TYPE: Continuing Legal Education
The Law Library purchases very little CLE material from the various state continuing legal education programs and those of the ABA.Choices of materials to purchase are based on topical importance or interest of faculty.There is also very limited purchase of ALI-ABA materials such as the ALI-ABA business law course materials journal .
Lexis/Westlaw:Lexis has very limited PLI material.They do have a large selection of ALI-ABA course of material studies.Selected documents from the many PLI continuing legal education Course Handbook Series, since 1984, are collected on Westlaw.The Series include:
Commercial Law and Practice
Corporate Law and Practice
Litigation and Administrative Practice:Criminal Law and Urban Problems
Litigation and Administrative Practice:Litigation
New York Law
Patents, Copyrights, Trademarks, and Literary Property.
Real Estate Law and Practice
Tax Law and Estate Planning:Estate Planning and Administration
Tax Law and Estate Planning:Tax Law and Practice
ALI-ABA Course of Material Studies is also available on Westlaw.
WEB: There are many sources of CLE material on the Web but most are pay services.The American Bar Association does provide a monthly one-hour CLE free to members on the web.
TYPE: Court Records and Briefs
Court records and briefs are collected for the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and the New York State Court of Appeals.
U.S. SUPREME COURT RECORDS AND BRIEFS
FORMAT:
Paper:
The Cornell Law Library is one of a few law libraries in the country to receive paper copies of U.S. Supreme Court briefs as a special depository library.Coverage starts in 1930 and continues to the present.
The Law Library also has the set Landmark Briefs and Arguments of the United States Supreme Court:Constitutional Law.Coverage in this set is for volumes 1-80 (1793-1974).
Microfilm and Microfiche:
Microfilm:1888-1915
Microfiche:1915-1930; 1975-1995
Lexis/Westlaw:Coverage on Lexis starts in November 1979; Westlaw coverage starts in 1990.
WEB: Findlaw at www.findlaw.com provides U.S. Supreme Court Briefs even before the case is argued.
U.S. SUPREME COURT ORAL ARGUMENTS
FORMAT:
Print:Transcripts of oral arguments are available from the official transcriber of the U.S. Supreme Court for a fee.Alderson Reporting Company is the current transcriber.
Microfiche:coverage starts in 1952
Lexis/Westlaw:Lexis and Westlaw are both sent transcripts about 15 days after oral arguments, which they post on their respective sites.Lexis coverage begins in 1979 while Westlaw coverage begins in 1990.
About 15 days after the U.S. Supreme Court receives the transcripts of the oral arguments they are posted on their web site which currently is: http://www.supremecourtus.gov/
Oyez Oyez is a site that contains oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court. http://oyez.nwu.edu/ Abstracts and the actual oral arguments are available at this location.
BRIEFS OF THE U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT
FORMAT:
Microfiche:coverage starts in 1974
Lexis/Westlaw:Westlaw provides coverage for Court of Appeals briefs in the cta-briefs database.The Second Circuit is available from 1981. Lexis does not provide any Court of Appeals briefs.
WEB:There is no listing of availability of briefs at the Second Circuit web page: www.ca2.uscourts.gov
BRIEFS OF THE U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE DC CIRCUIT
FORMAT:
Microfiche:Coverage runs from 1972 to 1992.
Lexis/Westlaw:Westlaw provides coverage for Court of Appeals briefs in the cta-briefs database.The Second Circuit is available from 1981.Lexis does not provide any Court of Appeals briefs.
WEB: There is no listing of availability of briefs at the Second Circuit web page:http://www.cadc.uscourts.gov
BRIEFS FOR THE NEW YORK STATE COURT OF APPEALS
FORMAT:
Paper:1848-1849; 1880-1890; 1913-1925; 1925-1975
Microfiche:Coverage begins in 1975
Lexis/Westlaw:Lexis has no coverage of briefs for the New York Court of Appeals Westlaw has selected coverage from 1990 in the NY-COA-Briefs database.
WEB:Videotapes of oral arguments can be ordered through Albany Law School (http://www.als.edu/img/pdf_files/UpdatedCOAForm4-05-02.pdf).The New York Court of Appeals web site has some selected oral arguments (http://www.courts.state.ny.us/ctapps/) but generally there are no briefs available on the web except for a few which have been posted by the law firms involved.
TYPE: Court Reports
FORMAT:
Paper: All published decisions of federal and state courts (official and National Reporter system) are collected.Due to the increased use of Lexis and Westlaw and the availability to undergraduates of Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe and Westlaw Campus we recently discontinued our second set of regional reporters.
Lexis/Westlaw:Both services provide excellent coverage.
WEB:Primary law for current appellate level courts is very well represented on the web.LII (http://www.law.cornell.edu/) is one of the first sources to find this material but additional free sources are readily available.Findlaw (www.findlaw.com), LexisOne (http://www.lexisone.com/), and many of the courts themselves, or in conjunction with a University, provide the court decisions on the web.
FEDERAL COURT REPORTS
FORMAT:
Paper: All published federal court decisions are collected in paper.Unpublished decisions reported in the Federal Appendix are not collected. Slip opinions are received for the United States Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals for the 2d Circuit and the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
RETENTION:Slip opinions are kept until replaced by bound volumes.
Lexis/Westlaw:Both services provide excellent coverage.
DUPLICATES:As of this date United States Reports, 2 copies (First floor :US 1-25, c2,only)(US 26-43, c2,c3)(US44-490, c2, c3, c4)(US 491-521, c2, c4) (522 current, c2)
Supreme Court Reporter, 1 copy (First floor: Sct 1-17, c2)(Sct,18-29, c2, c3)(Sct 40-108b, c2, c3)(Sct 109-122, c2 Cancelled)(RR Sct 1-current)
Supreme Court Reporter (L.Ed.), 3 (First floor: L.Ed.1-110 c2, c3) (RR: L.Ed. 1-110, c1)
Supreme Court Reporter (L.Ed.2d) 1 (First floor:L.Ed.2d 1-117 , c2 Cancelled) (RR:L.Ed.2d 1-current, c1)
New YorkReports 1st, (Fourth floor NY1-309 c2, c4,) (RR; NY 1-309, c1) New York Reports, 2d, 3 (Forth floor NY2d 1-96 c2, c4 (NY2d 97 current c2)( RRNY2d 1- current)
New York Appellate Division 2d, 2 (Fourth floor c2, c3 until 2002, 2002- c2) (RR: NYAD2d 1- current)
New York Miscellaneous, 2d, 2 (Fourth floor c2, c3, c4 until 2001, 2001- c2) (RRMisc2d 1- current)
Federal Reporter, 2 copies(First floor: F1-F300,c1)( RR: F1-F300 ,c1)
Federal Reporter 2d, 2 copies (First floor : F2d, 1-885, c2, c3)(F2, 886- 999 ,c2) (RR:FR2d1-999, c1)
Federal Reporter 3d, 1 copies (First floor : F3d 1- 312 Cancelled) (RR: F3d 1-current, c1)
Federal Supplement, 3 copies (First floor : FS 1-719 c2, c3)( FS 720-999 c2 only) (RR:FS 1-999 c1)
Federal Supplement 2d, 1 copy (First floor : FS2d 1-208 Cancelled) (RR: FS2d 1-Current)
Federal Rules Decisions, 1 copy (First floor : 1-210 c2 Cancelled) (RR:1-current, c1)
HISTORICAL: Federal Cases
STATE COURT REPORTS
FORMAT:
Paper:
The Law Library collects official state report for those states, which still produce official reports. There is one set of reports for all states with New York being the exception.We have 2 copies of the official New York Reports(One copy is shelved in the Reading Room and one copy in the New York Classified collection).Until 2002 we kept 4 copies of the official Appellate Division Reports.Beginning in 2002 we now keep only 2 copies (one in the Reading Room and one in the New York Classified collection.)Until 2002 we also kept 4 copies of the official Miscellaneous Reports. We now keep only 2 copies of this official reporter with one shelved in the Reading Room and one in the New York Classified collection.
In the basement collection the Law Library has many of the Pre-National Reporter volumes in paper.Although the condition of some is worn it is useful to have a paper source for this material.
Microfilm: The Law Library has a microfilm set of state pre-National Reporter volumes.
Lexis/Westlaw:Lexis and Westlaw do not have early state material (pre national reporter system) available in most jurisdictions.
WEB: Generally it is very difficult to find older material on the Web.We are part of the LLMC electronic project and many early reports and reporters will be available though that resource.
TYPE: Court Rules
FEDERAL COURT RULES
Federal Court rules are included in the collections of the United States Code, United States Code Annotated, and United States Code Service held in the Law Library.
Lexis/Westlaw:Current Federal Court rules are also included as files in the GENFED Library on Lexis and in the Database, US-RULES, on Westlaw.
SECONDARY SOURCES:The Law Library subscribes to a number of publications that, in addition to reproducing the Federal Rules, provide analytical and explanatory information regarding their application.Typical of such publications are The Federal Rules of Evidence Service and Wright and Millers Federal Practice and Procedure.
WEB:There are many locations that can allow a user to find current state and federal court rules.LLRX (http://www.llrx.com/courtrules/) has a listing for over 1,400 sources to obtain local court rules.A simple Google or Yahoo search quickly identifies many relevant sites.
STATE COURT RULES
For several states, the court rules are part of the state code, and are included in rules volumes of the copies of the state annotated codes in the Reading Room.
For states in which the court rules are not part of the state code, and for other selected states, the Law Library collects annual West Rules of Court volumes.These are shelved in call number order near the state codes in the Reading Room.
Lexis/Westlaw:For those states in which the court rules are part of the state code, the court rules are included in the CODE files for those states on Lexis.On Westlaw, each state has a RULES database.
RETENTION:Superseded state court rules are retained in the Bennett collection with other superseded annotated code volumes.Superseded West annual state court rules volumes are retained only for New York State (McKinney's New York Rules of Court:State and Federal) in the Bennett Collection.
WEB: There are many locations that can allow a user to find current state and federal court rules.LLRX (http://www.llrx.com/courtrules/) has a listing for over 1,400 sources to obtain local court rules.A simple Google or Yahoo search quickly identifies many relevant sites.
TYPE: Dictionaries and Thesauri
LEGAL DICTIONARIES
The Law Library collects most published English language dictionaries and thesauri.These include Black's, Ballentine's, and other smaller volumes for American usage.Legal dictionaries are also collected for the United Kingdom and Canada.
West's Words and Phrases is received for American legal definitions issued by courts.For the United Kingdom, the Law Library receives the smaller Words and Phrases Legally Defined (Butterworth's); for Canada, Words and Phrases (Carswell) is received. Current legal dictionaries, thesauri, and the various Words and Phrases are housed in the reference collection in the Reading Room.
Lexis/Westlaw:Lexis has Ballentines Law Dictionary 3rd edition available on its service. Unfortunately Ballentines is copyrighted in 1969.Lexis also has The Modern Dictionary for the Legal Profession, which is a 2001 publication.Westlaw has Blacks Law Dictionary (7th ed.) which is copyrighted 1999.Stedmans Medical Dictionary is also available on Westlaw.
RETENTION:Earlier editions of legal dictionaries and thesauri are located in the stacks.
GENERAL DICTIONARIES AND THESAURI
Non-legal dictionaries in English are collected selectively.Included in the collection are The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, Webster's Third New International Dictionary, and The Random House Dictionary of the English Language.These are housed in the Reference collection in the Reading Room.
RETENTION:Superseded editions are kept in the stacks.
WEB:There are many resources for dictionaries and thesauri on the internet.www.yourdictionary.com, www.onelook.com, (over 6 million words from 961 dictionaries), http://dictionary.cambridge.org/, and http://dictionary.reference.com/ are some of the plethora of free web sites.Via the gateway Cornell affiliates have access to Merriam-Webster online, Oxford English Dictionary, and the Oxford English Dictionary (Electronic Text Center)
BILINGUAL AND MULTILINGUAL LAW DICTIONARIES
Current bilingual and multilingual law dictionaries are collected as needed to support the academic program.These are kept in the Reference collection in the Reading Room.
GENERAL BILINGUAL AND MULTILINGUAL DICTIONARIES
Current dictionaries for the major European languages are housed in the Reference collection in the Reading Room.Dictionaries for other languages are now shelved in Reference until they are superseded when they then move to the stacks.
TYPE: Digests
FORMAT:
Paper:
West digests are purchased for the United States Supreme Court, and Federal courts.All regional digests are purchased where available.If a state is not covered in a regional digest then a digest for that state will be purchased.The American Decennial and General Digestsare no longer collected.Lexis Publishing Digest of United States Supreme Court Reports is also collected.
Lexis/Westlaw:Lexis has their Supreme Court Digest (L.Ed.) available on their site. While West digests are not available on Westlaw as individual units the entire Westlaw system is set up for Digest and Key number searching.
DUPLICATES:The Law Library receives 1 copy of West's Federal Digest, and 2 copies of the New York Digest.One copy of all the other digests is received.
The Law Library also subscribes to West's Bankruptcy Digest, a subject digest.In addition there is a digest in the Index volume of West's Social Security Reporting Service, which ties in to the cases in that reporter.
WEB:There are no digests available on the Internet; however Westlaw Campus (a Westlaw light product) is available to Cornell users via the gateway service.This provides topic and key numbers for court decisions as well as federal and state statutes.The gateway also provides the product Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, which provides access to federal and state case law and statutory law.Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe has headnotes available for each court opinion.
TYPE: Directories
The Law Library collects broadly both legal and law-related directories, including Congressional, judicial, federal, and administrative directories.There is selective collection of non-law directories which might be updated every second or third edition.Typical examples of the range of collection in this area includes Encyclopedia of Associations, Encyclopedia of Associations:International Organizations, American Libraries Directory, Directory of Special Libraries and Information Centers, Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory, and the Second Circuit Redbook. The Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory is also located in the Reference Collection.
Lexis/Westlaw:Lexis has available the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory along with various other directories including: The Almanac of American Politics, and Standard and Poors Corporation Register of Directors and Executives.Westlaw has a number of legal and non-legal directories such as the Directory of Corporate Counsel, Wests Legal Directory and a variety of Dialog products such as American Business Directoryand Company Intelligence. Governmental agency directories are also available.
WEB:
Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory is available for free at www.Martindale.com. While this source does not provide the law summaries as in the printed version it does allow easy access for finding attorneys.
Findlaw is a free source that provides Wests Legal Directory and a variety of other resources at http://www.findlaw.com/.
STATE BAR DIRECTORIES
The Law Library purchases the bar directory for only New York State, New York Lawyers Diary and Manual.
Directories for three other states are produced annually as issues of the bar journals for those states; such directories exist in:
The Florida Bar Journal
The Michigan Bar Journal
Wisconsin Lawyer
Lexis/Westlaw:While bar journals are available on both systems the legal directories are not available.
WEB: Most states have links to search for attorneys on their web sites.The Florida directory is located at http://www.flabar.org/Membership.nsf/MESearch?OpenForm&Seq=1&AutoFramed. The office of court administration in New York makes their directory available at http://portal.courts.state.ny.us/pls/
portal30/INTERNETDB_dev.RPT_ATTY_REG.show_parms. Findlaw and martindale.com are also free sources to locate an attorney.
TYPE: Encyclopedias
LEGAL
The Law Library subscribes to Corpus Juris Secundum (C.J.S.) and American Jurisprudence 2nd(Am. Jur. 2d.).The library subscribes to two state specific legal encyclopedias, for California and New York.
Lexis/Westlaw:Lexis has legal encyclopedias from California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.Lexis also has American Jurisprudence 2nd available on license from West.Westlaw has encyclopedias from California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.Westlaw also has both Corpus Juris Secundum and American Jurisprudence 2nd.
DUPLICATES: C.J. 1 copy
C.J.S., 1 copy
Am. Jur. 1 copy
Am. Jur.2nd 2 copies (One copy is free under an old LCP contract)
NY Jur. 1 copy
NY Jur. 2nd, 1 copy
Cal. Jur. 2nd, 1 copy
Cal. Jur. 3rd, 1 copy
NON-LEGAL
The Law Library collects selectively major single and multivolume works in English, as well as authoritative encyclopedias in the social sciences and humanities.
Lexis/Westlaw: Lexis has Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia.Westlaw does not have any general encyclopedias.
WEB: Via the gateway Cornell affiliates have access to the Columbia Encyclopedia, Oxford Reference Online, and the Encyclopaedia Britannica online.
TYPE: Examinations
The Registrar collects Cornell Law School examinations when provided by individual professors.The collections are bound each year and are also available to registered students on the intranet of the Law School.
The library has four copies of the bound volumes for the last 10 academic years kept on shelves outside the Photocopy Room.
RETENTION:Two copies of the older bound volumes of Cornell Law School examinations are kept in the Cornelliana Collection in the Cage.
TYPE: Hornbooks and study aids
Format:
Paper: The number of copies of hornbooks varies according to demand.For the West hornbook series only selective editions are purchased.In the West Hornbook series if there is both student and practitioner's editions available, the practitioners edition is currently being purchased but we are reevaluating this procedure. We also have standing orders to the Understanding the Law Series, the Examples and Explanations series, and the Nutshell series. The current editions are located at the Reserve desk. For the Black Letter Law series we are selectively ordering on a title by title basis.
RETENTION:Current editions are kept on Closed Reserve.One copy of earlier editions is kept in the stacks with the classified treatises.
Lexis/Westlaw:Lexis has some secondary resources available on their service.Westlaw also has some secondary resources available through their service.
WEB:Over 300 Matthew-Bender titles are available via IP access for the law school community (http://bender.lexisnexis.com/bender/us/catalog?action=home).There are also subject guides available at Findlaw (www.findlaw.com), and through the Legal Information Institute (LII) http://www.law.cornell.edu.
TYPE: Law for the Layperson
The Law Library does not generally collect books dealing with law for the layperson, with the exception of some publications dealing with New York State law, and topics that are national in scope.Especially considered in the latter category are NOLO Press publications.
TYPE: Law School Catalogs and Bulletins
Current law school catalogs are housed in Closed Reserve.
There is no current policy for retaining such publications, except those of Cornell.
WEB: With almost every school having a large web presence with current catalogs, application forms, cost estimates, and virtual tours, the need and use of printed material will be greatly decreased in the future and this paper collection might no longer be needed.
TYPE: Legislative Documents
FEDERAL
U.S. Congressional House and Senate Bills
Bills are received on microfiche originally through the U.S. Government Depository Program but now the library purchases the bill collection.Coverage started with the 96th Congress (1979).
RETENTION:Permanently retained
U.S. Congressional Committee Hearings
The Law Library has the CIS microfiche collection of committee hearings from 1989. House and Senate Judiciary committee hearings, 1955-1991, are bound, and are located in the stacks.Selected hearings from other committees are also bound, and are in the stacks.
U.S. Congressional Committee Prints
The Law Library has the CIS microfiche collection of committee prints from 1989.Earlier committee prints were selectively added to the collection, primarily in microfiche.
U.S. Congressional Committee Reports and Documents
Committee Reports and Documents have been available on CIS microfiche from 1989. The U.S. Serial Set has been available in print format from the 87th Congress (1961).Recently the Serial Set has ceased from being distributed in a bound format and it now is coming to the library as separate units.Decisions must be made as to binding options.Selected reports are reproduced in the United States Code and Administration News (U.S.C.C.A.N.).
Lexis/Westlaw:Lexis contains only a very selected group of committee reports and documents.Lexis has bills from 1989.Westlaw has USCCAN, which has selected committee reports and documents.Westlaw has full text bills from 1995 and a summary of bills from 1985.
WEB: GPO Access (http://www.gpoaccess.gov/index.html) contains all bills from 1993 to the present. It also has House and Senate hearings from 1997 to the present.House and Senate prints are available from 1997 while the Congressional reports are available from 1995.This is a very useful web site and tool.Bills are also available from Thomas (http://thomas.loc.gov/) from the 101st Congress to the present.
TYPE: Legislative Histories
FEDERAL
The Law Library has a selective number of compiled legislative histories in the collection, in print and microform.Access to these is through the online catalog.
Identification of compiled federal legislative histories can be obtained through Johnsons, Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories (KF68 .J68), which is located in the Reference Alcove in the Reading Room.
Lexis/Westlaw:Legislative histories of selected laws are available on Lexis. Westlaw also has legislative histories of selected laws.In addition the entire U.S.C.C.A.N. is available on Westlaw, which contains selected legislative histories.
WEB:Both GPO Access (http://www.gpoaccess.gov/index.html) and Thomas (http://thomas.loc.gov/) are excellent sources for legislative history.
STATE
Legislative histories for New York State statutes are not normally produced, hence, not collected.Legislative histories of statutes from other states are not collected.
Lexis/Westlaw:Both Lexis and Westlaw have extensive bill tracking and legislative services, which provide some legislative history for state material.
WEB:Both the Assembly (http://assembly.state.ny.us/) and the Senate in New York (http://www.senate.state.ny.us/) have web sites where some legislative history is available.
TYPE: Legislative Journals
FEDERAL
Annals of Congress (1789-1824)
Microfiche
Register of Debates in Congress (1824-1837)
Microfiche
Congressional Globe (1833-1873)
Microfiche
Congressional Record(1873-)
Print (1873-)
Microfiche (1873-1988)
Lexis/Westlaw: The Congressional Record coverage starts in 1985 on both Lexis and Westlaw.
WEB:
The Library of Congress offers a fantastic collection of older material in full text and searchable.( http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwabout.html)A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation consists of a linked set of published Congressional records of the United States of America from the Continental Congress through the 43rd Congress, 1774-1875. It includes the Journals of the Continental Congress (1774-89); the Letters of Delegates to Congress (1774-89); the Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, or Farrand's Records, and the Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution (1787-88), or Elliot's Debates; the Journals of the House of Representatives (1789-1875) and the Senate (1789-1875), including the Senate Executive Journal (1789-1875); the Journal of William Maclay (1789-91), Senator from Pennsylvania in the 1st Congress; the debates of Congress as published in the Annals of Congress (1789-1824), the Register of Debates (1824-37), Congressional Globe (1833-73), and Congressional Record (1873-75); the Statutes at Large (1789-1875); the American State Papers (1789-1838); and Congressional bills and resolutions for selected sessions beginning with the 6th Congress (1799) in the House of Representatives and the 16th Congress (1819) in the Senate.
The Congressional Record is available from the Thomas web site from the 101st Congress to the present.(http://thomas.loc.gov/).It is also available from GPO Access (http://www.gpoaccess.gov/crecord/index.html) from 1994 to the present.
STATE
New York State Senate and Assembly Journals are available in print format.Coverage:
Senate Journal: 1830, 1834, 1835, 1837, 1843, 1844, 1848, 1849, 1867, 1868, 1876, 1878, 1887, 1892, 1897, 1905, 1936-
Assembly Journal: 1834, 1836, 1837, 1848, 1849, 1867, 1868, 1876, 1878, 1881, 1887, 1896, 1897, 1905, 1936-
WEB:While both the Assembly (http://assembly.state.ny.us/) and the Senate in New York (http://www.senate.state.ny.us/) have good web sites the journals are only available in paper.
TYPE: Looseleaf Services
Looseleaf services are collected primarily to support the academic program or research needs of the Law faculty.The most heavily used of the publications in this format are in a discrete collection in the Reading Room.Transfer binders for those sets are located in the stacks under their appropriate call numbers.There are a limited number of duplicate copies of these sets, which are located in the offices of Law faculty who have special research needs.We order and maintain these sets, which are charged to the faculty members research account.
Less heavily used looseleaf services are located in the stacks.
RETENTION:If a title is cancelled, the looseleaf material moves to the stacks and other material of permanent value such as bound reporter volumes or transfer binders, are also retained.If a publisher discontinues a title, the looseleaf pages move to the stacks and might also be bound on a case by case basis.
FORMAT:Microform
The Law Library has a substantial amount of microfilm and microfiche.One of the most important reasons for microform includes the preservation of fragile or older materials.There are also large sets, such as the United Nations Treaty series, which save a tremendous amount of space as compared to print.In some cases, we collect in this format when materials may be available only in this format.Typical material in this category was U.S. GPO publications, many of which were produced exclusively in microfiche or microfilm.However many are available only on the Internet.How to maintain collections that exist only in electronic format is a question that has yet to be resolved.
TYPE: Newsletters
GENERAL
Newsletters are purchased in response to faculty needs or in response to interest in topical issues.
RETENTION: Most newsletters that were formerly kept in the Vertical File are being given to the Collection Development librarian who determines location and length of time the material should be kept.Some selected newsletters that are useful beyond current awareness, are bound or retained in the stacks in an unbound format.
LAW SCHOOL ALIMNI MAGAZINES
OVERVIEW:
Cornell Law Library collects Alumni magazines from the top 20 law schools in the United States as listed in the March 29, 1999 U.S. News and World Reports (See below). We maintain current and back issues in the stacks at KF292. The Cornell Law Library does not maintain any other alumni magazines.There is a recent decision not to bind any new alumni magazine.
Columbia University, Columbia Law Alumni Bulletin
Cornell University, Cornell Law Forum
Duke University, The Prolocutor
Georgetown University, Georgetown Law Weekly
Harvard University, Harvard Law Bulletin
New York University, NYU: The Law School Magazine
Northwestern University, Northwestern Reporter
Stanford University, Stanford Lawyer
University of California-Berkeley, The Boalt Hall Transcript
University of California-Los Angeles, Docket
University of Chicago, Law School Record
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Law Quadrangle Notes
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Law Alumni News
University of Pennsylvania, The Law Alumni Journal
University of Southern California, USC Law
University of Texas at Austin, Townes Hall Notes
University of Virginia, UVA Lawyer
Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt Lawyer
Washington and Lee, Washington and Lee Lawyer
Yale University, Yale Law Report
TYPE: Newspapers and Magazines
LEGAL NEWSPAPERS
The Law Library collects:
American Lawyer
Legal Times
National Law Journal
New Jersey Law Journal
New York Law Journal
Pennsylvania Law Weekly
Lexis/Westlaw:Both Lexis and Westlaw have all the above titles.Both services also have hundreds of additional titles.
RETENTION: The American Lawyer, Legal Times, National Law Journal, New York Law Journal, and Pennsylvania Law Weekly are retained in paper until microform is received.
NON-LEGAL NEWSPAPERS
Titles currently collected are the Cornell Daily Sun, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Ithaca Journal.
RETENTION:One week's worth of these titles are kept in the Casual Study Room.One month's worth of The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal are kept at the Circulation Desk in the Reading Room.
Lexis/Westlaw:The New York Times is available in full text on Lexis. The Wall Street Journal is not available in full text on Lexis but only the Abstracts.Westlaw has full text of the Wall Street Journal, but only has abstracts of the New York Times.
WEB:There is an online version of the Ithaca Journal (http://www.theithacajournal.com/. The Cornell Daily Sun is also available for free on the web (http://www.cornellsun.com/).The current New York Times is also available on the web after free registration.(http://www.nytimes.com/).The Wall Street Journal is available on the web for a fee.
POPULAR MAGAZINES
Format:Paper
The law library has subscriptions to 11 titles chosen by the Cornell Law Student Association, which are maintained by the Law Library.The current year's copies are kept in the Casual Study Room.There is no policy on keeping them beyond the current year.The following are these titles:
| Title | Lexis | Westlaw | Gateway |
| Broadcasting and Cable | Yes | Yes | All 11 titles are available to |
| Black Enterprise | Yes | Yes | Cornell Affiliates from |
Economist | Yes | Yes | Aggregators by selection from |
MS | No | Yes | the electronic |
| National Geographic | No | Yes | catalog |
National Review | Yes | Yes | |
New Republic | Yes | Yes | |
Rolling Stone | No | No | |
Sports Illustrated | Yes | Yes | |
Time | Yes | Yes |
TYPE: Periodicals
The Law Library maintains a collection of significant English and foreign language periodicals to support the research interests of faculty and the curriculum.The Law Library collects all English language legal periodicals of a scholarly nature, as well as other English language periodicals of interest for research or current awareness.Foreign language legal periodicals are purchased selectively to support curriculum and research and in areas of collection strength.Selection of new titles is made on the basis of the selection criteria below.The bulk of titles received are by subscription; others are received because of organizational membership, and a few through gift and exchange agreements.Non-selection of new legal periodicals may hinge on the availability of indexing tools for them.
The Law Library subscribes to new periodicals that meet the following criteria:
- Reasonable cost for anticipated use
- Faculty interest
- All United States law reviews.
- ABA publications
- Selected scholarly journals and newsletters of interdisciplinary subjects of interest to faculty.
- Newsletters which are free as part of an organizational membership
- Journals representing original contributions (journals reprinting articles from other publications are not collected).
Lexis/Westlaw:Westlaw has over 400 titles with some of the back files having only selective coverage.Lexis has some fewer titles but it does contain the entire coverage of the material.The back file on both systems extends to the 1980's.
DUPLICATES:Normally only 1 copy of a periodical is received but there are a selected number of titles, which because of heavy use and interest justify additional copies.One copy is bound at the end of the publication year.
NON-LEGAL
Non-legal periodicals are collected as needed to support the interdisciplinary needs of the curriculum. Acquiring one copy of non-legal periodicals is the normal procedure.
TYPE: Periodical Index
| Title | Paper | Lexis | Westlaw | Web |
| AGIS Attorney Generals Information Service | Yes | No | No | As a subscription service. |
| Criminal Justice Abstracts | Yes | No | No | The national Criminal Justice Reference Service has abstracts of over 180,000 publications and is a free service. http://abstractsdb.ncjrs.org/ |
| Current Law Index | Yes | As Legal Resource Index | As Legal Resource Index | As a subscription service. Also available as a stand alone CD service in the Reading Room called LegalTrac |
| Current Index to Legal Periodicals | Yes | No | Yes | As a subscription service.Also can be sent to faculty by email or in print. |
| Index to Canadian Legal Periodical Literature | Yes | No | No | No |
| Index to Canadian Legal Literature - Part of the Canadian Abridgement | Yes | No | No | No |
| Title | Paper | Lexis | Westlaw | Web |
| Index to Federal Tax Articles | Yes | No | No | No |
| Index to Legal Periodicals | Yes | Not under our subscription. | Not under our subscription. | Available to Cornell affiliates via the gateway service. |
| Index to Legal Periodicals in Israel | Yes | No | No | No |
| Index to Periodical Articles related to law | Yes | No | No | No |
KINDEX | Yes | No | No | No |
| PAIS International | Yes(1991-1995) Stacks Z7163 .P971 | No | Yes | Available to Cornell affiliates via the gateway service. |
Location:All the current legal periodical indexes are in the Main Reading Room.
TYPE: Practitioner's Guides
The Law Library selectively purchases practitioner's guides, mainly for New York. Particular caution is exercised for looseleaf services with frequent and high updating costs.A number of titles are purchased every three years or so, rather than keeping them up to date.
Selection criteria include:
- A hardbound book is preferred over a looseleaf format.
- Is it an area of comprehensive coverage?
- How deep is the treatise collection in this area?
- Reputation of the publisher.
- Is it a newly developing topical area?
- Is it a specialized area?
- The frequency and cost of supplementation.
TYPE: Research Guides
Research guides can be distinguished from bibliographic guides in that they cover research strategies in addition to descriptions of sources.
The Law Library broadly collects guides to specialized legal materials and state compilations and guides to legal research, but only if written by reputable authors.The Law Library does not generally collect research guides authored by students (e.g., in library schools, published by Hein).It selectively collects law-related guides, depending on potential use for the curriculum and availability in other campus libraries.
The Law Library broadly collects guides to foreign laws and legal systems.
WEB:Increasingly there is greater reliance on Web guides both internally and from external sources.
TYPE: Restatements of the Laws and the American Law Institute Model Codes
RESTATEMENTS OF THE LAWS
The Law Library has at least 2 copies of each Restatement in the collection; one copy is in the Reading Room, and the other is located in Special Reserve.Additional copies of specific Restatements and Tentative Drafts may be located in the Reading Room or in the offices of Law faculty engaged in research in those areas.
Lexis/Westlaw:Current versions of the Restatements are available on both Lexis and Westlaw.Prior versions of the Restatements are generally available on Lexis and Westlaw with some older material not available.
MODEL CODES
Model Codes are contained in Uniform Laws Annotated, one copy of which is located in the Reading Room.The stack copy is not current.
Lexis/Westlaw:Uniform Law Annotated is available on Westlaw. Lexis does not have the Uniform Laws Annotated.
TYPE: Session Laws
STATUTES AT LARGE
Slip Laws
Slip laws are received through the U.S. Government Depository Program.Slip laws are also available in the United States Code Congressional and Administrative News (USCCAN).They are also available in the advance sheets of United States Code Annotated (U.C.S.A.) and the advance sheets of the United States Code Service (U.S.C.S.)
Lexis/Westlaw:Lexis does not have statutes at large as a searchable database.You can lexsee a document but not search.Lexis does have U.S. Public Laws via old United States Code Service advance sheets starting with the 100th Congress, 2d Session.WESTLAW has the Statutes at Large searchable through the public law database.Coverage begins with 1973.
RETENTION:Slip laws are discarded upon receipt of the bound volume of U.S. Statutes at Large.The Law Library has 2 copies of Statutes at Large.
State Session Laws
The Law Library subscribes to one copy of the session laws of all the states, with the exception of New York State.For New York State, the Law Library receives 1 copy of Laws of New York, and 2 copies of both McKinney's Session Laws of New York and CLS New York Statutes.
Lexis/Westlaw:Lexis has advanced legislative services from 1990.Westlaw has coverage from 1987.
RETENTION:Session laws that appear in state advance legislative service pamphlets are kept until the bound volumes of session laws are received.The pamphlets are then discarded.
WEB: Generally most states have the current legislation available on a state web site.Some states have the prior year or earlier years coverage but it varies from state to state.In New York the Assembly has the web site for searching bill and passed legislation.(http://assembly.state.ny.us/)This is also the location to search the Constitution of New York, and both the Consolidated and Unconsolidated laws of New York.LII (http://www.law.cornell.edu/) is one of the best sources to begin searching for state material on the web. Findlaw (www.findlaw.com) and LexisOne (http://www.lexisone.com) are free sites with good linking to state material.
TYPE: Software Programs
The Law Library does not purchase software for the collection.Law students have access to various programs through the Law School network.
TYPE: State Documents
The Law Library collects New York State documents selectively, largely because the state does not actively distribute its documents state-wide.The bulk of the documents collected are produced by various state agencies.
The collection of documents from other states is quite limited.
WEB:Most states provide electronic access to their documents.A list of New York State Agencies with their web address is provided at The New York State Government Information Locator Service (http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/ils/nyserver.html) that is hosted by the New York State Library.
TYPE: State-Specific Materials
NEW YORK STATE
Major practitioner sets and treatises are acquired, and are placed on Closed Reserve.Less useful treatises and earlier editions of major treatises are located in the stacks.
OTHER STATES
Materials on the law of other states are not usually purchased unless the subject is important for Law faculty research.
Lexis/Westlaw:Both Lexis and Westlaw place many of their secondary state material on their services.
WEB: Generally material is not available.However, due to a special arrangement the Matthew Bender Publications from Lexis are available to the law school community via Ip authentication.(http://bender.lexisnexis.com/bender/us/catalog?action=home).They have over 300 titles many of which are state specific practice materials.
TYPE: Theses
One copy of J.S.D. and LL.M. theses produced by Law students in those programs at Cornell Law School is kept in the Cage.Second copies are located in Olin Library.
Theses are now produced as part of the process for obtaining J.S.D. Theses are optional in the LL.M. program but are retained if produced.Theses produced by LL.B. students, in an earlier era, when students getting that degree could fulfill degree requirements with theses, are also kept in the thesis collection in the Cage.
TYPE: Treaties
Paper:
The Law Library receives both the United States Treaties and Other International Agreements (UST) and the Treaties and Other International Acts Series (TIAS) from the GPO.Before 1950, treaties were published in the Statutes at Large.
The Consolidated Treaties & International Agreements.United States (CTIA) (1990-) (Oceana) contains the text of ratified treaties too current for TAIS.
Of the older treaty collections, the one most commonly used is Bevans, Treaties and other International Agreements, 1776-1949.
The library has several treaty indexes and other finding aids including:United States Treaty Index: 1776-1990 Consolidation, update by Current Treaty Index: a Cumulative Index to the United States Slip Treaties and Agreements (keyed to the Hein Microfiche service), Paul Irwins Index-Guide to Treaties, the World Treaty Index, and Unperfected Treaties of the United States, 1776-1976.
Microform:
Heins United States Treaties and Other International Agreements Current Microfiche Service provides the full text of treaties not yet published by the Department of State and those most recently provided a T.I.A.S. number.
Lexis/Westlaw:Lexis has treaties from 1776 to current (with a few exceptions to be added later) on their service.Westlaw has coverage from 1778 to current in their UStreaties database.
The Law Library also has the UN Treaty Collection in microfiche.
WEB:
Thomas (Thomas.loc.gov) provides status information on treaties from the 94th Congress to the present.GPO Access provides the text of senate treaties from the 104th.Congress to the present. (http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/cdocuments/index.html).
The United Nations Treaty Series is also available electronically to Cornell Affiliates via the electronic gateway.
Hein Online has recently added United States Treaties and Other International AgreementsVolumes 1-35 (1950-1984),Treaties and Other International Agreeme