The Law Library has a complete collection of basic Anglo-American law
materials and is a significant research facility. The materials in the
Library include: federal, regional and select state reports, digests
for these reports, federal and state statutes, federal and state codes,
Shepard's citators, loose leaf services, legal encyclopedias, U.S. and
foreign law reviews and treatises on law-related subjects. Additional
funding from donors has enabled development of the collection in the
areas of Environmental Law, Taxation, Estate Planning, Crime Victim
Rights, Business Law, and Indian Law.
The Law Library is predominantly an open-stack system. The user retrieves
the material rather than a staff member. The Reference Services area
contains the microform collection; indices to periodicals, microforms,
and government documents; reference materials; legal encyclopedia; and
a copy of Oregon Revised Statutes and Oregon Administrative Rules. The
materials in the Reading Room include treatises and periodicals, as
well as federal, regional and state primary and secondary sources and
Canadian and British materials. Environmental treatises and periodicals
are also found here. Each stack is numbered, and the stacks are divided
by a large aisle. There is an "A" side and a "B" side to the stacks.
The Library maintains three closed-stack areas: the Reserve Collection,
the Storage Collection and Off-site Storage. The The Storage Collection
houses the pre-National Reporter state reporters, as well as Oregon
Bills prior to the most recent legislative sessions, and superseded
editions of treatises. The Off-site storage facility contains additional
superseded editions of treatises and selected journals. Storage materials
will be retrieved by the Circulation Desk staff upon request. Off-site
Storage materials will be retrieved within 24 hours of request, except
on weekends.
Library Materials
Treatises
The Library's treatise holdings can be identified through the Library's
online catalog. The catalog does not include individual articles published
in law journals. LegalTrac and the Index to Legal Periodicals are the
best resources for this information.
Material can be searched by author, title and subject. Searches can
either be for keywords as they appear in the author, title or subject
fields or for an exact match. The Library uses a specific vocabulary
for subject headings. If you have trouble locating a subject, use the
multiple volume set of books at the Reference Desk called Library of
Congress Subject Headings, or ask the Reference Services staff for assistance.
The treatises are shelved in Library of Congress call number order.
Material with the location of "Storage" or "Off-site Storage" or "Reserve"
indicates that the title is housed in closed stack areas. The Circulation
Desk staff will retrieve any materials requested from those areas.
The Library of Congress classification scheme catalogs Law in the
K schedule. American Law is KF. An outline of the K and KF schedules
is attached to the stack end panels in the treatise collection. A helpful
way of locating treatises is to determine the general Library of Congress
classification number and browse the stacks in and around that number.
Periodicals
The Library's periodicals are listed in the online catalog under title
and subject. The majority of periodicals are arranged in alphabetical
order by title in the stacks. However, a variety of periodicals, such
as most state bar journals and legal newspapers, are found in microformat
and are housed in the microform cabinets located in the Reference Services
area.
To find a particular article in the various journals or periodicals,
there are a number of general and topical indexes located in the index
area. Periodical article citations are also indexed in several computer
databases including LegalTrac, FirstSearch, LexisNexis and Westlaw.
For help in using a particular index or database, ask at the Reference
Desk.
Federal and Regional Materials
The federal and regional reporters, codes and digests are located
on the south stacks ("B" stacks"). Included in this section (generally
from front to back in the stacks) are the following:
Congressional Record*
U.S. Code Congressional and Administrative News (USCCAN)
U.S. Code (both official and annotated editions)
Federal Register*
Code of Federal Regulations*
U.S. Supreme Court decisions and digests
Lower federal court decisions and digests
Bankruptcy Reporter
Federal Rules Decisions
*The current issues for these materials are in
the stacks and the remaining materials are on microfiche and stored
in the microfiche cabinets in the Reference Services Area.
Following the federal material is the 2nd Series, West National Reporter
system of regional compilations of state reports and digests. The sets
are shelved alphabetically by title, i.e., Atlantic to Southern.
Following the regional reporters and digests are volumes from the
Decennial Digests, containing summaries of cases from both federal and
state courts.
The federal Shepard's Citators are located immediately following their
respective Reporters. The specialized Shepard's are located after the
regional material.
State Materials
State statutes, reporters and other materials are located on the south
stacks ("B" stacks) following the federal and regional materials and
are arranged alphabetically by state. The materials for each state are
arranged as follows: 1) legislative publications; 2) statutes and codes;
3) official and unofficial court reports arranged from the highest to
the lowest court**; 4) Attorney General opinions; 5) digests*; 6) administrative
codes*; 7) encyclopedias*; 8) Shepard's.* Additional state materials
are housed with the treatises and can be located through the online
catalog.
*These items may not be available for every state.
**Oregon, Washington, California only. Other state
reporters are housed in the Basement.
United Kingdom and Other Foreign Jurisdictions
Selected statutory materials, reports, and digests for Canada and
the United Kingdom are located in the Foreign section in the rear of
the Library on the "B" side. Some Commonwealth and English language
statutes and reporters are housed in the Storage Collection. Please
consult the catalog or the Reference staff for further information.
The Library also holds the Civil Codes of several foreign countries.
These codes are found in the treatise area of the stacks and can be
located using the online catalog.
Special Collections
There are a number of special collections located throughout the Law
Library. These materials are briefly described here, with locations.
Circulation Desk - Reserve Collection Materials
The following materials are closed stack and are housed behind the
Circulation Desk:
1. Reserve Materials. The Reserve Collection contains copies of all
current hornbooks, nutshells, textbooks, course materials and selected
study aids. All Reserve items are listed in the online catalog.
This collection also includes copies of current Oregon State Bar
Continuing Legal Education materials, and slip opinions from the
Oregon Attorney General's Office and the Oregon Land Use Board of
Appeals.
2. Audio and Video Tape Cassettes. Cassettes required for coursework
or to supplement legal studies are available for checkout. The cassettes
may be checked out for off-campus use at the discretion of the Reader
Services staff. All tapes are classified and may be located through
the online catalog. Tape recorders are available for 3 hour checkouts.
Videotapes are located on Reserve. There are three group study rooms
designated as AV rooms. Students needing to view videotapes have
priority for those rooms.
Reference Collection
The Reference Collection is located on the low shelving throughout
the Reference Services area. It includes government and court directories,
Who's Who, encyclopedias, academic directories, legal education directories,
dictionaries, thesauri and other miscellaneous directories.
Additionally, the Reference Collection includes The American Law
Reports, 1st-5th series (ALR), and A.L.R. Federal, all located on
the short shelves to the south of the Reference Desk. These volumes
contain discussions of specific topics with annotations of selected
cases from state and federal appellate courts. Also located on short
shelves in the Reference Services area are the legal encyclopedias:
American Jurisprudence (AmJur), American Jurisprudence, 2d,
Corpus Juris, Corpus Juris Secundum (CJS) and Words and Phrases.
Index Area
The two rows of shelving nearest the entryway to Wood Hall contain
several different indexes. Many of the volumes found here are indexes
to our extensive microform collection, such as the CIS Indexes to Congressional
reports, hearings, prints and other documents. There are also periodical
indexes and treaty indexes shelved in this area. Indexes for certain
microfiche or microfilm sets are found on the tops of the microform
cabinets.
Reference Desk Collection
This small collection located on shelves at the Reference Desk includes
legal, congressional, and judicial directories, abbreviation dictionaries,
research guides and other bibliographic tools.
United States Government Documents
The Library is a selective federal and state depository. Portland
State University Library is the local complete federal depository. Government
documents are integrated into the general Library collection rather
than being kept in a separate documents collection. The majority of
Congressional documents are available on microfiche. The Library's subscription
to the Congressional Information Service (CIS) contains all U.S. Senate
and House documents, reports, hearings and public laws since 1970. Congressional
materials prior to 1970 held by the Library include committee prints,
hearings, executive documents, and the U.S. Serial Set (primarily Congressional
reports and documents). Indexes and user guides are available for these
services. The Congressional Universe database also covers this material.
Patent and Trademark Depository Library
The Boley Law Library is the Patent and Trademark Depository Library
for the state of Oregon. Consequently, this special collection is one
of major proportions consisting of over 45,000 volumes. The primary
sources include the U.S. Patent Documents, the Official Gazette -Patents,
the Official Gazette - Trademarks, monographs and numerous indices and
finding aids. The materials truly represent the format mix found in
today's law library as they are available through print, microform,
CD-ROM and DVD. It is interesting to note that we are the only law library,
academic or otherwise, that serves as a depository. The microform collection
is housed in Room 114 of the Library (near the Copy Center). The bound
volumes are in Storage. Please ask for assistance at the Reference Desk.
Microforms
There are a number of materials available in microformat. Some of
the publications included are:
ABA archive collection
American Law Institute publications
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR): 1939-
Congressional Information Service: 1970-
Congressional Record: 1873-
Early American Reprint Series
Federal Register: 1936-
Major Studies and Issue Briefs of the Congressional Research Service:
1916-
Oral arguments of the Supreme Court of the U.S.
Oregon Appellate Briefs:
Court of Appeals: Vol. 30-
Supreme Court: Vol. 280-
Oregon legislative history materials: 1947-
Records and Briefs of the Supreme Court of the United States:
1832-
Reports of International Arbitral Awards: 1948-1980
Selected international legislative and judicial materials
Selected legal journals and newspapers
State Attorney General opinions
State bar journals: 1980-
State Constitutional Conventions: 1776-1959 State Session Laws:
beginning with statehood of each state (including some territorial
session laws)
U.N. Treaty Series: Vol. 1-
U.S. Bills: 97th Congress, 2d session-
U.S. Colonial session laws
U.S. Congress. Committee Prints: 1850-1969
U.S. Congress. Hearings: 1833-1969
U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Briefs: 1985-1988, 1990-1991
U.S. Senate Executive Documents and Reports: 1817-1969
U.S. Serial Set: 1789-1969
Washington State Bar Continuing Legal Education publications
This material is housed in the Microform Section of the Reference
Services area. Printers are provided to convert all microforms to paper
copy. The charge per copy is 10 cents, to be paid at the Circulation
Desk.
Microform materials (film and fiche) are cataloged the same as print
materials. The online catalog will indicate the call number as AVF.
A location directory is posted at each end of the microform collection
to indicate the cabinet location of major titles. You are encouraged
to ask the Reference staff for aid in using the microform materials,
microform indexes and the microform equipment.
Video and Audio Tapes
Special lectures, Moot Court finals and other Law School instructional
materials may be available on tape; however, many lectures that are
taped do not become part of the permanent collection. All tapes retained
permanently in the Library collection may be found in the online catalog
under the author, title, and subject.
The Milton A. Pearl Environmental Law Library
This special collection was established in 1971 by the family and
friends of the Honorable Milton A. Pearl, the late Director of the Public
Land Law Review Commission and former Counsel of the Subcommittee on
Public Lands of the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs.
This collection includes treatises, government documents and reports,
and periodicals. The Environmental Collection is located on the first
eight stacks on the "A" side.
Crime Victim Collection
The Law School hosts the National Crime Victim Law Institute. A growing
collection of materials concerning the rights of crime victims and related
areas are located on the last stack on the "B" side. Location
code on the online catalog is Law Crime Victims.
Newspapers and Magazines
The Library subscribes to selected local, national and legal newspapers,
as well as general news magazines. The current issues of general interest
newspapers and magazines are housed in the area at the end of the Reference
Desk. Back issues of these newspapers are retained for approximately
5 days. Legal newspapers are shelved in the periodical collection, with
back issues available on microfiche or microfilm. Please return newspapers
and magazines to the newspaper rack area when finished.
Business Reading Nook
The casual reading area in the Wood Hall Reading Room houses the current
issues of a variety of business-related magazines and newspapers. Materials
in this area should not be removed from the library.
Prior Year Exams
At the individual professor's discretion, copies of previous years'
exams are available for law student perusal and can be accessed at:
Law Exams Database.
Peter S. Nycum Rare Book Room
Located on the top floor of Wood Hall, the Nycum Rare Book Room collection
of materials is a consolidation of works that have been contributed
by individuals, families, and unknown donors as well as being found
on the shelves of the Boley Library itself. The greatest number of works,
some 54, have come from Professor Peter S. Nycum's Library. In addition
to the Nycum collection, other works have come from the library of Matthew
and Edward Deady, while other volumes were contributed by Richard Nahstoll,
Folger Johnson, the George Heilig family, and Robert Weiss.
The particular titles housed in the Nycum Rare Book Room are described
in an annotated catalog of the collection which is available at the
Reference Desk. Although this collection is not open to the public,
researchers needing access can apply to the Associate Dean, Library,
Professor Peter Nycum for special permission to use the collection.
