The Jerome Hall Law Library is a selective depository of U.S. Government publications under 44 U.S.C. 1916, which gives law school libraries selective federal depository status. The Law Library selects materials through the depository program that relate to law or general information about the federal government, including all administrative agency decisions, all Congressional materials, and publications of the judiciary.
The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) is based on an agreement between the Government Publishing Office (GPO) and participating libraries nationwide to make U.S. government information publications, regardless of format, accessible to the public and to assure future access to this information. The participating depository library selects and receives government information free of charge from GPO and, in return, agrees to make this information freely accessible to the public.
Selection of government information in the Jerome Hall Law Library is based on the needs of its primary users, the Maurer School of Law community. However, the Law Library welcomes anyone who wants to use the Government Documents Collection during regular library hours without restriction of use.
Law Library Internet Use Policy
The Law Library offers the general public free access to online federal government information provided through the FDLP, following the principles of free access provided in 44 U.S.C. § 1911.
Computer Access: Three computer workstations in the library lobby are designated for research use by the general public. Ask for the guest login credentials at the circulation desk. Printing to a networked laser printer is available. Please see a reference librarian for research assistance.
The primary federal documents collection is housed on the fourth floor of the Library and is arranged by the Superintendent of Documents (SuDocs) classification system.
Selected government publications are shelved in the Reference collection on the first floor.
Government publication titles may be accessed through IUCAT and are indexed in a variety of specialized publications found in the Reference section of the Library. Please ask a librarian for assistance if you are uncertain about which resource to use.
In addition to traditional publications housed within the building, the Law Library provides Internet access to GPO's online repository, GovInfo, and subscription-based research databases (such as ProQuest Congressional and HeinOnline) that provide the full text of government information and publications. Please use the Online Resources list to access these databases.
The Library has a small collection of ephemeral U.S. Government publications maintained in a pamphlet file, arranged by the SuDocs classification system. These materials are not cataloged in IUCAT (the online catalog). Please see the Government Documents Librarian for assistance with materials in the pamphlet file.
The Library has duplicative collections of government documents in microfiche format, including the Serial Set, Congressional bills, CRS Major Studies and Issue Briefs, CIS Committee hearings and prints, and other CIS series, among others. Use the Microforms Finding List to locate microfiche collections.
Legal Requirements & Program Regulations of the Federal Depository Library Program (LRPR) can be found at FDLP.gov. "Libraries must catalog current tangible receipts or publications that meet the library’s collection needs" (LRPR 13).
The following inventories provide piece-level accounting for government publications which do not have bibliographic records in IUCAT:
As a Preservation Steward, the Jerome Hall Law Library has partnered with the U.S. Government Publishing Office to preserve government information and provide permanent public access to historic and current government documents.
We are stewards of thirteen government document collections, including the Code of Federal Regulations and the United States Code.
