Collection Development Policies

Collection Development Policy for Law

Purpose

While Old Dominion University does not have a law school, the law collection supports departments that offer courses on the legal aspects of their subject areas. It also provides historical and current legal and Congressional information for students, faculty, staff and the public. Appointed a selective federal depository in 1963, the library receives many legal publications. A primary focus of the law collection is to support research and instruction in the undergraduate pre-law program run by Professor Elizabeth Esinhart, as well a minor in public law within the political science department.  

History, sociology, international studies, sports management, education, and criminal justice are also frequent users of legal materials.  This collection serves the legal information needs of the community by making legal materials easily accessible to the general public who are welcome to use these resources within the library.

General Collecting Guidelines

Language Guidelines

English is the primary language for the law collection. Foreign language materials may be selectively purchased if recommended by faculty.

Geographical Guidelines

Most materials purchased for the law collection will have an emphasis on United States  and Virginia law. However, with the continued emphasis on globalization, and our graduate program in International Studies, materials will also be purchased to support international law interests.

Types of Materials

The bulk of the law collection consists of laws (statutes), regulations, and cases. At the federal level, the collection includes official and annotated versions of the United States Code.   Regulations published in the Federal Register and codified in Code of Federal Regulations are part of the depository collection.  The library purchases the U.S. Supreme Court Reports, Lawyer’s Edition.

At the state level, the collection consists of laws passed by the legislature, the Acts of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and codified in Michie’s Code of Virginia.  Regulations are published in the Virginia Register and codified in the Virginia Administrative Code.  In addition to print, the Virginia Legislative System provides searchable databases for the previously mentioned resources.

State Supreme Court decisions are found in the Virginia Reports.  Cases for Virginia and surrounding states are found in West’s Southeastern Reporter.

The collection also includes some subject collections of cases and laws in areas of special interest such as education law, business law (accounting) and sports law. The collection includes monographs, serials, government publications and electronic resources. Major legal encyclopedias and dictionaries, legal research manuals and other legal reference materials may be acquired.

Some law materials are provided in electronic format. The library subscribes to several electronic databases that provide access to primary and secondary legal materials: LexisNexis Academic, LexisNexis Congressional, and CQ Weekly.  Many federal government legal publications are now online and are linked via the library’s webpage.

Date of Publication

Emphasis is on the purchase of current materials. Acquisition of retrospective materials, including out-of-print titles, is initiated as needs require. No preference is given to original printings over reprints.

Other General Considerations:

Related Subject Policy Statements:

• History
• Political Science
• International Studies
• Women's Studies
• African-American Studies
• Sociology
• Criminal Justice
• Government Publications
• Urban Studies and Public Administration
• Education
• Accounting (Taxation Law)
• Public Health

Government Publications

Old Dominion University Library is a selective depository library for United States government publications. Government publications in print, microfiche and electronic formats are critical to the law collection, and contain primary sources important for legal research. Most notable are the United States Code, the Statutes at Large and Slip Laws.  Additional Congressional materials including the U.S. Serial Set, American State Papers, Congressional Globe, Congressional Record, Congressional hearings, committee prints and reports, reports to Congress on special topics, etc. provide materials focusing on legislative intent and debate.  Specialized government search engines such as GPOAccess, Thomas, and FirstGov facilitate access to government information on the web.

The Virginia Depository Library Program provides the library with print and electronic access relevant to Virginia laws and regulations.  Electronic resources are linked via the library’s webpage.

Area Resources

Area libraries that supplement the holdings of the Old Dominion University Library and are of interest and great help to students and the community are listed below.

Norfolk Law Library, Virginia Beach Law Library, Regent University Law School, William and Mary College of Law.

Collecting Codes

Discipline: Law
Bibliographer: Martha Higgins
Date 05/06

Government Documents