Library Guides: Law: A Guide to Penn State Resources: About the Penn State Law Collection (2024)

The Pattee/Paterno Libraries maintain a strong collection of law materials, housing one of the largest collections of print and electronic legal materials in Central Pennsylvania. Combined with the resources of The Penn State Law (University Park) Library andDickinson School of Law Library (Carlisle, PA)faculty and students have first-rate legal research collection. Support services for these collections reside in the Social Sciences Library on 2nd Floor Paterno.

The electronic resources listed in this guide are available to all Penn State faculty, staff, and students with an access ID and password. Alumni and visitors who wish to use these resources (on-site) for educational (non-commercial) research can requesta Limited Penn State Account at accounts.psu.edu prior to their visit. A valid non-psu.edu email and a government issued identification is required.

Wireless Access

Visitors to the Libraries may use the free wireless service. Please bring a flash driveto save any information you retrieve or be prepared to email the materials to yourself.

• Visitor Wireless at Penn State

• Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window

  Researchers familiar with the full version of this service (generally available in law schools) will find significant differences in the resources that are available in the academic version. This results from the limited licensing options available to general academic libraries. However, the database still provides a exceptionally strong basis for state, federal and international legal research. University Libraries' users who are not finding what they need should contact the Libraries for additional assistance.

• HeinOnline This link opens in a new window

  A very large collection of law journals and primary source materials including supreme court opinions.

• This link opens in a new window

  indexes legal journals, law reviews, yearbooks, and bar association publications from 1918 to the present. Contains significant full text.

• Westlaw Campus Research - Law This link opens in a new window

  A comprehensive database of legal materials including federal and state statutes, codes, regulations, and case law materials. Also includes some limited international materials e.g. European Union law. This subscription does NOT include the Business or News portions of Westlaw Campus.

While the majority of legal materials are available online only, there are still a number of key resources in print available for consultation. Some are located in the Reference collection (2nd floor Paterno). Most of the remainder are on 3rd Floor Paterno, with much of the historical collection in the Library Annex. Staff at the Service desk and assist you with the print collection.

Major Titles in Print

Federal Law

1. United States Statutes at Large -- Call numberKF50 .A3, Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use. 1789-to date
   Chronological version of the laws of the United States
2. United States Code Annotated -- Call numberKF62 .A35, Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use
   Codified version of the current laws of the U.S. annotated with historical reference and citations to related cases.
3. Federal Register--Call NumberKF70 .A2, Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use-- current 3 months in print. Earlier online.
   Daily listing of new proposed and final regulations from the federal government
4. Code of Federal Regulations. -- Call NumberKF70 .A3, Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use
   Codified versions of federal regulations
5. Corpus Juris Secundum-- Call NumberKF154 .C62, Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use
   A comprehensive legal encyclopedia
6. United States Reports -- Call Number KF101 .U49, Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use.
   U.S. Supreme Court Opinions

PennsylvaniaLaw

1. The Laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.--Call number KFP30.A23, Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use
   ​Chronological compilation of PA laws as passed by the General Assembly
2. Purdon's Pennsylvania Statutes Annotated --Call number KFP30.P8, Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use
   Codified version of current PA law annotated with historical notes and court cases
3. Pennsylvania Bulletin --Call number KFP31 .P452, Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use
4. Pennsylvania Code --Callnumber KFP31.P45, Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use
   ​Codified version of current PA regulations
5. Pennsylvania Law Encyclopedia --Callnumber KFP65.P3, Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use
   Comprehensive encyclopediasurveying PA law. Heavily annotated with references to pertinent court cases.
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