Jump to other pages in the Information Services section
Introduction
The Seattle University Law Library is a selective United States Federal Depository.
Access to materials obtained under this program is governed by federal law and
applicable regulations are issued through the Superintendent of Documents. Materials
are selected by the professional librarians to meet the scope and purpose of
the Library, and come in a variety of formats including books, periodicals,
maps, and electronic products.
In addition to titles that cover general government, the items selected concern law, criminal justice, foreign affairs, and regulatory issues. See the Seattle University Law Library Selective United States Federal Depository Library Collection Development Policy for more information.
Access
The majority of the collection is cataloged and records can be found by using
our online catalog. You
may link to the catalog from this Web page or use the terminals located on the
second floor of the Library. House and Senate Reports, Hearings, Executive Documents,
and other miscellaneous items form the nucleus of our congressional working
papers collection. These materials are by-products of the federal law-making
process and play a prominent role in understanding congressional intent. Most
of these items are maintained in microformat. Use the CIS Index (Congressional
Information Service) to locate them by Superintendent of Documents classification
number. Selected government periodical publications are indexed in either the
Index to Legal Periodicals or the Current Law Index. Both are available in range
2B, immediately adjacent to the Reference Desk.
Electronic products are rapidly becoming a favored format for government publications. GPO Access and the FDLP, both Web-based services, make a number of government publications available via computer. Three public stations located adjacent to the Reference Desk that allow patrons to connect to GPO Access. These stations can also service the CD-ROM products obtained under the depository program, which are available for checkout from the Circulation Desk.
Location
Almost all of the materials received in paper form are integrated into the regular
collections of the Library. Their exact locations are given in the bibliographic
record found in our online catalog. Government documents in microformat are
kept in Room 204. Request assistance at the Reference Desk with identifying
relevant items. The staff at the Circulation/Reserve Desk will be glad to assist
you with any directional questions you may have or with using the microformat
reader-printers located in Room 204.
Arrangement
Government documents which are integrated into the Library's collections, are
organized by Library of Congress classification number. Use the online catalog
to locate these items. Microformat publications are primarily organized using
the Superintendent of Documents classification system.
Circulation and Use Policies
All law library materials circulate in accordance with the policies outlined
in the Law Library Policies, available at the Circulation Desk. Members of the
general public are invited to use the library’s federal government documents
collection free of charge. They are also welcome to borrow materials that circulate
by contacting their local public or institutional library and requesting an
interlibrary loan. A reference librarian can also suggest alternative methods
for obtaining current government publications.
Assistance
If you need assistance in locating United States government documents, consult
one of the librarians at the Reference Desk during regularly
scheduled hours or call (206) 398-4225. For questions regarding the federal
documents collection or to access policies, contact the Documents Coordinator
at (206) 398-4160.
Documents Coordinator
Bob Menanteaux
E-mail: arobertm@seattleu.edu