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.
Access
The majority of the collection is cataloged and records can be found by using the Law Library catalog. You may access the catalog through a personal computer or 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 the Index to Legal Periodicals online.
Electronic products are rapidly becoming a favored format for government publications. GovInfo and the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), both Web-based services, make a number of government publications available via computer. Four public stations located in the Reserve area allow patrons to connect to GovInfo and FDLP.
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. For assistance identifying relevant items, please email LawReference@seattleu.edu. 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. 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
Individuals who need access to Federal Depository materials should first complete the FDLP Use Request form to schedule an appointment. Upon arriving at the Law Library, all visitors, except current law faculty, staff, and students, must show identification at the Circulation Desk and complete the "Visitors' Registration Form."
