Duke University Law Library: Collection Development Policy: Introduction
I. Introduction to the Policy
The library collection is designed to meet the curriculum and research needs of its patrons. The policy is based upon the needs of the primary constituents of the library, the law school faculty
and students. Other users such as Duke affiliates, local attorneys, and the general public are considered but do not guide the direction of the collection. This collection development policy
supports the mission of the Duke University School of Law Library which is: To play the leading role in meeting the information needs of the law school community, and provide comprehensive
information resources and services to advance legal scholarship and support the curriculum and programs of the law school and university.
A. Overview of the Collection
Because of the national and international reputation of the Duke University School of Law, the curriculum and research interests of faculty and students cover most areas of American law and an
increasing collection in foreign and international law. Several years ago, the law school added several JD-MA degree programs which have created a demand for interdisciplinary materials. The law
school has also undergone a process of increasing internationalization. The law school offers a summer program in Geneva, Switzerland and Hong Kong. There are several international and foreign law
courses in the JD curriculum, as well as two distinct LLM programs, one for international students and one for American students in comparative and international law. Substantial use of the
collection also results from publication of the student edited journals at Duke law school, Duke Journal of Comparative and International law, Law and Contemporary Problems, Duke Law Journal,
Alaska Law Review, Duke Environmental Law and Policy Forum, and the Duke Journal of Gender Law and Policy.
As of June 30, 2005, the library has over 616,000 volumes and microform equivalents. The collection consisted of 215,550 titles.
The collection includes comprehensive coverage of basic American primary source materials, including nearly all reported decisions of federal and state courts, as well as current and retrospective
collections of federal and state codes and session laws. It is strong in most areas of American law and provides faculty support by processing duplicate office copies when requested by a faculty
member. The cost of maintaining these materials is paid for by the faculty member if it is a duplicate copy of a set already maintained in the general collection of the library.
Practitioner-oriented material is acquired selectively, and generally not collected for states other than North Carolina. American law materials are also readily available through LEXIS and
WESTLAW, accessible in the library through dedicated terminals, the student and faculty research networks and from home computers. These materials are also often available via the Internet through
such means as the World Wide Web.
The international law collection focuses primarily on international business transactions, international trade, public and private international law, international organizations, international
environmental law, and human rights. Recent emphasis has also been placed upon NAFTA due in part to the creation of the North American Studies department at the University. The library continues to
maintain a strong Canadian collection and has made increasing strides in upgrading the Mexican collection.
The foreign law collection is strong in Commonwealth countries, as well as France and Germany. Specific attention is being given to other areas such as Pacific Rim and Latin America. The specifics
of the foreign law collection will be detailed in the section on foreign law collection policy.
The library is also a selective federal depository for government documents and selects about 7% of the available documents. These documents are also often available via online services and the
Internet. The specifics of the documents policy will be detailed in the section on government documents.
The library also maintains a faculty collection of publications written by governing faculty. A copy is selected for the general collection as well. The specifics of this will be detailed in the
specific section on the faculty collection.
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