A. Jenkins Law Library’s Mission

 

Since its founding in 1802, Jenkins Law Library has been dedicated to bringing people and information together within the legal community. As the nation’s oldest law library, it is committed to providing value through its outstanding service, comprehensive access to legal and other information, relevant educational programs, the latest technologies, and a hospitable place to work and visit.

 

B. Purpose of the Collection Development Policy

 

This Collection Development Policy is intended to serve as a guide to acquiring and retaining materials, as well as a plan for the continuing development of the Jenkins’ collection. These policies are based on the needs of the Law Library’s users.

 

Part II of the Policy is a discussion of general collection development principles and definitions that are applied to all types of resources and all subject areas. Part III is a summary of the levels of collection development with priorities by type of material. Part IV is a brief description of the levels of collection development by subject area.. Retention policies are addressed briefly in Part V and throughout this document. Member Online Services details databases available, and membership access levels.

 

Jenkins Law Library is constantly growing and changing; therefore, the Law Library’s Collection Development Policy is a living document that adapts to meet the needs of the Law Library’s users. This Policy will be reviewed at least annually and revised when appropriate to meet the needs of the Law Library’s users.

 

C. History of the Collection

 

Jenkins Law Library is the oldest Law Library in the United States, founded in 1802. In 1805, the Law Library published a catalog of its holdings and it had approximately 350 volumes in the collection. Its collection in the early 20^th century was among the top 10 in the country including those of law schools. At that time, there were various exchange programs throughout the world whereby one library would send copies of statutes or similar materials to other libraries in exchange for a similar publication from that library. The Law Library also accepted gifts and that is how it acquired the John Marshall Gest Collection of Roman and Canon Law, the Sulzberger Collection, and others. However, as funds became scarce the Law Library began concentrating on gearing the collection more toward the needs of the members of the practicing bar. In the 1950’s it gave its international and foreign law collections to the Biddle Law Library of the University of Pennsylvania. In the 1970’s it stopped subscriptions to the laws of Commonwealth countries, although it continued to house the previous volumes. In the early 1990’s the Law Library sold its Canadian collection.

 

In the 1970’s the Law Librarian recognized that materials in microformat offered the Law Library a chance to remain within in its space without adding additional square footage. The Law Library has an extensive microform collection and in fact, more microform equivalent volumes than it has in paper.

 

With the introduction of technology and online databases, the Law Library has maintained a strong presence in this area and is able to enhance its physical collection with abundant online sources.  The Law Library has made a commitment to provide public access to digital resources for all  users in the library and to make its digital resources available for remote access to members 24/7 where licensing can be obtained.

 

The Law Library strives to keep the collection up to date with the newest developments in the legal field and welcomes suggestions from its users.

 

 

“Law Librarian” means the Director of the Jenkins Law Library.

 

“Law Library” means the Jenkins Law Library or its staff.

 

“Material” or “Materials” means legal or law-related information or resources, regardless of format. For example, subscription databases are “materials.”

 

“Policy” means this Collection Development Policy.

 

“Users” means Library’s members, the judiciary and the general public.

 

E. Responsibility for Selection

 

Ultimately, the Law Librarian, with the assistance of the library staff, is responsible for selecting, acquiring, maintaining and retaining materials. The Law Librarian works in close collaboration with the Collection Development Librarian, the Head of Information and Research Services, and the Collection Development Advisory Committee to acquire materials. All subscriptions are reevaluated on an ongoing basis. They solicit and welcome suggestions and recommendations from other staff and the library’s users.

 

F. The Law Library’s Relationship to the Bench and Bar

 

Although the Law Library is a separate organization apart from both the Bench and the Bar, it maintains a close working relationship with both.

 

G. The Law Library’s Relationship to Other Libraries

 

The Law Library is a member of OCLC and uses its ILL features extensively, through WorldCat and FirstSearch. It maintains contacts with area law libraries, as well as other special, public, and academic libraries. It participates in the Mid-Atlantic Law Library Consortium whose members are the academic, state and large county law libraries in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

 

The Law Library is also a member of the Membership/Subscription Law Libraries Roundtable and it has access to materials from similar libraries in the United States and Canada.

 

 

 

The Law Library provides access to its resources via JAC, Jenkins’ Journal Portal, and its Website. Remote access to specialized research databases is provided to library members via Member Online Services using membership authentication to comply with vendor license agreements.

B. Selection Criteria

 

The focus of the Law Library’s collection is to meet the needs of its users. The Law Library views itself as the “great equalizer” in that the solo practitioner visiting the Law Library will have access to many materials that an attorney in a large law firm does.

 

The following will be considered when evaluating materials for acquisition, renewal, donation and retention:

The Law Library does not currently collect scholarly materials, jurisprudence and legal history materials, law school textbooks, or foreign, international or comparative law materials.

 

C. Current Materials v. Retrospective Materials

 

The Law Library generally purchases current materials only. However, the Law Library will purchase and accept donations of retrospective materials to replace older materials missing from essential core collections.  Subscriptions to historical electronic collections include LLMC Digital and HeinOnline’s Legal Classics Library.

 

D. Media

 

In general, the Law Library acquires information resources in the most effective and efficient manner, whatever that format may be. In some instances, this Policy specifically states that materials will be acquired in print. In choosing a format, the Law Library considers the selection criteria in § II.B of this Policy.

 

Materials formerly available only in paper and microform are increasingly made available through electronic resources. When materials are available in both print and electronic, the decision to purchase one format or the other, or both, is based on usage frequency, convenience of use, the need for multiple access points, storage capacity of the library, and price.

 

E. Duplication and Multiple Copies

 

Multiple copies and duplication of resources will be avoided unless there is a demonstrated need based on usage.  The Law Library will generally rely on materials in microformat and those available electronically as backups for print materials if a duplicate is necessary.

 

F. Languages

 

The Law Library collects materials in English and purchases self-help materials in other languages when needed.

 

G. Approval Plans, Standing Orders, and Package Plans

 

Approval plans, standing orders, and package plans will be used to ensure that the Law Library receives all of the publications necessary to support the needs of the library’s users, to obtain the lowest possible pricing, and to reduce administrative expense. The Law Library maintains subscriptions to the following plans.

 

Permanently maintained in collection

Current editions only

 

The Law Library strives to offer remote electronic access to research databases for all members 24/7 using membership authentication while complying with vendor license agreements. See Member Online Services for the most up to date list.

 

 

The Law Library maintains and expands its collection of the best web sites organized into two broad top level categories: Legal and Nonlegal. Nonlegal research links are further broken down into eight subcategories: Business, General Research, Internet Extras, Medical, News & Current Events, Other Library Catalogs, Resources for Librarians and Search Engines & Tools.

 

The research links collection (currently numbering about 2,300 sites) emphasizes quality over quantity. Research links are discovered via Weblogs, library literature, professional conferences and the general media.

 

 

The Law Library has a rare book collection consisting of materials that the library originally purchased and those acquired in the 19^th century. In addition, the John Marshall Gest collection of Roman and Canon Law contains rare materials. The earliest volume in this collection is from 1482. The Law Library does not purchase materials for this collection, but accepts donations, see § II:L.

 

K. Government Documents

 

The Law Library acquires those publications produced by the government that are relevant to legal research and reference. Access to electronic versions of publications are also provided through JAC (jac.jenkinslaw.org - currently numbering 26,503 e-publications) and the Research Links on the library’s web site (www.jenkinslaw.org). Selection decisions are guided by the same criteria employed for the selection of non-government items. Decisions concerning the cataloging, classification, retention, and preservation of government publications follow the same policies and guidelines as all other acquisitions to the collection. The Law Library collects GPO federal legislation and legislative history materials in various formats. Selected resources include the complete Congressional Index Service, Statutes at Large, and United States Code Congressional and Administrative News. Electronic resources include HeinOnline’s Federal Legislative Histories, Statutes at Large, and Federal Register Libraries.

 

The Law Library compiles Pennsylvania Legislative Histories and makes them available to library members on its web site.

 

 

The Law Library encourages and welcomes gifts of legal and law-related materials. The Law Library accepts donations that conform to the Law Library’s Collection Development Policy if no conditions are attached. The Law Librarian and/or the Collection Development Librarian make the decision to accept gifts. The Law Library reserves the right to decline gifts that do not conform to its selection guidelines and gift policy.

 

When gifts are accepted, the Law Library determines the classification, housing and circulation of these materials. Books that do not complement the library’s collection may be exchanged, sold or disposed. The Law Library retains the right to dispose of gifts at any time and in any manner deemed appropriate. No guarantee can be made that any gift will be a permanent part of the collection. The Law Library will not be responsible for an appraisal or for documenting a valuation for tax or other purposes. The donor assumes responsibility for the safe shipment of the gift to the Law Library and any costs incurred therein.

 

The Law Library also accepts monetary gifts to enhance the collection.The Law Library reserves the right to select titles, formats, editions, etc. with donated funds unless otherwise directed during the donor’s initial contact with the Law Library regarding the gift.

 

A thank you letter and inventory of the donation listing the condition of the materials will be sent to the donor as soon as possible after receiving the gift. The Law Library acknowledges all gifts by placing a bookplate inside the book, or on other places befitting the format of the material, if desired.

 

M. Weeding the Collection

 

The collection is weeded on a regular basis. Staff uses this document as a blue print to weed the collection in conjunction with the retention policies, as well as considering the resources available in Member Online Services.

 

III. Collection Development Policies for Specific Types of Resources

 

A. U.S. Primary Materials

 

 

The Law Library maintains an extensive collection of Federal and state reports. Federal and 50 state court opinions are available at the Law Library in a variety of media with preference toward the electronic and official version.  Palawlibrary.com provides electronic access to Pennsylvania county cases.

 

2. Statutes & Court Rules

 

The Law Library maintains current sets of the United States Code, the United States Code Annotated, the United States Code Service, the Statutes at Large and the United States Code Congressional and Administrative News. Official Codes and Court Rules for all fifty states and the District of Columbia are shelved with the state materials, and state session laws from 1776 to date are available in microformat. Prior editions of the United States Code and many superseded state codes are also kept in microformat.

 

The Law Library maintains a comprehensive collection of statutes for Pennsylvania including electronic versions from Lexis and Westlaw available on the Electronic Resources Network. The Law Library also collects superseded editions of Purdon's Pennsylvania Statutes Annotated in print and microfiche.

 

 

The Law Library maintains a comprehensive collection of federal regulations, including a current subscription to the Code of Federal Regulations in print. These sources are also available, online via HeinOnline, and through LexisNexis and Westlaw on the Law Library’s Electronic Resources Network. Complete coverage of prior editions of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations are retained in microform.

 

For Pennsylvania, the Law Library maintains current print subscriptions to the Pennsylvania Code and Pennsylvania Bulletin. Electronic access is available from LexisNexis and Westlaw on the Law Library’s Electronic Resources Network. The Law Library maintains print copies of the complete historical holdings of the Pennsylvania Code by sequential serial page number.

 

The Law Library collects state administrative codes for all 50 states. Print sets are updated by either online updates if they are freely available, or by subscription to the paper updating services.

 

The Law Library also maintains municipal codes for the city of Philadelphia and all surrounding county municipal codes available in print and online (via links through JAC when available)

 

 

The Law Library maintains records and briefs for the Pennsylvania appellate courts, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

 

The Law Library is a depository for the Pennsylvania appellate courts and the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and preserves the records and briefs through digitization and microfilming.

 

The Law Library maintains a subscription to the U.S. Supreme Court Records and Briefs on microfiche.

 

B. Secondary Materials

 

 

The Law Library acquires and maintains an extensive collection of general, multi-jurisdictional, and federal substantive treatises covering most legal subject areas. All authoritative Pennsylvania and Philadelphia legal treatises are acquired , maintained, and preserved. In general, the Law Library will not collect single-jurisdictional treatises for states other than those contiguous with Pennsylvania. Multiple copies will be purchased if warranted by usage regarding a particular title.

 

The Law Library retains one copy of a prior edition of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia treatises and one copy of select general legal treatises (along with its latest pocket part or supplement). Preservation of ABA publications is maintained through the purchase of Hein’s ABA Archives on microfiche.

 

Treatises that have been canceled, but are still current are kept on the shelf and marked “Canceled Subscription. Last updated month and year” on the cover of the book and on the title’s record in the Law Library’s automated catalog. These treatises are reviewed annually and either removed from the collection or repurchased. 

 

 

The Law Library maintains a representative collection of general, federal, multi-jurisdictional, Pennsylvania and Philadelphia practice materials that enable  users to handle most legal problems encountered in federal and state courts and administrative agencies in Pennsylvania and Philadelphia. Select practice materials are purchased for states other than Pennsylvania with preference to New York, New Jersey, and Delaware. Jury instructions are acquired and maintained for all 50 states where available.

 

 

 

The Law Library acquires in print the Shepard’s Citators for U.S., Federal, Pennsylvania, and any other state and subject specific sets not available electronically via Lexis.

 

 

The Law Library acquires at least one copy of dictionaries for the reference collection in the following subject areas

The Law Library also acquires abbreviation dictionaries as deemed relevant.

 

 

The Law Library maintains the federal unit of West’s American Digest System, all individual state digests and regional digests for only Atlantic and Pacific (Nevada and Utah have no state digest). Digests for special subjects, loose-leaf services, sets of books, or reporters will be acquired selectively.

 

The Law Library maintains a reference collection of current legal directories. Superseded editions of directories are withdrawn from the collection with the exception of judges’ directories and lawyer directories specific to Philadelphia.  The Pennsylvania volumes of Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory from 1868 – 1999 are retained on microfiche. Hard copies are maintained from 2000 forward.

 

 

The Law Library maintains at least one set of each national legal encyclopedia. State legal encyclopedias are acquired for states where available. Superseded national legal encyclopedias are retained in Closed Stacks.

 

 

The Law Library maintains electronic subscriptions to WilsonWeb’s Index to Legal Periodicals & Books, Gale’s LegalTrac and Hein’s Law Journal Library. Paper editions of the Current Law Index from volume 1, 1920 to volume 22, 2001 have been retained for early coverage.

 

4. Restatements, Uniform Laws, and Model Acts

 

The Law Library maintains a comprehensive collection of the Restatements, uniform laws and model acts, including older editions.

 

 

The Law Library maintains one copy of each West Practitioner Hornbook. If a practitioner’s edition is not available, a student edition is purchased.

 

 

The Law Library acquires one copy of each current Nutshell. All editions of Legal Research in a Nutshell are retained. 

 

 

The Law Library acquires and maintains loose-leaf services that complement and enhance the general collection. Subscriptions are evaluated annually before renewal. 

 

 

The Law Library maintains print subscriptions to major law journals, with the exception of those journals dealing with foreign and international law. Subscriptions to HeinOnline, Legaltrac, Infotrac, and Jenkins Journal Portal have enhanced and expanded the collection.

 

For those journals included in the HeinOnline subscription, the Law Library will keep hard copies for five years, with the exception of law journals from Pennsylvania, major law reviews, and contiguous states, which will be maintained from 1980 forward.

 

 

The Law Library maintains subscriptions to the Legal Intelligencer, Pennsylvania Law Weekly, and the New Jersey Law Journal and keeps them permanently, in hardcopy and microform where available. The Law Library maintains a subscription to the Philadelphia Inquirer and retains the hard copy for 2 weeks, and purchases access to the electronic version for use by users.

 

Other newspapers, such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Philadelphia Business Journal, and the Washington Post are kept as space allows, but no more than 2 weeks.

 

Electronic access to newspapers is available through palawlibrary.com and America’s Newspapers.

 

 

The Law Library has an online catalog system that is able to break down the collection by subject area. Electronic collection usage statistics are available through some database content providers. Serials Solutions, Gale, Wilson, SAM, and III’s WAM product provide usage statistics on electronic database usage. Inhouse print usage is monitored by scanning materials before they are reshelved.

 

A. International and Foreign Law

 

The Law Library does not as a rule collect in the areas of International and Foreign Law.

 

The Law Library has an historic collection of English reports and Halsbury’s Statutes, as well as a current print subscription to Constitutions of the Countries of the World.  HeinOnline provides access to international and non-US law journals.

 

 

The Law Library maintains older editions of select treatises, with the exception of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania materials, which are permanently maintained.

 

 

This Policy will be reviewed at least annually and revised when appropriate to meet the needs of the Law Library’s users.

 

 

 

 

Collection Development Policy, final version 10/17/06