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About the Edward Bennett Williams Law Library
Portrait of Today's Library
The Edward Bennett Williams Law Library and the John Wolff International and Comparative Law Library today are a dynamic mixture of comprehensive print collections, advanced electronic databases, and expert staff resources all working together to support the scholarship of Georgetown students and faculty. Learn more about the collections and services that facilitate the research process at the Georgetown University Law Center.
History of the Edward Bennett Williams Law Library
When the law school opened in 1870 at 4 1/2 Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, the students and faculty at the law school relied on the Law Library of the U.S. Capitol, where the Dean was the official librarian. From 1870 to the present, the law library grew with the law school to serve all those who enter the Georgetown University Law Center and the legal community of Washington, D.C. In the fall of 2000, the Edward Bennett Williams Law Library passed an important milestone: acquisition of its millionth volume. Currently, the library is the third largest academic law library in the United States.
Establishment of the John Wolff International and Comparative Law Library
Four years later, the library opened a branch library - the John Wolff International and Comparative Law Library. Georgetown is one of only two academic law libraries in the country warranting a branch for its international law collections. Beyond its print collections, both libraries now provide ubiquitous wireless access to the Internet, a rich collection of electronic databases, and an array of personalized services for their clients.
Learn more about the history of the law library.
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