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Library Policies and Services

Today's Hours

Williams
Building: 7 AM - Midnight Reference: 9 AM - 5 PM

Wolff
Building: 9 AM - 10 PM Reference: 11 AM - 5 PM

More Hours Information

Contact Information

Williams Library
Circulation: 202-662-9131
Reference: 202-662-9140
email Williams Reference

Wolff Library
Circulation: 202-662-4194
Reference: 202-662-4195
email Wolff Reference

About This

Circulation - Locating Materials

Generally, the Library is organized as follows:

  • Books on various topics - 4th floor of Williams Law Library.
  • Federal law - 5th floor of Williams Law Library.
  • Regional reporters & digests - 5th floor of Williams Law Library.
  • State law - 3rd floor of Williams Law Library.
  • Journals (K1 to K30): ;
    • Current, unbound issues - on reserve, at the Williams Law Library Circulation Desk;
    • Bound volumes - 1st floor of Williams Law Library, West side in compact shelving area;
  • Microform copies - 1st floor of Williams Law Library, West side and Wolff Library
  • International, foreign, and comparative law materials - Wolff Law Library.

A more complete guide to locations is available in GULLiver, the library's online catalog.

In the Fall of 2009 there is a plan that would replace existing shelving on Williams Library 3 East with Law Center Offices. When this accrues the collection will be removed from this area and the state material formerly shelved there will be relocated, in call number order, within the general collection. As the shift is in progress the library staff will announce up-to-date collection moves on the the library blog.

If you want to locate a specific item, look in GULLiver. You need two pieces of information: the location and the call number.

Once you are in the right location, look for the specific call number of your item. The Library uses Library of Congress call numbers. It is an alphanumeric system that arranges books on the shelves in subject order. Most call numbers consist of three lines, for example:

KF245
.U5
2000

The books are organized by the alphabetical part of the call number, and within each alphabetical designation, by the numerical part on the first line. Within that alpha-numeric area, the second line provides a more specific location. So to find the above book, for example, look for the shelves with KF; then within KF look for 245. Within KF245, look for U5. The last line is usually the year the book was published, although that may vary depending on the type of material.

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