Welcome
There are a plethora of resources available for researching legal issues outside of traditional legal materials and databases. Have you ever wondered where to begin with respect to finding non legal articles, books, magazines, trade publications, dissertations and scholarly journals? This guide will help you to locate that information and provide tips as to how the resources are used.
Databases
The Law Library provides access to specialized legal databases, along with subject specific non-legal databases. Below you will find information about each resource, along with access information. Note that each logo is a link to the resource described. Additional specialized, non-legal databases are available through the Howard University Libraries Databases.
- Center for Computer Assisted Legal Instruction
- Non-profit consortium of mostly U.S. law schools that publishes web-based tutorials on a variety of legal subjects.
- Access Information:
- Access with CALI username and password.
- DOAJ is an online directory that indexes and provides access to high quality, open access, peer-reviewed journals.
- Access Information:
- This is an open access, free database.
Founders' Library Databases- Founders’ Library offers a wide range of online databases to guide and help you conduct research in virtually any subject.
- Access Information:
- Use your Law Campus log-in credentials.
- To access the Library’s databases: under resources, click "research databases".
- GALE - Archives Unbound
- Access Information:
- Password Access to "GALE - Archives Unbound" is: howard
U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO)
- The GPO’s Federal Digital System (FDSYS) is the Federal Government’s official, digital, secure resource for producing, procuring, cataloging, indexing, authenticating, disseminating, and preserving the official information products of the U.S. Government.
- The GPO is responsible for the production and distribution of information products and services for all three branches of the Federal Government.
- The GPO released a beta website, GovInfo.gov, that will eventually replace the Federal Digital System (FDsys) public website. Being in beta means this site is a work in progress that is being shared to get feedback.
- Access Information:
- This is an open access, free database.
- Full text law journals in their original page-image (PDF) format. Also includes Treaties and Agreements, Federal Legislative History, U.S. Statutes at Large, Federal Register, U.S. Supreme Court and Phillip C. Jessup Library.
- Access Information:
- Campus access from networked computers.
- Remote access with HeinOnline username and password.
- Searchable database of investment treaty cases up to May 2010.
- Access Information:
- This is an open access database, and can be used to research on investment arbitration.
- Comprehensive legal database.
- Lexis offers certification training on cases, statutes and secondary sources. Certification is highly regarded by potential employers.
- Training Information:
- Certification is also a component of the Howard Law Journal and Advanced Legal Research classes.
- The law librarians schedule mandatory training sessions for all first year students.
- Access Information:
- Access with LexisNexis username and password.
- Public access to legal information resources including cases, statutes, regulations, and news.
- Access Information:
- On-Campus access when connected to public WiFi.
- The Official Document System (ODS) is an online database of UN documents that was first launched in 1993 and updated in 2016. ODS has full-text, born-digital UN documents published from 1993 onward, including documents of the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and their subsidiaries, as well as administrative issuances and other documents.
- Access Information:
- This is an open access, free online database.
- The Howard University School of Law Legal Studies Research Paper Series contains publications uploaded to the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) by HUSL faculty members.
- Click the SSRN logo above to go directly to the Howard University School of Law Legal Studies Research Paper Series, or access it via this link: https://www.ssrn.com/link/Howard-U-LEG.html
- To download publications with this option available, create a free account here: https://hq.ssrn.com/login/pubsigninjoin.cfm
- ProQuest Congressional
- Retrieve congressional materials and legislative histories by searching abstracts, titles, indexing information, and other bibliographic data.
- Access Information:
- Campus access from networked computers.
- Contact Carmel Henry, Head of Access Services Librarian, for remote access.
- Definitive source for researchers, students, journalists, and citizens interested in the U.S. Supreme Court.
- The Database contains over two hundred pieces of information about each case decided by the Court between the 1946 and 2014 terms.
- Access Information:
- This is an open access, free online database.
- Congress.gov is the Next Generation version of THOMAS.gov.
- Presented by the Library of Congress, Congress.gov is the official website for U.S. federal legislative information.
- Access Information:
- This is an open access, free online database.
- Comprehensive legal database.
- Westlaw offers certification training on cases, statutes, and secondary sources. Certification is highly regarded by potential employers.
- Training Information:
- Certification is also a component of the Howard Law Journal and Advanced Legal Research classes.
- The law librarians schedule mandatory training sessions for all first year students.
- Access Information:
- Access with Westlaw username and password.
- Contact Richard Akers for assistance accessing or setting up TWEN pages.
- Collections and services of over 10,000 libraries worldwide.
- WorldCat is the world's largest network of library content and services. WorldCat libraries are dedicated to providing access to their resources on the Web, where most people start their search for information.
- Access Information:
- This is an open access, free online catalog.