The State of Oregon Law Library traces its history to the Territorial Act of 1848, which established the Oregon Territorial Government and provided for a library "to be kept at the seat of government for the use of the governor, legislative assembly, judges of the Supreme Court, secretary, marshal, and attorneys of said territory, and such other persons...as shall be prescribed by law."

 

The library collection includes primary legal material, historical and current, from all U.S. jurisdictions. Statutes and case law from all 50 states and the federal government are available. The collection is especially rich in historical Oregon resources. The Law Library maintains current secondary material in virtually all areas of law and houses a large collection of legal periodicals.

 

The State of Oregon Law Library is the primary legal information resource for state government and offers access to the law for all Oregonians.

 

Our collection can be accessed via the Hatfield Library Consortium WebPac (HLC). Click on the Library Catalog link in the left column on this page. You can search individual catalogs: State of Oregon Law Library, Oregon State Library, Willamette University Libraries (J. W. Long Law Library and Mark O. Hatfield Library). You can also search the entire collection for the HLC Consortium. A help page and instructions for using the Innovative Interfaces system are provided on the library catalog page. Typically, keyword searching provides a good starting point for users new to the Innovative Interfaces software.

 

Librarians are available during business hours to provide assistance in locating specific legal information, help in using legal materials and suggestions regarding sources for research. However, we cannot undertake legal research, interpret the law, fill out forms, or offer legal advice to the public. Please click here, 'Getting Legal Help', for information from the Oregon State Bar on how to get legal help.

 

PHOTOCOPY SERVICES
Photocopy machines are available in the library, and within the restrictions of copyright law, patrons may copy library material at $0.15 per page.

The library will copy and send material on request for those who are not able to get to the library. There is a charge of $0.25 per page, with a minimum charge of $1.00, plus postage and handling. The library will fax material for a minimum $5.00 charge, plus $1.00 per page over 5 pages. Copyright restrictions apply, and we will limit the number of pages to 50.