The Pattee/Paterno Libraries maintain a strong collection of law materials, housing one of the largest collections of print and electronic legal materials in Central Pennsylvania. Combined with the resources of The Penn State Law (University Park) Library and Dickinson School of Law Library (Carlisle, PA) faculty and students have first-rate legal research collection.   Support services for these collections reside in the Social Sciences Library on 2nd Floor Paterno.  

The electronic resources listed in this guide are available to all Penn State faculty, staff, and students with an access ID and password. Alumni and visitors who wish to use these resources (on-site) for educational (non-commercial) research can request a Limited Penn State Account at accounts.psu.edu prior to their visit. A valid non-psu.edu email and a government issued identification is required.

Wireless Access

Visitors to the Libraries may use the free wireless service.   Please bring a flash drive to save any information you retrieve or be prepared to email the materials to yourself.

The primary databases for beginning your legal research are listed below.  Non-Penn State users can access the databases by visiting any Penn State Campus Library.

While the majority of legal materials are available online only, there are still a number of key resources in print available for consultation.   Some are located in the Reference collection (2nd floor Paterno).  Most of the remainder are on 3rd Floor Paterno, with much of the historical collection in the Library Annex.  Staff at the Service desk and assist you with the print collection.

Major Titles in Print

  Federal Law

1. United States Statutes at Large -- Call number KF50 .A3,  Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use .  1789-to date
   Chronological version of the laws of the United States 
2. United States Code Annotated -- Call number KF62 .A35, Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use  
   Codified version of the current laws of the U.S. annotated with historical reference and citations to related cases.
3. Federal Register--Call Number KF70 .A2,  Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use-- current 3 months in print.  Earlier online.
   Daily listing of new proposed and final regulations from the federal government
4. Code of Federal Regulations. -- Call Number KF70 .A3,  Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use
   Codified versions of federal regulations
5. Corpus Juris Secundum -- Call Number  KF154 .C62, Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use
   A comprehensive legal encyclopedia
6. United States Reports -- Call Number  KF101 .U49, Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use. 
   U.S. Supreme Court Opinions

Pennsylvania Law

1. The Laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.-- Call number KFP30.A23,  Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use
   ​Chronological compilation of PA laws as passed by the General Assembly
2. Purdon's Pennsylvania Statutes Annotated -- Call number KFP30.P8, Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use
   Codified version of current PA law annotated with historical notes and court cases
3. Pennsylvania Bulletin -- Call number KFP31 .P452,  Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use
4. Pennsylvania Code -- Call number KFP31.P45,  Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use
   ​Codified version of current PA regulations
5. Pennsylvania Law Encyclopedia -- Call number KFP65.P3, Paterno - 2nd Floor - Reference Collection - In-Library Use
   Comprehensive encyclopedia surveying PA law.  Heavily annotated with references to  pertinent court cases.
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