John W. King
New Hampshire Law Library
Search the Catalog ~ Ask a Librarian ~ FAQS ~ LexisNexis & Westlaw
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TELEPHONE: (603) 271 - 3777 The New Hampshire Law Library is the only public Law Library in the State of New Hampshire. Its mission is to advance the administration of justice by providing legal information and related services to the judicial, legislative, and executive branches of government, the legal communities of New Hampshire, and the people of the State. Mary S. Searles, Director, Cataloging msearles@courts.state.nh.us In 1716, a collection of law books belonging to the provincial government formed the first state library collection. After the State House was built in 1816, a room was set aside for the library. For a time, the Secretary of State also served as the State Librarian. In 1895, a separate building was constructed to house the State Library and the New Hampshire Supreme Court. In1943, the State Library separated out its legal materials and created a Law Division of the State Library. It served as the Law Library for many years. In 1970, the current Supreme Court building was constructed, and the Law Division of the State Library moved, along with the New Hampshire Supreme Court, to the Supreme Court building. In 1994, the legislature transferred administration of the Law Division of the State Library to the Judicial Branch, under the Supreme Court, thereby creating the New Hampshire Law Library. The New Hampshire Law Library has over 94,000 volumes of legal materials. None of the Library materials may be checked out. While the library specializes in New Hampshire legal materials, its collection includes material from all 50 states including statutes and court decisions, as well as federal court decisions and federal administrative agency materials. The Law Library also has a collection of legal periodicals and books (known as treatises) on various legal subjects, from admiralty to zoning law. CD-ROM and other database searches are available for public use. New Hampshire legal materials include: session laws, statutes, house and senate journals, bills, slip laws, constitutional conventions, regulations, judicial and agency decisions, court rules, governor's executive orders, attorney general opinions, and secondary source materials for New Hampshire legal practice. Federal legal materials include: session laws, statutes, regulations, judicial and agency decisions, court rules, orders, and legal practice materials. New England states' legal materials include: statutes, cases, session laws, legislative services, court rules, and some legal practice materials. Other states' legal materials include: statutes and cases. Canadian and British legal materials are retrospective (not current) only. The New Hampshire Law Library also has federal and NH government depository documents. New Hampshire legal CD-ROM products are available for searching. SERVICES: The John W. King NH Law Library now provides free wireless access for personal laptop users. You don't need a plug or phone jack, just turn on your notebook/laptop computer or other wireless device (equipped with 802.11b or 802.11g wireless) and start surfing. The Library's network is open to all patrons and visitors free of charge and without filters. All you need to do is accept our Wireless Use Policy and you're all set. Public Computers and Internet Access Circulation Services Reference Services Document Delivery Services The library provides a photocopier for the public at a cost of $.10 a page. The photocopiers accept coins, $1 and $5 bills. The library does not have a change machine. Interlibrary Loan Services Microformat Services
Is the Library open to the public? May I check books out of the Library? Will the librarians do legal research for me? Does the Library have Internet access? Does the Library have Shepards? What about state statutes? State administrative rules? What kinds of New Hampshire practice materials are available? What about legislative history material? The Law Library provides free access to LexisNexis and Westlaw on our public access computers. Lexis includes full jurisdictional Shepard's, all states, all federal cases and codes, and Get A Document access to Matthew Bender titles. Westlaw includes New Hampshire cases and codes, KeyCite, and access to the full CJS, AmJur, ALR and Restatement libraries.
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