Whichever aspect of law you're studying, the library has books, journals, and databases to suit your needs.
Welcome to our guide to resources for Law. As the Learning and Research Librarian for Law, I am here to support you in your learning and assignments.
Lawrence Dean, Learning & Research Librarian for Law
You can use LibrarySearch to search for the books you need. Just type in a few words from the title plus the surname of the author(s) into the search box. If you get stuck – please ask!
You will find the majority of the Law book collection at classmarks 340-349 (on the 2nd floor at Augustine House):
Remember to check the different areas housing the 7-day loan (open shelves) and 4-week loans (moving shelves).
You can browse printed copies of journals on the 2nd floor of Augustine House in the silent zone (west wing). These are for use in the library only.
Some of the Law journals are also available online.
You can see which journals are available online by using LibrarySearch. Make sure you log in first! (You will need your university username and password).Try entering the title of a journal into the search box or using the “Find e-journals by title” link.
You can also browse e-journals by subject, using Browzine. This software allows you to read a journal like an e-book, so you can look through the whole journal rather than just individual articles. There is an app so you can use it easily on your phone or other mobile device.
You can find individual journal articles to read online by doing a quick search in LibrarySearch. Try searching for a key word or phrase connected with your research topic, e.g. “dispute resolution”. See our quick guide for more information.
You can see which journals are available online by using LibrarySearch. Make sure you log in first! (You will need your university username and password).Try entering the title of a journal into the search box or using the “Find e-journals by title” link.
You can also browse e-journals by subject, using Browzine. This software allows you to read a journal like an e-book, so you can look through the whole journal rather than just individual articles. There is an app so you can use it easily on your phone or other mobile device.
You can find individual journal articles to read online by doing a quick search in LibrarySearch. Try searching for a key word or phrase connected with your research topic, e.g. “dispute resolution”. See our quick guide for more information.
There are lots of databases that contain articles about law, and they are all available via LibrarySearch – just click on the “Find databases” link in the left-hand menu and you will see an alphabetical list. Browse the list until you find the one you want.
The most useful databases for your subject include:
ASSIA: ASSIA stands for Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts. It covers health, social services, psychology, sociology, economics, politics, race relations and education. The database is useful for the social side of policing such as public order, working with victims and restorative justice.
HeinOnline: HeinOnline is an international resource with a focus on constitutional law. The aim is to make available the current text of the constitutions of every country in the world in its original language. Also contains another 800 titles on constitutional law and jurisprudence.
Lexis+ UK: Provides full-text access to case law, legislation and expert commentary, including access to key sources such as the All England Law Reports and Halsbury’s Laws of England.
Manchester Hive provides access to around 2000 titles published by Manchester University Press. Check out the Manchester International Law Collection.
Westlaw Edge UK: An online legal information service. It includes comprehensive case law, legislation and journal archives and an exclusive collection of news and business information.
BAILII (British and Irish Legal Information Institute): Provides access to the most comprehensive set of British and Irish primary legal materials that are available for free and in one place on the internet. You can find British and Irish case law and legislation, European Union case law, Law Commission reports, and other law-related British and Irish material.
Citing the Law: A freely available online tutorial on OSCOLA referencing, courtesy of Cardiff University.
FAQs – Researching UK Law: A very helpful page maintained by the Inner Temple Library. Includes links to free web-based sources, hard copy materials and subscription-based databases.
European Journal of Current Legal Issues: Bi-monthly Web publication covering current legal issues in judicial decisions, law reform, legislation, legal research, policy related socio-legal research, legal information, information technology and practice.
UK Treaties Online: Official record of the UK’s treaty obligations under international law, providing access to information on over 14,000 treaties to which the UK is or has been a party with links to texts of command papers published in the UK Treaty Series from 1892
