Our Collection
Collection Overview
The Law Library has a 21st century collection of over 230,000 titles in a variety of formats. Our print collection is constantly growing, and we also have a large collection of legal databases that is complemented by the UCI Libraries' collection of academic databases.
Our collection includes the following major legal materials:
- Cases. Comprehensive online access to federal and state opinions is available. Current Federal and California Supreme Court reporters are available in print.
- Codes and session laws. Federal and California statutes and codes are available in print.
- Congressional material. The Law Library has a comprehensive collection of stable electronic records of the United States Congress through databases such as Proquest Congressional.
- Rules, regulations and administrative decisions. The Law Library provides permanent access to federal and California regulatory material in a variety of formats. Federal and California court rules as well as rules for select jurisdictions are available in print.
- Treaties. Permanent access to published treaties and international agreements is available from a variety of online sources, including HeinOnline and LLMC.
- Secondary materials. In addition to the titles highlighted in our guide to major legal treatises, the Law Library provides access to a large collection of secondary materials online and in print.
- DVDs. The Law Library has a curated collection of DVDs. Titles include classics with curriculum-related legal themes, as well as documentaries used for special screenings by faculty members and student groups.
The UCI Law School community benefits from UCI campus libraries with large collections of legal and law-related materials, as well as rapid delivery from the other University of California libraries.
Collection Spending and Cancellations
The Law Library’s collection budget is based on the Law School’s budget and determined by the Law School Dean, in consultation with the Law Library Director and other senior Law School administrators. Like other academic libraries, the UC Irvine Law Library has experienced budgetary challenges as the Law School, the UC Irvine campus, and the UC system have adapted to different funding scenarios. Between 2020 and 2026, the Law Library’s collection budget was cut significantly, with annual reductions averaging over 2%. In response, we have not renewed some resources that require annual payments, so that we can focus on the highest-priority resources. Cancellations are based on a variety of criteria, including usage, cost, and format duplication.
For lists of cancelled resources and background—for the UC Irvine Law Library, the UC Irvine Libraries, and the systemwide UC Shared Collections program—see our guide at https://libguides.law.uci.edu/collection-budget.