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Microform Collection

The Koren AV Center's diverse microform collection exceeds 250,000 (paper) volume equivalents, and includes legal materials, government documents, and some unique sets.

The collection may be searched through the Microform Catalog (online database) created by the Koren AV Center or the Libraries' Catalog. For assistance please contact the AV Librarian or Instructional Support Technician.

Code of Federal Regulations

Introduction

The Code of Federal Regulations is a subject compilation of rules and regulations issued by Federal executive agencies which are in force as of the date of publication of the code volume. Volumes in the Code of Federal Regulations are updated annually. The Code has been published since 1939 (covering regulations issued in 1938). The Federal Register updates Code volumes between annual updates.

The Law Library receives the Code of Federal Regulations and the Federal Register through the U.S. Depository Library program. Paper editions of the code are retained until a microfiche edition of that year's code is received. Title 3 of the Code contains presidential materials. The Law Library retains all copies of this volume in paper and microform. A microform collection of the Code of Federal Regulations from 1938- is available in the Koren AV Center on the 5th floor of the Law Library. Microform is shelved under US 005 A3 and is filed by year and title number.

Organization of the Code of Federal Regulations

Volumes of the Code are divided into titles. There are 50 titles in the Code. Each of the titles contains rules and regulations relating to a specific subject area. Each title is divided into sections. This arrangement allows individual agency rules and regulations to appear together in the Code. Citations to code sections will appear as follows:

Example: 7 C.F.R. $ 319.76 (1999)
7 = Title (subject area = agriculture)
C.F.R. = Code of Federal Regulations
319.76 = Section number
1999 = date of code edition
How to Locate Rules and Regulations of Interest

The following sources can be used to locate rules and regulations:

  • Code of Federal Regulations. CFR Index and Finding Aids
    1976-
    MicFiche US 005 A352
    Current edition shelved at Reference US 005 A352
  • Index to the Code of Federal Regulations (CIS)
    1938-
    MicFiche US 005 A31
    Current edition shelved at: Reference US 005 A31

New York State Legislative Bill Jackets

Introduction

New York State Legislative Bill and Veto Jackets are compiled by the Governor's office before the Governor signs or vetoes a piece of legislation (a bill). Contents of each bill jacket vary, but usually include a copy of the bill with its various amendments and the legislative sponsor's memorandum. In addition, the bill jacket may contain reports and letters from various government departments affected by the legislation. Letters from standing or joint legislative committees that have studied the legislation, and from bar associations, lobbyists, and private citizens are often included in the bill jacket. A separate collection called Veto Jackets is compiled for bills that the Governor vetoes. Researchers often use the bill jackets as a source of legislative history for New York bills. The Law Library has bill and veto jackets from 1905, 1921- . Current bill and veto jackets are available from the Governor's Counsel Office at 518-474-7812.

How to Find Bill Jackets in the Law Library

Bills introduced into the New York State Assembly and/or Senate are given a sequential number. This number is referred to as the bill number. If the bill passes both the Assembly and Senate and is signed by the Governor, it becomes known as a Chapter Law. Bill jackets are located in the Koren AV Center on the 5th floor of the Law Library. They are filed by year and chapter law number. For this reason, it is necessary to know the chapter number of the bill being researched.

The following sources may be consulted to determine chapter law numbers.

  • State of New York Legislative Digest

    Reference KFN 5007 N435

    Volumes are arranged by year. Select the correct year and look for tables entitled, "Cross Reference Table of Laws". One table is for Senate bills and one is for Assembly bills.

  • Consolidated Laws Service

    N.Y. Core US/N7 003.5 N5

    Determine where the provisions of the chapter law have been placed in the Code of New York. Look at the history table provided after the code section. Year and chapter number will be provided. (Example: L.1986, c. 14 = laws of 1986, chapter law 14)

  • McKinney's Consolidated Laws of New York

    N.Y.Core US/N7 003.5 N4

    Determine where the provisions of the chapter law have been placed in the Code of New York. Look at the history table provided after the code section. Year and chapter number will be provided. (Example: L.1986, c.14 = laws of 1986, chapter law 14)

Veto jackets for bills that passed the Assembly and Senate but were vetoed by the Governor are shelved by year and veto number. To locate veto number, use the State of New York Legislative Digest, Select the correct year and look for table entitled, "Bills vetoed by the Governor".

New York State Chapter Laws

Introduction

A bill passed by the New York State Assembly and Senate and signed by the governor is issued as a slip law. Slip laws in New York State are called chapter laws. Chapter laws contain the text of the law as it was signed by the Governor. Because chapter laws are bound in chronological order by date of the Governor's signature, they are not arranged by subject. Subject access to New York State laws is available by using either McKinneys Consolidated Code of New York, or Consolidated Laws Service.

If one is researching by subject area, the best approach is to use either McKinneys or Consolidated Laws Service. Both of these sources are arranged by subject and contain the law in effect as of the date of publication of the volume. The historical notes at the end of the relevant code section will provide a list of chapter laws that created and/or modified the text of the law. An advance legislative service provides access to newly enacted chapter laws between revisions of these sets.

If you are trying to determine the legislative intent behind the passage of a chapter law, please check the following guide: New York Bill Jackets.

Chapter laws for New York State are available in print, online and on microform. A citation to a chapter law follows:

2005 N.Y. Laws 54
  • Year = 2005
  • Source = Laws of New York
  • page number = 54
Sources of Chapter Laws

The text of chapter laws can be found in the following sources:

  • CLS, New York Consolidated Laws Service, Session Laws
    1976-
    US/N7 002.5 N47
    Monthly advance legislative service pamphlets issued as part of CLS Consolidated Laws Service at US/N7 003.5 N5 1976 provide the text of newly enacted chapter laws.

  • General Laws of the State of New York
    1911 - 1949
    US/N4 002.5 N4

  • Laws of the Colony of New York
    1692 - 1776
    US/N7 002.5 N4
    Also Microfiche Koren AV Center

  • Laws of the State of New York
    1777-
    US/N7 002.5 N4
    Also Microfiche Koren AV Center

  • McKinney's Session Laws of New York
    1951-
    US/N4 002.5 N46
    Monthly advanced legislative service pamphlets issued as part of McKinney's Consolidated Laws of New York Annotated at US/N7 003.5 N4 provide the text of newly enacted chapter laws.
Online Source for New York Chapter Laws

United Nations Documents in Microform

Introduction

The Law Library maintains a collection of United Nations publications as this organization has the responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, the promotion of human rights and the development of international law. United Nations publications include official records of the deliberative organs, resolutions, and summary records of committee meetings.

The Law Library also receives copies of reports of United Nations sponsored activities.

Organization of the Microform Collection

U.N. publications received in paper format are cataloged for the Law Library collection and included in the Libraries' Catalog. Materials in the microform collections are shelved by United Nations classification numbers. The number assigned to a document includes the organ responsible for issuing the document, the type of document and a unique identifier.

Example: A/C.4/55/SR.2
A=General Assembly
C.4=4th Committee (Special Political and Decolonization Committee)
55= 55th Session
SR=Summary Record (type of publication)
2 = Sequential number

Several collections of U.N. documents are available in microform format in the Koren AV Center on the 5th floor. Please see the reference desk if you need assistance with this collection. These sets include:

  • Readex Microprint: 1946-1981: (Includes official records and mimeographs excluding the Secretariat)
  • Readex Microfiche: 1982- : (Includes all publications issued by the United Nations, including monographs and serials not copyrighted)
  • United Nations Documents: 1946-1967: (Selected documents from the United Nations issued during the time period 1946-1967)
How to Locate Documents of Interest

The following sources index United Nations documents:

General Indexes
  • United Nations Documents … : Checklist of the Readex Microprint Edition
    1946/1960 - 1971/1975
    Koren AV Center MicPrint Z 6482 .R4a
  • UNDEX: United Nations Document Index
    Series A: Subject
    1971-1978
    Ref Z 6481 .U178

    Series B: Country
    1972-1978
    Ref Z 6481 .U179

    Series C: List of Documents Issued
    Jan. 1979
    Ref Z 6481 .U185

  • UNDEX Series "C" : cumulative edition, 1974-1978
    Ref Z 6481 .U18
  • UNDOC, Current Index: United Nations Documents Index
    1979 - 1996
    Ref Z 6481 .U19
  • United Nations Documents Checklist
    October 1996 - December 1997
    Ref Z 6481 .U19
  • United Nations Documents Index
    1998-
    Ref Z 6481 .U192
Index to Proceedings
  • Index to Proceedings of the Economic and Social Council
    1950-
    Ref JX 1977 .A1 I53
  • Index to Proceedings of the General Assembly
    September 1949-
    Ref JX 1977 .A44
  • Index to Proceedings of the Security Council
    1964-
    Ref JX 1977 .A5
  • Index to Proceedings of the Trusteeship Council
    1952-
    Ref JX 4021 .U32