Legal library

Video: The legal library with historical collections

The legal library of the Federal Administrative Court is among the larger of its kind in Germany. It is primarily intended to provide services to members of the Court. The library ensures availability of the specialist literature they require for their day-to-day work. The library's remit also includes maintaining and caring for the Federal Administrative Court's large inventory of valuable historical books, manuscripts and other works of historical interest. Moreover, the library supports other courts and authorities within the context of mutual assistance. The library is also open to external users by appointment.

Text version "The Federal Administrative Court – the legal library with historical collections"

With over 240,000 volumes on constitutional law, administrative law and European Union law, the library serves current jurisdiction and preserves historical legal works.

The Federal Administrative Court – the legal library with historical collections

The legal library is housed in the non-public area of the court. Still, interested external persons may use the collections upon prior appointment.

Legal journals and current legal literature are available in the reading room. The other collections of the library are housed in storerooms. They include many loose-leaf binders which can be updated page by page.

Every judge has his/her own reference library. It is always kept up-to-date. It features standard administrative law works and literature for special legal fields. In addition, legal databases as well as the online catalogue of the library provide assistance for the legal analysis.

In order to prepare decisions and to research the development of laws, historical legal works from the comprehensive old collections are used on occasion. These old collections comprise the former libraries of the Prussian Higher Administrative Court and the Imperial Court of Justice, which contain, among others, comprehensive material about civil service law.

With about 300,000 volumes, the library of the Imperial Court of Justice was one of the most important legal libraries in Europe at the end of World War II. In 1950, the library was transferred to the Supreme Court of the GDR in East Berlin. For lack of space, substantial parts of the valuable collections were transferred, passed on to other sites or sold. After the reunification, the Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof) received the remaining collections. When the Federal Administrative Court moved into the former building of the Imperial Court of Justice in the year 2002, part of the Imperial Court Library returned to Leipzig, among others, all volumes dating back to before 1800.

The oldest volume dates back to the 13th century. 450 manuscripts and 281 incunables, cradle books from the beginnings of letterpress printing, are other precious, special works.

The library has rare works restored by specialised firms. Individual works, partly only on hand as unique copies, were and are being digitised at the university library in Leipzig. In that way, the library safeguards the historical collections and supports the court's work through its various services.

Library resources

The library of the Federal Administrative Court comprises about 240,000 volumes, including the historical works. Approximately 2,400 volumes are added each year. Moreover, there are legal databases and further online resources. The collection of the former Higher Administrative Court of Prussia and the Oberlandeskulturgericht (Prussian authority for land law matters) created the basis for the library, which was founded in 1953. Additional collections, especially sections of the Imperial Court of Justice library, were added after the German reunification Historical collections of the legal library

Staff

Eleven members of staff are employed in the library. In addition to the head of the library and two heads of division, there are four specialists for media and information services as well as four employees for scanning services, stack maintenance, and the updating of loose-leaf publications. Moreover, the library regularly offers three positions for apprentices.

Remit and Area of Collection

The library serves to provide the judges of the Federal Administrative Court with literature and information. Furthermore, the library takes care of the unique legal-historical collections as cultural heritage. The library mainly purchases German literature on administrative and constitutional law, as well as on the law of the European Union. For other fields of law, first and foremost standard commentaries are acquired.

Online Catalogue

The resources of the Federal Administrative Court library, including the majority of its historical sections, are listed in the court's online catalogue. The works can also be researched in the online catalogue of the K10plus. The 16th and 17th centuries' collections have not yet completely been referenced there, however.