Treaty Research at MSU Law Library
A. Purpose and Scope of this Guide
This guide is designed to help you conduct treaty research at the Michigan State University College of Law Library. Major sources are briefly described and their locations within the Law Library are provided. On-line resources available at MSU Law are also discussed. This guide is not a comprehensive treatise on the subject, but rather a concise summary of the more important current primary and secondary sources that are available in house.
B. Locations within the Law Library
To locate print materials in the law library collection on a given topic, begin with a search of the on-line catalog (terminals located near the Reference Desk or gain remote access via the Law Library Web page. Call numbers of the selected titles discussed in this guide are provided in brackets, e.g., [JX 231.A341]. Unless otherwise indicated, the location of print materials is in the Level 1 stacks; microfiche treaty materials are also found on Level 1. Some electronic resources may be accessed only from within the Law Library while others may be accessed remotely. Consult the Reference Librarians for further assistance in using the collection.
Categories of Treaty Research & Types of Sources Available:
- Locating the Text of a Treaty
- Determining if a Treaty is in Force
- Interpreting the Text of a Treaty
- Verifying and Updating Current Status
Sources of Treaties & Treaty Information:
- Official Sources of Treaties
- Unofficial Sources of Treaties
- Indexes with Current Status Information
- Indexes without Current Status Information
- Subject Specific Treaty Collections
- Selective Treaty Reprints; News & Analysis; Judicial Interpretation
- Application of Treaties by Executive and Judicial Branches