Classification of Legal Materials
Over the next months the Library will gradually reclassify the entire Law print collection from the current classification scheme (Steiner classification scheme) to the Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme (DDC). All new law books will be classified with DDC and will be placed on specific shelves (LAW 340-) in the Law reading room. Specific signs will be prepared to guide users in this transition period.
The core of the law collection (monographs, legal reporting publications and loose-leaf publications) is kept on the upper floor of the Library and is classified according the
Steiner classification scheme
for the law collection. This scheme was drawn up in 1981 for the EUI by W.A.F.P. Steiner, former librarian of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies of London. Each class mark is composed of:
- Jurisdiction: one or more capital letters, followed by
- Subject division: one or more small letters, followed by
- Form: a number
For example:
Dcj9 - International law -sources -monograph
ECcd9 - EU law - constitutional law - monograph
Lf4 - Germany - constitutional law- text
The scheme provides for works on all jurisdictions. The following synopsis of main classes identifies only those on which the Law Library has a certain amount of material.
- A - Legal reference works; dictionaries
- B - Jurisprudence
- D - Public international law
- EC - European Union
- F - Comparative law
- HC - United Kingdom
- HH - Republic of Ireland
- JA - Netherlands
- JC - Belgium
- KC - France
- L - Germany
- LP - Austria
- LT - Switzerland
- M - Italy
- NB - Denmark
- P - Spain
- PP - Portugal
- Q - Greece
- T - Central Europe
- U - Asia
- W - Africa
- YC - United States of America
A common set of subject divisions is applied to all country jurisdictions (classes G-Z) and includes the differing requirements of common law and civil law jurisdictions. The following synopsis lists the main subject divisions of country jurisdictions:
- a - Not restricted as to subject
- b - Legal history
- c - Special aspects of the legal system
- d - Administration of justice
- e - Public law
- f - Constitutional law
- g - Constitutional position of individuals
- h - Constitutional position of groups
- j - Administrative law (general part)
- k - Public regulation and provision of public services (administrative law applicable to specific matters)
- m - Tax law
- n - Criminal law
- p - Criminal procedure
- q - Procedure in general; civil procedure
- s - Private law
- t - Private law; property
- u - Private law; obligations
- v - Commercial law
- w - Commercial law; business organizations
- x - Conflict of laws
- y - Conflict of laws; property
- z - Conflict of laws; obligations
Special subject divisions have been developed for the classes:
- B - Jurisprudence
- D - Public international law
- EB - Council of Europe
- EC - European Union
The Guide to the Steiner Classification Scheme can be consulted with Valentina Spiga for a more detailed description of these classes.
,
A selection of the most used form divisions is given below (these are form divisions used for jurisdictional main classes i.e. G-Z. Special variations are provided for main classes A, C, D, E).
23 - Encyclopedias
32 - Parliamentary papers
34 - Conference proceedings
4 - Primary legislation
5 - Law reports and court records
6 - Cases
9 - Monographs
92 - Festschriften. Collections
Page last updated on 15 May 2023