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IMPORTANT DETAILS FOR RESEARCHERS
This guide explains the arrangement and location of materials in The Fred Parks Law Library collection. If you need assistance in searching STELLA, the library’s online catalog, please consult our library guide on that topic or contact a reference librarian. STELLA, South Texas Electronic Law Library Access, is available from dedicated terminals on each floor of the library or via the Internet at http://www.stcl.edu/library/libhome.html.
The Fred Parks Law Library collection is arranged according to the Library of Congress (LC) classification system. This system methodically arranges subjects by call numbers, or shelf addresses, from A-Z. The main stacks of the library, designated in STELLA as "Main Library," follow the A-Z pattern from the third to the fifth floors. The major exceptions to the A-Z pattern are legal periodicals (K1-K30), which are located on the second floor, and law of nations materials (JX), which are located on the fifth floor before KZ.
"K" is the classification letter for law, so the vast majority of call numbers in The Fred Parks Law Library begins with "K." "KF" designates American law, and "KFT" designates Tennessee or Texas law. (Note the pattern.) Most books are shelved by their call numbers, with all materials classified with a single "K" preceding "KA." Likewise, all the "KF" materials precede "KFA." Also, "KFU" will shelve before "L."
Exceptions to the A-Z collection arrangement are noted by special designations in STELLA. The first floor of The Fred Parks Law Library houses several exceptions to the general rule: government documents, history, and microforms. The materials in the government documents section are received through the U.S. Depository Program, and are arranged by the Superintendent of Documents (SuDoc) classification system. These federal documents have the special designation “Government Documents” in STELLA. A "History" designation in STELLA refers to older, superceded materials housed on the first floor of the library. "Texas History" is filed separately from other "History" materials, but also is located on the first floor of the library. "Fiche/Gov Docs Indexes" are shelved on the first floor of the library near the "Microfiche." The microfiche collection is divided into two call number systems; microfiche organized by SuDoc numbers are shelved before microfiche organized by LC numbers. If you need assistance in locating microfiche, please ask a library staff member.
The second floor of The Fred Parks Law Library also houses several exceptions to the general rule of A-Z arrangement. As mentioned previously, the legal periodicals (K1-K30) are housed on the second floor. In addition to the periodicals, "Reference" materials are shelved on the ranges of low shelving directly in front of the reference desk. "Reference-Oversize" materials are stored on similar ranges of low shelving around the corner from the Reference Desk, in front of the windows. "Reserve" materials are stored in closed stacks at the Patron Services Desk on the second floor. A library employee will retrieve these items for you. The designation "Special Collections" in STELLA indicates that the materials are shelved in the Jones Room, or Special Collections stacks, on the second floor. Materials in this collection are available only by appointment. Contact Mark W. Lambert, Special Collections and Government Documents Librarian, at 713.646.1720 for more information.
Some location designations in STELLA indicate that the materials are stored in other departments of the law school: "Career Services" and "Multi-Media/Technology." Ask a library staff member for assistance in locating these items.
Library maps, with call number areas noted, are available at the library’s Reference and Patron Services Desks. As always, if you need assistance, please do not hesitate to ask for directions.
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