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The Library: Law

Finding books

  • Access your module Reading Lists in MyBeckett for the readings your lecturers recommend.
  • You can also search and browse Discover for wider reading.
  • Look on the Law Trove eBook database for law textbooks, as well as in our other eBook collections.
  • You can borrow print books via the self-service machines in the Library and you can reserve books.

Discover Print Books and eBooks

Key legal eBook databases

Legal dictionaries & reference material

Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations

It is common practice in law to abbreviate the titles of publications such as journals and law report series. Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations allows you to search for abbreviations to find out what they mean.

If you have a legal abbreviation you can find the name of the publication to which the abbreviation commonly refers. E.g. CLJ is the 'Cambridge Law Journal'. You can also search for other abbreviations such as courts,  e.g. UKSC is the UK Supreme Court.

You can also discover how to abbreviate the name of a law publication to create a recognised legal citation. You will be given the preferred citation abbreviation if one exists, or alternative abbreviations. E.g. the preferred abbreviation for 'Arbitration Law Reports and Review' is ArbLR.

Current awareness

If you want to keep abreast of the latest legal news and articles you can look at these websites:

You can also set up alerts on our two main legal databases:

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Journals

Journals (also known as periodicals, serials or magazines) are published on a regular basis and cover a particular subject or profession. Because they are published frequently, they are an excellent source of up-to-date information. Each journal issue contains a number of articles, written by different authors, all of which will relate to the subject covered by the journal. Different types of journals are published, these include:

  • scholarly peer reviewed journals: journals read by, and commented on by other scholars in the same field
  • trade journals relating to specific professions or industries
  • popular and news magazines

Journals often contain more specialised information than books, so you will use them as your academic interests develop, and they are useful for reading about more niche or specific topics.

Key legal journal databases

Non-legal journal databases

For a full list of all the Library's online journals go to:

Free legal journals

Finding information

See the Finding Information page which explains what searching techniques there are so that you can find the most relevant information for your needs. It also has tips on saving results and how to evaluate your sources.

Request an item purchase

Staff and students can request new items for the Library collection.

See the Request It! page to find out more.