Special Collections Room/Rare Books
The Library’s collection of old and rare books can be found in the Special Collections Room on the 4th floor of the Law Library. The purpose of the Special Collections department is to provide access to rare materials in legal history. Items are assigned to this climate controlled room because of their age, subject matter, special research value, rarity, or fragility. Although the primary aim of this collection is to meet the research needs of the Law School faculty and students, members of the Tulane university community and the scholarly community at large are also welcome. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to make arrangements for a research visit. One portion of this collection contains the Napoleonic Code of 1804, with a special emphasis on early Louisiana legal history. The other contains earlier works, including many treatises on Roman law, canon law, Jewish law, Islamic law, and French law, many dating from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. The Rare Books section contains a wonderful collection of well-preserved legal masterpieces that were published prior to 1800.
To view material contained in this collection, patrons must complete a request form at the Circulation Desk and provide a picture ID. The books, which may not be taken out of the library, are available Monday -- Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or at other times by special arrangement with the Assistant Director of Services. Books may be viewed in the Library's Reading Room. Since many of the rare books have very fragile bindings, they may not be photocopied by the patron. Library staff may photocopy a small number of pages of books that are not too fragile.
Since the Special Collections Room is not open to the pubic, researchers are strongly encouraged to browse the Library's online catalog. When browsing the Library's online catalog, patrons should search by Key Word and then limit their search to the location field, "Special Collections." The search can then be narrowed further by date, language, and year of publication. To access the online catalog from this screen, please click here.
The Judge John Minor Wisdom Collection
Tulane Law Library is honored to house the Judge John Minor Wisdom Collection. Judge Wisdom graduated from Tulane in 1929, and in 1957 he was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Judge Wisdom's landmark decisions helped dismantle segregation in the South. In the early 1980s, Judge Wisdom donated his manuscripts, notes, memoranda, correspondence, working papers, and drafts pertaining to judicial opinions to Tulane Law School. A decade later, Wisdom donated his personal law library to the school. That collection contains more than 2,000 volumes.
The Judge John Minor Wisdom Collection is housed in two climate controlled rooms on the 6th floor of the Library. One room contains his judicial papers, and another room contains his personal library. A beautiful conference room with stained glass windows and oak floors displays many of the honors and awards he received during his 40 years on the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Wisdom's personal library consists of historical works, legal histories, and law books, not only federal, common law and Louisiana law books, but also books about civil law in France and Spain.
The Judge John Minor Wisdom Collection may be used only by appointment. Please contact Ms. Barbara Matthews should you have questions, or if you would like to schedule a visit (504-862-8867; bmatthews@tulane.edu; Room 320I).