Explore Our Collections
Print Collection
There has never been a better time to rediscover the library’s print collection.
The Nathan & Henry B. Cleaves Law Library houses one of Maine’s largest print collections of legal materials, combining current resources with a historical archive.
In 2026, the collection underwent its most significant reorganization in years. Thousands of volumes were reshelved into intuitive subject areas, making it easier to find relevant research materials. To further assist patrons, research guides about the library’s resources and how to use them are being added throughout the library.
The print collection continues to grow through the acquisition of new and updated titles in both established and emerging areas of law. Looking for a particular title or resource? Although the library does not currently maintain a catalog, patrons are encouraged to contact the library to inquire about materials in the collection.
Digital Collection
Westlaw
Westlaw is a comprehensive legal research platform that provides access to primary authorities, secondary sources, and practical guidance.
The library offers free public access to Westlaw Edge with AI-Assisted Research. The following guides describe the features of our patron subscription:
The librarian also maintains an extensive Westlaw Advantage and Practical Law subscription. Library members may request librarian-assisted research on these additional platforms.
LexisNexis
LexisNexis is a comprehensive legal research platform that provides access to primary authorities, secondary sources, and practical guidance.
Courtesy of the Maine Judicial Branch, the library offers free public access to Lexis+. The subscription includes primary authorities and a selection of secondary sources.
Maine residents may also register for a free LexisNexis Digital Library account through the Maine Law and Legislative Reference Library. This virtual library provides remote access to hundreds of legal resources.
HeinOnline
HeinOnline is a digital legal research library that specializes in historical, scholarly, and government publications.
The library’s subscription includes the U.S. Core+ for Government and Maine collections, providing access to:
more than 30 specialized research databases covering diverse subjects;
more than 3,500 scholarly law journals and LexBlog;
more than 20,000 classic legal treatises;
extensive federal legal resources, including the U.S. Code, U.S. Statutes at Large, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, GAO Reports, and U.S. Supreme Court materials;
federal legislative histories and congressional materials;
early American and English law resources; and
Maine session laws, constitutional history, pre-statehood legal materials, Attorney General opinions, and other historical materials.
Patrons may create a free MyHein account to save research and set up alerts, among other personalized features, to make researching across multiple visits easier.
Under the library’s licensing agreement, HeinOnline is available for on-site use only. Patrons may email themselves research materials, but the librarian cannot email HeinOnline content to patrons or members.
National Consumer Law Center
The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) is a leading publisher of legal treatises on consumer law and consumer rights. The library maintains NCLC’s complete 21-volume print collection, along with librarian-access to the NCLC Digital Library, which has regular updates to the treatise collection, practice materials, and more than 2,000 sample pleadings, forms, letters, demands, briefs, and more.
NOLO
Nolo Press publishes plain-language legal guides to help individuals understand and navigate common legal issues. The library maintains a collection of more than 70 titles covering a wide range of personal and business legal matters. The librarian also has access to digital editions of these titles for research assistance.
Legal Research Collections
-
Court Rules Amendments
This collection preserves approximately 200 amendments to the Maine Rules of Court, from 2007 to the present. The amendments are identified by the citation to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court’s order and the affected rules set. This collection is updated weekly.
-
Memoranda of Decision
The library maintains one of the most comprehensive collections of Law Court memoranda of decision, commonly called “mem decs.” The collection includes more than 4,500 of these unpublished appellate decisions, from 1997 to the present. A searchable Master Index has been provided for identifying decisions, and decisions can be found in PDF format in folders organized by year. This collection is updated weekly.
-
Appellate Briefs and Appendices
Cleaves Law Library is one of two statutorily designated repositories for appellate briefs and appendices submitted to the Maine Law Court, with holdings dating to the late 1800s. Briefs and appendices through 2017 are preserved on microfiche and may be viewed at the library. The library will soon be upgrading its equipment, which will allow these older materials to be converted to PDF format for printing and emailing. Briefs and appendices from 2018 through the present are already available in PDF format. Patrons are encouraged to contact the library regarding the availability of materials in specific cases.
-
Maine Law Research Guide
This guide provides brief explanations of primary sources of Maine law, along with links and QR codes to online research resources. Topics include the Maine Constitution, statutes, session laws, legislative documents, case law, court rules, administrative regulations, and statutory and legislative history.
-
Judicial Response to Covid-19
This archive provides a historical record of the Maine Judicial Branch’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including pandemic management orders, revisions and rescissions, administrative orders, and press releases.
Legal History Collections
-
Fine Art
The library’s fine art collection includes portraits of distinguished judges and attorneys. Explore these remarkable works of art and learn more about the individuals who helped shape Cleaves Law Library and Maine law.
-
Historical Objects
The library’s historical objects collection offers a glimpse into Maine’s legal history through artifacts, documents, and personal belongings of prominent members of the legal community. Selections from the collection are featured on a rotating basis in the library’s new historical display and new bimonthly newsletter.
-
Historical Photographs
The library’s historical photograph collection includes more than 1,200 images documenting the people, places, events, and traditions that highlight Maine’s legal community and its history. The library displays selected photographs from the collection on a rotating basis.
-
Oral History
The Cleaves Law Library Oral History Project began in 2002 with a mission to preserve the personal stories and experiences of Maine’s judges, attorneys, and other legal professionals through recordings of interviews and special events. Recordings are available for viewing at the library by appointment.
-
The Maine Judiciary
Explore the history of Maine’s judiciary through chronological lists of the judges and justices who have served on the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, Superior Court, and District Court. These compilations are a convenient reference for tracing judicial service through the years.
Help Shape Our Collections
Cleaves Law Library continually evaluates its collections to better serve the needs of Maine’s legal community.
Tell us what you’d like to see added to our print, digital, legal research, or legal history collections.