deFord Library and Information Center

As a specialized collection that is open to the public, the Society's library is unique in Washington, DC. From its 20,000-item specialized collection of books and periodicals to its databases on international law topics and web-based resources, the deFord Library and Information Center plays an important role for the local international law community and, electronically, to the global audience of international lawyers and researchers.

 
Library Hours:
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday-Friday, except federal holidays
 
Tel: +1-202-939-6001
 
 

Library Offerings

ASIL's Library provides a variety of services and resources to local and remote members and interested parties. The print collection is organized using Kurt Schwerin's Classification of International Law.
 
ASIL electronic research tools EISIL and ERG are also available to support your international law research.
 
Assistance in identifying relevant resources throughout the research process is available by contacting ​ASIL Services at services@asil.org.

Electronic Resources

Electronic Information System for International Law (EISIL). A database containing more than 2,000 records providing links to selected international law instruments, websites, and research resources covering the entire spectrum of international law. 
 
Electronic Resource Guide (ERG). An eleven-chapter electronic guide designed to assist researchers of international law on the web. 

Core Collection Resources

  • The Howard M. Holtzmann Papers collect and preserve documents from the work and life of Judge Howard M. Holtzmann, A unique collection, the Holtzmann Papers tell the story of international commercial arbitration and conciliation through the lens of one of its foremost experts and practitioners.
  • Arbitrations and International Claims. Including Moore’s International Arbitrations, Tribunaux Arbitraux Mixtes (TAM), Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal Reports, and UN Reports of International Arbitral Awards (UNRIAA).
  • Collected Essays. Recueil des Cours, 1923 to present. Also a specialized collection of Liber Amicorum.
  • Digests of International Law. Documents of state practice including statements of government officials, judicial decisions, and legislation.
  • Journals. Print collection and also onsite access to the journal databases Hein Online, INTLEX, and JSTOR.
  • Judicial Decisions. Decisions of international courts and tribunals, arbitrations, and judgments of national courts including International Court of Justice (ICJ) and Permanent Court of International Justice (PCIJ) Reports, and International Law Reports.
  • Reference Publications. International law encyclopedias and dictionaries.
  • Society Publications. Archive of ASIL publications. 
  • Texts and Treatises. Secondary source materials for commentary and analysis and collections of basic instruments.
  • Treaties. Selected documents, UNTS, and access to UN Treaty Database.
  • Yearbooks. Collection of articles, documents, and cases of international law by country and subject area. 

ASIL Resources for the Developing World

ASIL regularly supports efforts to improve awareness of international law in developing countries. It does so through journal exchanges and donations to institutions in developing countries and through its participation in JSTOR’s Africa Access Initiative, making Society publications available for free to non-profit institutions on the African continent. In addition, ASIL encourages individuals who wish to donate their collection of the American Journal of International Law, International Legal Materials, and other ASIL publications to contact the Journal Donation Project at New School University or Bridge to Asia. These efforts are managed entirely by their respective organizations and not ASIL. All inquiries must be directed to the organizations themselves.

Thank you for helping the Society to reach communities in need with these valuable international law resources.

Library Gift and Donation Policy

ASIL's deFord Library and Information Center accepts gifts and contributions for the development of its international law collection. Especially valuable are recent books by members of the Society, but also sought are books and journals that fill existing gaps. Historically, some of the Library's most unusual and significant collections began with donations from individuals that the Library then built upon to maintain depth, breadth, and currency. In certain cases, the Society is also able to accept members' personal papers in its archives. Members interested in making a contribution to the Society's collection should send an email to development@asil.org.