Catalogue of the New-York State Library ...: Catalogue of the New-York state library: 1855 ; Law Library

The 1855 Catalogue of the New-York State Library, specifically the volume dedicated to the Law Library, was compiled during a period of significant growth for the institution. Following the state's legislative mandate to organize and document its extensive holdings, this volume served as a systematic inventory for legal practitioners, judges, and researchers of the mid-19th century. Its creation was part of a broader effort to transform the library into a primary repository of American and international jurisprudence, ensuring that the legal community had accessible guidance on the volumes contained within the state's archives.

The design of the catalogue reflects the mid-19th-century preference for scholarly rigor and classification, favoring clear, alphabetical categorization of statutes, treatises, and reports. Published under the direction of the library's trustees, the work was designed to be utilitarian and durable, catering to the needs of legal scholars who required precise bibliographic tracking. Upon its release, the catalogue was received as a essential professional tool, valued for its methodical organization that helped standardize library cataloging practices for state institutions across the United States.