Reflections
Austin Martin Williams Director of the Law Library Professor of Law
It is my pleasure to present the 2025-2026 Annual Report of the Georgetown University Law Library. The Law Library undertook a number of new projects and initiatives this past year to support the research and educational endeavors of the students and faculty of Georgetown Law.
Key highlights from this period include the rollout of several new systems to support research, including a new version of DigitalGeorgetown, the online repository that provides public access to digitized resources from our collection. Furthermore, we have remained dedicated to improving our physical infrastructure to ensure a welcoming and supportive environment for our users.
This report offers a concise overview of the Law Library’s recent activities and underscores our ongoing commitment to serving the Georgetown Law community.
Adapting & Advancing
2026-2028 Strategic Plan
The Law Library launched a new strategic plan to cover fiscal years 2026-2028. The new plan identifies major priority areas and goals over the next three years that will position the Law Library to support the University and Law Center’s new leadership and initiatives, build collections and services that support new faculty, and provide resources and instruction that will prepare students for a new bar exam and the responsible use of AI when conducting legal research.
Peer Collections Meeting
On March 5-6, 2026, the Law Library hosted academic law library leaders from 15 top institutions across the country for a two-day peer meeting focused on the future of print collections. Participants gathered to exchange ideas and collaborate on key issues shaping the field. The meeting served as the kickoff to what we hope are continuing discussions on how peer law libraries and other partners can collaborate to ensure the long-term preservation of and access to important legal materials.
Resources & Technology
DigitalGeorgetown
The Law Library launched a new version of DigitalGeorgetown, the online repository that provides public access to digitized resources from the Law Library’s collection, including rare books, manuscripts, the Law Center Archives, digital materials from library partners, and more. DigitalGeorgetown serves an important function in providing access to information to support the Law Library’s mission.
A-Z Database List
The Law Library successfully executed the migration of its established Databases List to the robust Springshare A-Z List platform during the 2025-2026 reporting period. This strategic transition was undertaken to significantly enhance the user experience and streamline internal management workflows. The new Springshare A-Z List offers substantially increased functionality compared to the legacy system, providing a more dynamic and intuitive interface for researchers to discover and access the library’s vast collection of digital resources.
Donohue Intelligence Law
The Law Library finalized the transition of the Foreign Intelligence Law Collection from DigitalGeorgetown to a dedicated standalone repository, now rebranded as Donohue Intelligence Law. This digital archive serves as a premier resource for primary and secondary materials concerning U.S. foreign intelligence and national security law. It is designed to support the needs of the judiciary, legal scholars, policymakers, and the public. The enhanced platform introduces a new collection taxonomy, automatic optical character recognition (OCR) when documents are uploaded to support full-text searching, and an updated, powerful site search that delivers precise results across the entire collection.
11,318
Loans of Materials & Equipment
18,881
Number of Works in DigitalGeorgetown
925,798
Downloads from the Scholarly Commons
1,122,393
Uses of Research Guides & Tutorials
Research & User Services
Accessible Texts
The Law Library, in partnership with the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS), established new procedures and operational workflows to deliver accessible texts to students as an accommodation under 17 U.S.C. § 121. These streamlined processes enable the Law Library and OAS to better support students with print disabilities.
Law Library Membership Program
Members of the Law Library Membership Program receive on-site access to the Law Library’s collections and reference support. This past year, the Law Library expanded the program’s eligibility to include Individual Attorneys, building upon a membership base that already consists of Law Firms, In-House and General Counsels, Government Agencies, and Non-Profit Organizations primarily engaged in legal assistance.
Ongoing Facilities Upgrades
The Law Library continued its multi-year commitment to facility and amenity upgrades throughout the building. A comprehensive roof replacement project was completed this past year, successfully addressing several persistent leaks while revitalizing the exterior ADA accessible entrance ramp and the Law Library terrace. The Law Library also recarpeted the Media Services Room and the first floor stacks areas that house our journals and state materials. Accessibility was further enhanced through the installation of new cane-detection planters in the Atrium and upgrades to multiple door assist buttons at the main entrance. Collectively, these physical improvements foster a more welcoming and supportive learning environment for our students.
2,706
Reference Questions
262 Research Consultations with Students
136 Research Lectures & Presentations
228 Research Projects for Faculty
For more information, please visit www.law.georgetown.edu/library/