What is The Virtual Law Library's subject information gateway?
It is a catalogue of internet resources with relevance to academic law research.
In contrast to conventional collections of internet sources, our resources provide bibliographical metadata, including subject headings and abstracts. Consequently it is possible to search and view the internet sources using different retrieval criteria. The currency and availability of the indexed sources are guaranteed by link check and reminder systems.
The subject information gateway now comprises more than 2800 websites and is being further expanded with the aid of our cooperation partners.
Which criteria are used for the collection and description of internet sources?
In the first development phase, the target was to collect mainly German and EU-sources. This and other policies for the establishment of the subject information gateway are established according to a collection profile (PDF) (only german). This profile allows users to have an understanding of the content to expect in the subject information gateway.
If an internet source corresponds to the collection profile, the second step is to satisfy our quality control. This control distinguishes the gateway from conventional lists of legal links. The application of the mentioned criteria guarantees the subject information gateway's quality.
The underlying requirements for academically relevant internet sources are set out in a comprehensive catalogue (PDF) (only german). A summary of the quality criteria provides an initial quick overview (PDF)(only german).
The Berlin State Library cooperates with other libraries and research institutions. If you would like to take part in the collection and bibliographic description of internet sources, please contact us.