Types of Articles Selected for the Clipping Collection

We select news, biographical or editorial articles which cover, or have an impact on, Maine’s law and legislation, politics, state and local governments, and the legal community.

Location and Retention of Paper Newspapers and Clippings

The most current issue is kept on the newspaper rack in the center of the Library. Back issues of daily newspapers are clipped, then shelved for one week in the Clipping area on the mezzanine. Back issues of weekly newspapers are discarded immediately after clipping.  The most recent Sunday papers are kept at the Circulation Desk.

Digitized Articles

Clippings from 2002 – present have been scanned into a fully searchable database. The database is accessible on our public computers in the Law Library.

File Folders

Clippings are assigned one of over 300 subject headings. Clippings, which may date back to 1970 or earlier, are filed by subject and year in cabinets on the mezzanine. Staff can help you identify headings and locate articles.

Specialized Binders

• • Selected major issues dating back to the 1930’s (i.e. Indian Land Claims or Workers’ Compensation, 1991 [Legislative] Shutdown)
  • Biographic information on legislators, governors, Maine congressional representatives and senators, judges and attorneys
• • The Legislature and proposed legislation since 1961 (see card index in Clipping Area for citations to articles since 1984, and see Reference copies of the bound Legislative Documents for citations prior to 1984)
  • Unique or precedent-setting court cases
  • Political elections, candidates, party platforms and initiatives

Use restrictions

Files and binders from the Clippings Collection may be used only in the Library. Sign for files if you wish to take them to a reading table. There are photocopiers available if you wish to make copies of articles. Return used files to the Reference Desk when you are finished with them.

5/18/2016           A-Z List