Using the legal collections of the Law Library requires an understanding of legal resources and basic legal methodology, as well as some knowledge of specific tools for research.

The Catalogs and Subject Headings section explains the classification of legal materials and identifies specific subject headings and catalogs that may be helpful when searching for legal materials at the Library of Congress and elsewhere.

The Legal Research Methodology section is a discussion of methodology that provides a brief overview of legal research.

By examining in greater detail one of the types of sources described in the Legal Research Methodology section, the Pathfinder: Using Legal Encyclopedias provides a case study that leads the reader through the process of searching various legal encyclopedias for information on antenuptial agreements between men and women concerning their minor children.