Access, loans and publication programme
The UNCITRAL Law Library is the specialized trade law library of the United Nations. It was established in 1979 in Vienna as a reference and research library for the UNCITRAL Secretariat and participants in intergovernmental meetings convened by UNCITRAL. Since its establishment, the Library also supported the research needs of permanent missions, other Vienna-based international organizations, researchers and law students.
Publications programme
The secretariat undertakes the production (in both paper and electronic versions) of a number of publications relating to the work of UNCITRAL. The first of these is a Yearbook of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, which reproduces all substantive documents prepared by the Secretariat each year relating to the work of UNCITRAL and its working groups, as well as other information, including reports of the Sixth Committee of the General Assembly; General Assembly resolutions relating to the work of UNCITRAL; a bibliography of scholarly writings on UNCITRAL texts; a list of UNCITRAL texts; and the summary records of meetings of UNCITRAL.
Other publications of UNCITRAL include:
- Booklets reproducing UNCITRAL texts
- Explanatory notes prepared by the secretariat of UNCITRAL on the various UNCITRAL texts
- Official records of diplomatic conferences at which conventions were adopted
- CD-ROMs containing UNCITRAL texts and other official documents
UNCITRAL library collection
The collection of the UNCITRAL Law Library focuses mainly on the area of international trade law.
Currently, it consists of:
- over 10,000 monographs;
- 150 active journal titles;
- legal and general reference material, including non-UNCITRAL UN documents, and documents of other international organizations;
- and electronic resources (restricted to in-house use only).
The UNCITRAL library collection covers materials in the six official UN languages, as well as in other languages.
Library databases / e-Journals
(accessible at the UNCITRAL Secretariat)
Library access and use
The UNCITRAL Law Library is located in:
Vienna International Center,
Wagramerstrasse 5,
room E0439
Library hours:
from 9:00 to 17:00.
Graduate and post-graduate students, professors, researchers and university scholars may access the UNCITRAL Law Library as external users.
To obtain permission to access the library, external users should indicate their subject of research, intended days of visit and contact information using a contact form.
All requests must be submitted at least two working days in advance for proper accreditation and issuance of passes.
After security clearance, a daily library pass will be issued to the applicant at VIC Gate 1 upon presentation of a picture ID. The pass is valid to visit the UNCITRAL library premises only; misuse (e.g. visiting other areas in the VIC without permission) will result in the withdrawal of permission.
UNCITRAL library catalogue
The UNCITRAL Law Library maintains an on-line public access catalogue (OPAC) jointly with other United Nations libraries in Vienna.
Loan regulation
Loans can be made to staff members with a permanent or fixed-term contract of at least one year and to representatives of the Permanent Missions to the United Nations Offices in Vienna.
Conference participants and temporary staff should contact the UNCITRAL library assistant for loans at the extension 4079.
Loan duration
Monographs: two weeks
Periodicals: two weeks
Reference materials are not for loan.
History and mandate of the UNCITRAL Law Library
The UNCITRAL Law Library was established in 1979 in Vienna to support the research needs of the Secretariat and of UNCITRAL delegates. The establishment of the library was made possible, in part, through financial contribution of the government of Austria. Contributions from governments, delegates and experts as well as exchanges with academic institutions and other international organizations support the growth of its collection.
Since its establishment, the library has been providing services not only to UNCITRAL delegates and to the staff of the Secretariat, but also to the staff of permanent missions and the staff of other Vienna based international organizations. Moreover, the UNCITRAL Law Library has provided research assistance throughout the years to scholars and students from all countries thus promoting better understanding and knowledge of international trade law and furthering the mandate of the Commission.
The UNCITRAL Law Library is a part of the United Nations libraries in Vienna. It contributes to the world-wide United Nations libraries network as a specialized trade law library, and maintains relationships with other United Nations libraries, with libraries of other Vienna-based international organizations, as well as with academic libraries in Austria and around the world.