This guide is intended for students and researchers studying constitutional & administrative law at the University of Oxford, although students and researchers from any field may find it useful.
Use this guide to find out about sources for the full text of constitutions and commentary for constitutional & administrative law, including ebooks, ejournals, and databases.
Below are some suggested starting points.
For more guidance on commentary on this topic please see see other pages in the guide, accessible via the Tabs above.
Some ebooks available to holders of an Oxford SSO
The British Constitution: a Very Short Introduction by 
Our Republican Constitution by 
Public Law in a Multi-Layered Constitution by Examples of books available in print ony
Note the first one is in the Law Reserve (please come to the Enquiry Desk and ask for it there) the second is in the open shelf collection on Level 2.
The Changing Constitution by 
The United Kingdom Constitution by As constitutional law is a compulsory topic for undergrads at Oxford, some of the books on Reading Lists are kept in the Law Reserve Collection - just ask a member of staff at the Enquiry Desk on Level 2 in the main Reading Room.
But there are a lot more books about the constitution on open shelf on Level 2 - in the KM section in particular, but some on the legal system in KL may also be useful.
Constitutional theory will be on Level 2 with shelf marks beginning either Jurisp or KA
Please visit the Books page in this guide for more detailed guidance.
Please note: the Bodleian Law Library is a reference only collection: there is no borrowing.
Browsing the library's print collections can help you find relevant resources as the books are shelved in subject order, so you'll find related books shelved together.
The arrangement of constitutional law books for England is arranged by subject matter as follows. This collection is on Level 2, the entrance level to the Law Library.
KM1 Public law (general works, which may includes chapters on constitutional, administrative, criminal, and tax law)
KM31 Constitutional Law - general overviews
KM33 Constitutional Principles
KM35 Separation of Powers
KM36 Judicial Review (general and constitutional) for Judicial Review of Administrative action see KM306
KM38 Constitutional Conventions
KM42 Parliamentary Government
KM51 Unwritten Constitutions
KM53 Amendments
KM58 Church & State For Freedom of religion/conscience see KM206
KM82 Legislatures, legislative power
KM83 Legislators
KM84 Parliamentary Procedure
KM85 Parliamentary Privileges
KM111 Executive Power
KM112 Heads of State
KM114 Executive Prerogatives
KM141 Judiciary - constitutional status and powers
KM176 Migration
KM201 Civil rights, human rights
KM203 Habeas Corpus
KM204 Freedom of Speech & Expression
KM205 Freedom of Assembly
KM206 Freedom of religion/conscience
KM207 Freedom of the Press
KM208 Equal opportunities, discrimination, minorities
This is further by discrimination of either person or place eg
KM208.2 Sex discrimination
KM208.43 Racial Discrimination
KM208.431 Indigenous Peoples
KM208.432 Treaty Rights
KM209
KM209.A2 Academic Freedom
KM209.C6 Right to Counsel
KM209.I6 Freedom of Information
KM209.P7 Right of privacy
KM233 National Security
KM235 Government Departments
KM238 Committees of Enquiry, Royal Commissions
Books on English & Welsh/UK law are shelved first within each category.
Then works on the treatment of the law by other common law jurisdictions follow, country by country. The third line of the shelf mark indicates which foreign jurisdiction the book is about, using the following codes - A8 Australia, C1 Canada, Ireland I5, N4 New Zealand, S3 Scotland, U4 United States.
If you are looking for works on the administrative law in other jurisdictions these will be shelved in the respective country collections: European countries are on Level 3, remaining jurisdictions on Level 1.
The European Union collection is on Level 3.
Purely theoretical works will probably have shelf marks beginning Jurisp (short for Jurisprudence or legal philosophy).
Comparative studies will have shelf marks beginning either General or Cw Gen.
All three collections are on Floor 2. All are arranged alphabetically by author/editor and are not arranged according to topic.
Depending on your focus of study, it is very possible that SOLO searches will reveal useful titles in other Bodleian libraries - not just our nearest neighbour, the SSL.
Use the links to the library websites below check their opening hours etc. There are also a couple of Bodleian guides written by subject librarians for more guidance.
