Legislative Reference Library
& Library Subcommittee

Library staff members handle inquiries in person, by phone, email, and instant messaging. Legislators can contact library staff and receive materials while working from their offices, homes, or from the House or Senate Chamber. All requests are confidential, and all staff are non- partisan.

Highlights of the print and digital collection include:

• Public policy collection.
• The Library’s premiere public policy collection of print and digital materials focuses on state-level issues.
• Newspapers. The Library purchases access to the full text of many regional newspapers for legislative users, including the Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, and Duluth News Tribune, and many other newspapers, and facilitates online access.
• Media coverage. News resources on legislators and legislative policy issues include extensive print files from 1970-2009, and an in-house electronic news archive from 2009 - present.
• Mandated reports. Each year the Legislature requires many one-time studies and ongoing reports, both to study issues and provide accountability for state-funded programs. The Library tracks and acquires the reports and ensures availability in electronic format to members and the general public.
• Legislative history materials. The collection, required by the rules of the House and Senate, includes committee minutes and recordings of committee meetings and floor sessions. Staff members are experienced and knowledgeable about the often-complicated process of researching legislative history.
• Historical statistics. Biographical information and details about legislative service for every member since territorial times is found in the Legislators Past and Present database. The Library publishes historical lists of legislative and state government information. The Time Capsule database integrates a variety of information by legislative session.

• Reference librarians. Experienced reference librarians to assist with research.
• Customized alerting services. Inside Issues and Contents Pages.

The Legislative Reference Library is a joint legislative agency under the Legislative Coordinating Commission.
Each biennium, a Library Subcommittee made of up four legislators, two from the House and two from the Senate, is appointed.