[jason taylor]

The Authorized Legal Archive of the Principality of Caledonia:

This is a library and museum in Selkirk on the Principality of Caledonia

From outside, it is an austere hall of white marble surrounded by parkland with groves of stately oaks-cleared in places to give a clear view for visitors who wish for an outdoor holographic picture. On the front gate there is a ten-foot tall traditional statue of a blindfolded Justitia with scales and sword.

Inside there are shelves with towers of old fashioned books of all kinds, sometimes in gothic script, sometimes even illuminated-in cases using such materials as shell gold, malachite, ochre, and crushed lapis. In one case a commentator with a dark sense of humor used red ochre to introduce an essay on capital crimes.

The primary subject is the Anglic tradition of Common Law. There are however works on the laws of several civilizations going back thousands of years before starflight on Terra. Naturally Terran and Vilani law is stressed but traditions of many other cultures have representation as well as works on related subjects such as political philosophy. It is common too, to exchange with similar institutions in other polities.


It is the normal right of any citizen of the principality to visit the archives and make copies. Paper books are artistic works and important matters of cultural heritage and cannot be removed from the archives. However every work is available in digital as well as paper format as well as many not represented in the book library. This is a necessity for as well as being a cultural statement the Authorized Library is an active tool for ongoing cases in the Principality. Every world has a branch in which attorney's can search for material relevant to their case. It also has a memory file to keep out those presently serving on a jury lest they compromise themselves-one pragmatic exception to the right to visit the archives.

The right to choose the Board of Curators belongs to the House of Lords. They are chosen based on notable achievements in legal scholarship and are an honorary position. The actual administration of the archives is in the hands of the Leabhar Neich-Gleidh which is itself a well respected position. The Curators do have some power, over the choice of books to be included in the selection.

The ALA is one of the most venerable institutions of it's kind in Known Space, and other polities often copy details from it.