Legal Research
Virtual Library Cat's Eye View 
News and Views from Ernster, the Deane Law Library Virtual Cat.
Post Frequency: 1.6/day Last Entry: November 19, 2009 at 14:09:00 Recent Entries: 553
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Finland Makes Broadband Internet Access A Legal Right
Posted on November 19, 2009It is interesting to follow the creation of new legal rights as they appear around the world. One such new right is Finland?s government?s decision to make access to a one megabyte broadband Internet connection a legal right for its citizens. Read more about this story here...
Search for Legal Opinions using Google Scholar
Posted on November 18, 2009Google Scholar has added full text searching of caselaw and legal journals. Just go to scholar.google.com and choose the "Legal Opinions and Journals" radio button. You can also use the advanced search feature to limit your search by jurisdiction.In addition to the text of the case, Google Scholar offers a nice looking "How Cited" feature that shows how the case has been cited and provides a list of citing cases and related documents...
ABA Legal Technology Resource Center
Posted on November 17, 2009You are comfortable with your computer, phone and other tech devices, but legal technology may be something you don't really think about. Technology is technology, right? Well, yes and no. There is software and applications that are developed specifically for law firm needs (e-discovery) and there are those pesky legal implications for what you may or may not be doing online...
Research Resources: Electronic Commerce & Law Report (BNA)
Posted on November 16, 2009If you would like to get national and global perspectives on the digital economy with news of trends and developments, try Electronic Commerce & Law Report. Electronic Commerce & Law Report (BNA) features comprehensive coverage of the major legal issues surrounding digital communications content, transactions, and infrastructure, on federal, state, and international levels...
New Google Digital Book Settlement
Posted on November 15, 2009For Google-watchers and those interested in copyright, antitrust law, and the legal controversy over the use of millions of books that Google has scanned and digitized from library collections, the latest news is that the parties met yesterday's federal court deadline to file an amended settlement...
New York Criminal Law Research Can Be Easy
Posted on November 15, 2009Sometimes trial attorneys do not like doing legal research. And all criminal lawyers are trial attorneys.That is why some criminal lawyers should be glad to know that, often, no intensive research is required to find very good explanations of New York's criminal statutes...
It's Friday the 13th
Posted on November 13, 2009And if you are very fortunate, this Friday the 13th you will cross paths with a black cat.But why is it some of you humans think that Friday the 13th is unlucky - a condition known at "paraskevidekatriaphobics"? (I'll have to save the derivation of that for another posting)...
Environmental Protection Agency?s Enforcement and Compliance History Online
Posted on November 12, 2009The Environmental Protection Agency?s (EPA) Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) offers rapid, integrated searches of EPA and state data for more than 800,000 regulated facilities.ECHO integrates inspection, violation, and enforcement information for the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and hazardous waste laws...
Jotwell
Posted on November 11, 2009Jotwell is The Journal of Things We Like (Lots). It's mission is to create a space for academics to critique and discuss recent legal scholarship. With the huge amount of law reviews and journals being published, it hopes to help identify recent developments in in several scholarly fields...
New biography of Justice Scalia
Posted on November 10, 2009Whatever else one may think of Justice Scalia, he is memorable, but until now he has not been the subject of a biography. Released by bookstores today is "American Original: The Life and Constitution of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia" by Joan Biskupic...
Research Resources: The Economists' Voice
Posted on November 09, 2009If you are looking for serious economics analysis about public policy and current issues, try The Economists' Voice. Edited by Aaron Edlin and Joseph Stiglitz, recipient of the 2001 Nobel Prize for Economics, together with Jonathan Carmel, J. Bradford DeLong and Jeffrey Zwiebel, The Economists' Voice offers access to full text (PDF) articles on a broad range of policy issues...
New York Anniversary
Posted on November 07, 2009Last Tuesday was an election day for New Yorkers, but yesterday was the anniversary of a momentous day in New York election history--November 6, 1917, when New York state passed a constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote.Alice Paul and the National Woman's Party had been picketing the White House since January of that year, followed by arrests and continuing protests...
Supreme Stats
Posted on November 06, 2009For those interested in analyzing the decisions and justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, there are two great web sites for you. SCOTUS BLOG has a companion site, SCOTUS WIKI which provides Supreme Court statistics, such as Justice agreement, opinion tally and a circuit scorecard by term going back to 1995...
Judge Allows Constitutional Challenge to Human Gene Patents
Posted on November 05, 2009Those who track the unusual intersections of Constitutional law and intellectual property law may find the following news story of interest. As Law.com reports, opponents of patenting human gene sequences received a rare court victory recently, when a federal judge refused to dismiss a suit that challenges patents for two genes linked to cancers in women...
Newspapers
Posted on November 04, 2009Many students come to the desk looking for information about newspapers--especially where to find copies of those newspapers. One good place to start looking is the Library of Congress's newspaper directory. Using the newspaper directory, you can find newspapers by geographic region, year, and type of newspaper...
Have you voted yet today?
Posted on November 03, 2009Remember that today is an election day and if you are registered to vote you should do so. Most of the races today are for state and local offices but these are still very important. Who will represent you in the state legislature? Who will be the judges? Who will be the Nassau County executive? We usually pay more attention to federal elections, but many issues are decided on a state and/or local level, i...
Research Resources: Current Index to Legal Periodicals
Posted on November 02, 2009Current Index to Legal Periodicals is prepared on a weekly basis by law librarians and staff of the Marian Gould Gallagher Law Library at the University of Washington. This publication provides topical access to approximately 475 law school reviews and other selected legal journals under 100 subject headings...
Blawg Reviews
Posted on November 01, 2009Many law reviews are now offering their articles for free on their websites. This move to 'open access' publishing is changing the look of legal scholarship. Some law reviews are becoming more interactive--with responses to articles now sometimes coming in comments pages and short online responses, rather than only in lengthy printed articles...
Changes, changes...
Posted on October 31, 2009Clocks are set for a change this weekend, and so is the Internet as you know it.The nonprofit group that controls domain codes for Internet addresses announced yesterday that as of November 16, it will begin a "Fast Track" process for approving web addresses ending in non-Latin characters for the first time since the Internet was created...
Happy Black Cat day!!
Posted on October 30, 2009Tomorrow is the world's annual celebration of Black Cats (a.k.a "Halloween" to less informed humans). As a virtual black cat (yes virtual cats get to choose their colors), I celebrate not by eating a lot of sticky sweet stuff, but by crawling the web for interesting black cat references...
The Art of Written Persuasion (V): Improve Your Vocabulary, Improve Your Success
Posted on October 27, 2009Here is another good reason to read not just the law, but literature, history, etc. Reading is a time honored method of improving vocabulary. This article "The Art of Written Persuasion: Part V - Improve Your Vocabulary, Improve Your Success" is a discussion of what is meant by "good vocabulary" - it is more than big words - and describes how lawyers use vocabulary to persuade...
GlobaLex: New and Updated Research Guides
Posted on October 26, 2009Published by the Hauser Global Law School Program at NYU School of Law, GlobaLex is an electronic publication dedicated to international and foreign research. New and updated research guides published by GlobaLex include:New research guides:Law and Legal Research in Zambia by Alfred S...
Split Circuits
Posted on October 25, 2009To follow up from last Sunday's post on using blawgs for research, I've just discovered Split Circuits, a blawg dedicated to tracking . . . yes, circuit splits. This blog is good fodder for academics, paper-writers, and Supreme Court watchers.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
New Site for Digital Books
Posted on October 23, 2009We all know about Google Books, but where else can a virtual cat go to curl up with a virtual book? A new site called BookServer helps people (and cats) find information on digital books that are available for free or for a fee.This service is provided by the Internet Archive - one of the great resources on the Internet - and subject of past and no doubt future postings...
Legal Pitfalls of Outsourcing?
Posted on October 22, 2009In the current economy, news regarding trends in employment is always relevant. In this regard, the article ?Legal Pitfalls of Outsourcing May Outweigh Benefits? might be of interest to those who are wondering about the often-discussed subject of outsourcing legal jobs...
Financial Crisis Update
Posted on October 21, 2009For breaking news about the current financial crisis, take a look at the CCH Financial Crisis News Center. This frequently updated blog covers legal and regulatory developments related to the financial crisis and are archived by topic and by agency or organization...
Human Rights Watch Report
Posted on October 19, 2009If you are interested in human rights issues, look at the Human Rights Watch website. Their site provides access to information concerning current human rights issues and includes Human Rights Watch Reports in full text.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Blawgs for Research
Posted on October 18, 2009The world of legal scholarship has expanded to include more than just law journal articles and treatises. There is now a wealth of legal commentary--much of it good--on law blogs, or "blawgs" as some people call them. Blawgs can be particularly helpful for students writing research papers related to current or ongoing topics...
CBO: Charting the Cost of Federal Laws
Posted on October 17, 2009The user friendly web site of the Congressional Budget Office is a goldmine of background information and data for papers, law journal notes, and legislative research. The CBO, established by law in 1974 and today operating with a staff of over 200 mostly economists and public policy experts, has an important mandate: to provide Congress with "objective, nonpartisan and timely analysis" to aid in economic and budgetary decisions, including enacting new legislation and funding federal programs...
Book of Odds
Posted on October 16, 2009Be prepared to lose some time looking at this site. Book of Odds describes itself as "the odds of everyday life." You can find odds relating to health issues such as the likelihood of contracting a disease ; accident odds, both everyday and the less frequent, such as the odds of being bitten or struck by an alligator (1 in 149,700,000) ; sports odds for playoff time such as the odds an MLB game will include a player hitting for the cycle (739...
News Source: Public Access To Taxpayer- Funded Research
Posted on October 15, 2009Many of you have no doubt heard of the open access movement, which seeks to make scholarly research freely available to the public. Taxpayer Access is part of this movement. The aim of this organization is to remove paid subscription barriers, by making the peer-reviewed results of taxpayer-funded research freely available online...
Internet Legal Research
Posted on October 14, 2009PublicLegal is a product of Internet Legal Research Group. This site provides access to a "categorized index of more than 4000 web sites in 238 nations, islands and territories, as well as thousands of locally stored web pages, legal forms, and downloadable files...
Gender Law Library - Doing Business
Posted on October 13, 2009The Doing Business Gender Law Library is a collection of national legal provisions impacting women's economic status in 183 economies. The database facilitates comparative analysis of legislation, serves as a resource for research, and contributes to reforms that can enhance women?s full economic participation...
Forum Network Launched
Posted on October 11, 2009Now there is another free online video site, created by PBS and NPR, with a wide range of quality academic lectures, interviews with business and political leaders, and series specials of interest to law students. Forum Network, which is both searchable and browseable by topic, includes titles from Harvard professor Michael Sandel's lecture series on "Justice: What's the Right Thing To Do?"(including "The Moral Side of Murder: The Case for Cannibalism" and "Hired Guns?/For Sale: Motherhood) and topics in constitutional issues, technology, and legal history, such as "Slavery and the Law in New England...
DropBox - my new file sharing toy
Posted on October 09, 2009How many times have I wished I could access my laptop from my smartphone or using another computer and needed a file from my laptop? DropBox has the answer. I downloaded it to my main computer and put whatever files I need in my DropBox folder. I then add whatever other computers I want (by downloading the same software) and I then have access to those files...
Government Agency Documents Online
Posted on October 08, 2009The University of Virginia's Government Documents department offers a Web site that provides access to government agency documents, including agency decisions, that are available online. The site includes guidance documents and interpretation letters, as well as links to agencies' e-FOIA reading rooms...
The EPA Website
Posted on October 07, 2009Looking for information about environmental law? Take a look at the website of the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA website is filled with all types of information including guidance documents and regulatory information. It also has a list of laws and executive orders that influence environmental protection...
First Monday in October
Posted on October 06, 2009The first Monday in October begins a term of the United States Supreme Court. The acronym for the court is SCOTUS and you can watch a docket or find an opinion on their official website. However, if you want analysis of court activities, to data mine SCOTUS case law, or to hear oral arguments check out these websites...
Accessing Exam Archive
Posted on October 05, 2009Looking for another study aide? Try the Exam Archive. To access the Exam Archive: Go to Hofstra Law School Library Main Page http://law.hofstra.edu/LibraryScroll down. In the lower, left-hand margin click ?Exam Archive?In the Hofstra University Library Electronic Reserves (ERes) window logon with your Novell Username and Password (this is the same username and password used to logon to the portal)You will be prompted to enter the password (contact the reference or circulation desk for the password)Click on ?Accept?Click the professor?s folder to access the exams...
New York Historical Court Records
Posted on October 04, 2009A number of Law Review members have been asking for help finding New York cases from the 1600's and 1700's--back when there were officials called schouts. Chances are that, in the end, most of these cases will have to be retrieved from clerks offices and archives...
Research workshops available on the web
Posted on October 02, 2009Research classes and workshops led by the Reference librarians are also being recorded and made available on the Library's web cast page. Now available - Federal Tax Policy research and Journal orientation. You can listen and watch the demonstration of the web sites and databases covered in the workshops...
Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Laws, Cases, and Resources
Posted on October 01, 2009The Law Librarians? Society of Washington, D.C. offers a convenient gathering in one place of Federal Equal Employment Opportunity laws, cases, and other resources. In addition to the laws themselves, there are links to Congressional Research Service reports, federal agency resources, recent judicial opinions, and much more on the subject of federal equal employment opportunity law...
Paper Writing Resources workshop
Posted on September 29, 2009Students who were not able to attend asked that we record the presentation and make it available on our website. The workshop was recorded today and will shortly be available on the Library's webcast page. A handout for paper writing resources is available here...
World Digital Library
Posted on September 28, 2009The World Digital Library (WDL) is pretty amazing. The mission of the library is to "makes available on the Internet, free of charge and in multilingual format, significant primary materials from countries and cultures around the world." Proposed by U...
Capturing Law Firm Information
Posted on September 26, 2009If you are job hunting, preparing for interviews, or researching any type of information published on law firm web sites, try Fee Fie Foe Firm. This free search engine is designed to provide more effective access to law firm web site material, and aims to be the most comprehensive window on law firms, from large multi-nationals to smaller boutique firms and solo practitioners having a presence on the internet...
Prowling outside of the Law Library
Posted on September 25, 2009I do occasionally venture out of the virtual law world and into other virtual spaces. If I have to do research, I prowl the Axinn Library and look at their Research Databases. I almost always start my non-legal hunting in Academic Search Premier - a general interest database with references to non-legal articles (including a lot with full text pdfs) in just about all areas...
Open Internet.Gov
Posted on September 24, 2009Open Internet.gov invites interested parties to ?join the discussion about the important issues facing the future of the Internet. Through this site you can stay connected to all Federal Communication Commission [FCC] activities on the issue, and share your thoughts and ideas on [the] open Internet?...
Computer History
Posted on September 23, 2009Not impressed by your cell phone, Blackberry or Iphone? You might be when you realize that this giant supercomputer from 1972 has about the same computing power as your phone. The supercomputer lives at the Computer History Museum in Silicon Valley...
Law Practice Technology Information Sources & Tools
Posted on September 22, 2009Posted recently on LLRX.com "Law Practice Technology Information Sources & Tools" is a handy reference work on becoming aware and keeping current on technologies, legal and otherwise. You cannot only discover useful technologies but practical reasons and tips for use...
The National Technical Information Service
Posted on September 21, 2009The National Technical Information Service (NTIS) serves as a central resource for government-funded scientific, technical, engineering, and business related information. It provides access to nearly 3 million U.S. Federal Government technical reports covering over 350 subject areas, including reports prepared by or for the U...
Making Headnote Sausage
Posted on September 20, 2009Many of Hofstra's 1L students are currently learning about headnotes, digests, and the West key number system. The Law Librarian Blog recently linked to the video below, which uses the Heller case to show how West makes headnotes and indexes cases (it requires an army of attorneys in a large building in Minnesota)...
Prescriptions
Posted on September 19, 2009One of the best sources for keeping up with health care reform issues and related legislation is the New York Times blog, Prescriptions. Here you can read the latest legislative developments and access full-text Congressional documents, statistics, interviews, and comparative health system information...
House of Lords
Posted on September 18, 2009After hundreds of years, the House of Lords will no longer exercise authority as the court of last resort in the United Kingdom. According to www.parliament.uk,"[t]he final appeal hearings and judgments of the House of Lords took place on 30 July 2009...
EDGAR Tutorial
Posted on September 17, 2009According to its Web page (linked from the Securities and Exchange Commission?s home page), ?EDGAR, the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system, performs automated collection, validation, indexing, acceptance, and forwarding of submissions by companies and others who are required by law to file forms with the U...
Trac Immigration
Posted on September 16, 2009Trac Immigration is a website that provides information about federal immigration enforcement. It provides immigration reports, collects government studies, and provides statistics about immigration enforcement.Trac Immigration also includes a glossary of words and phrases helpful to those researching immigration issues...
Paper Writing Resources Workshops
Posted on September 15, 2009The 1st presentation of the Paper Writing Resources workshop was a success and the workshop will be repeated on the following dates:Wednesday, 9/16 : room 243 from 1 PM to 2 PMMonday, 9/21 : room 243 from 1 PM to 2 PMWednesday 9/23 : room 243 from 12 noon to 1 PMThe workshop is an overview of resources you want to consider when researching a scholarly paper with some research tips thrown in at appropriate moments...
The Library of Congress' Reports on the Right of Habeas Corpus in 13 Countries
Posted on September 14, 2009"The right to challenge one?s arrest or detention is now incorporated in international human rights standards." The law Librarian Blog reports that The Library of Congress published a report analyzing the right of habeas corpus in thirteen countries...
Best Oath Ever?
Posted on September 13, 2009The subject of oaths and alternative oaths can make for an interesting evidence class. But the 19th century Burmese oath linked at Lowering the Bar is much better than any oaths modern Americans have attempted to use in court. It is almost 400 words long, it is filled with statements like "In the midst of not speaking truth, may I be taken with vomiting clotted black blood, and suddenly die before the assembled people," it lists various animals that should attack the untruthful, and it ends with a tea ceremony...
The 9/11 Attacks: A Document Collection
Posted on September 12, 2009A collection of key documents, including press conferences, speeches, and statements of government and other officials documenting the September 11 , 2001 attacks are available from Yale Law Library's Avalon Project: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy...
Words
Posted on September 11, 2009You might think that as a feline I have a somewhat limited vocabulary. You would be wrong. I strive to find just the right word for my pronouncements. One of my favorite web sites is Thesaurus.com . I can enter any word and it returns a multitude of choice alternatives...
Webcasts From The Library of Congress
Posted on September 10, 2009Many Webcasts related to government, legal, and geopolitical topics are available from the Library of Congress?s Web site. Click the link and have a look at what is on offer. You can use the search box at the top of the page to find Webcasts on particular subjects, if you do not feel like browsing through all of the Webcasts...
Investopedia
Posted on September 09, 2009Investopedia is a good starting point for research on finance and company information. The online dictionary will help you understand business and financial terminology (like asset swap or mirror fund) and the tutorials help you get background on specific topics...
Paper Writing Resources Workshop
Posted on September 08, 2009Are you writing a paper this semester? If you are we have the workshop for you "Paper Writing Resources". You want effective and efficient research so that you can spend more time writing your paper. This workshop will give you some research tips and point out sources both legal and multi-discipline so you can find what you need quickly...
Problems With Google Books
Posted on September 06, 2009In a recent Language Log post, Geoff Nunberg explains the metadata problems found in Google Books and why they matter. (Basically, Google Books has millions of volumes of scanned books, but the information that describes these scanned books is often wrong because Google has relied on information taken from the scanned images rather than relying on information provided by the libraries that provided the books for scanning...
Jurors Today: Texts and "Tweets?"
Posted on September 05, 2009For centuries, lawyers and law students have taken for granted that, in the interests of justice, those serving on juries cannot obtain outside information about the case when they are outside the courtroom. But in the world of Web 2.0, it's not that simple anymore...
Paper Topic ideas
Posted on September 04, 2009Many of you are starting to write papers for your classes and may need some help finding a topic. While Lexis and Westlaw are o.k., the Library has some databases that you may not know about that can help a lot more. On the Library's Online Resources page, you will see a link on the left for BNA Online Resources...
Nolo?s Plain English Online Law Dictionary
Posted on September 03, 2009Do you find yourself online while studying, and you need a quick definition of a legal term? Try Nolo?s Plain English Online Law Dictionary. Just type the word whose definition you are seeking into the search box, and click ?search?. You?ll then receive your results, sorted by relevance...
CALI lessons
Posted on September 01, 2009Need to review a subject or just want help understanding concepts? You may want to use a CALI lesson. CALI stands for Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction. It contains interactive computer based lessons covering 32 legal educations subjects...
Manage Your Library Transactions Using My Library Account
Posted on August 31, 2009You just got home and remembered that you forgot to renew your library book. Don't worry. Renew it online from home with MY LIBRARY ACCOUNT. MY LIBRARY ACCOUNT provides access to your library patron record and allows you to see what materials you have checked out and renew them online...
BAR/BRI Class Action Update
Posted on August 30, 2009We have been told that claim forms for those who paid for a BAR/BRI course between March 2001 and January 2008 to receive a share of the class action settlement against BAR/BRI must be postmarked no later than September 18. And something tells me that for those who send their forms in, the check they get in the mail will feel like it's worth a little bit more than $30-40...
Cell Phone Driving Laws
Posted on August 29, 2009Cell phone use and texting while driving are hot topics in the news and in state legislatures these days. The Governor's Highway Safety Association has compiled a useful summary and chart to keep everyone up-to-date on the state of legislation in all 50 states...
1L / Legal Writing Lexis and Westlaw training
Posted on August 28, 2009As a virtual being, of course I think doing research online is great. But, learn how to do it effectively and efficiently. For all of you taking Legal Writing, sign up for Lexis and Westlaw training at the Library Circulation desk. Get there early to get your preferred days and times...
Rhetoric For Beginners
Posted on August 27, 2009Rhetoric is the ancient art of argumentation and discourse. Many of the techniques of argument used by modern lawyers have ancient roots, indeed. Explore these roots, and learn a thing or two about formal argumentation and expression, by visiting Professor L...
Opinions in Westlaw and Lexis
Posted on August 26, 2009According to this Law.com article, a settlement provision in an Amtrak case called for the judge to "vacate eight of his published opinions and to "direct" Lexis and Westlaw to remove them from their databases." Can a judge really "direct" Lexis and Westlaw to remove published opinions from their databases? Take a look at the article to find out more...
Our Courts: 21st Century Civics
Posted on August 25, 2009Our Courts - inspired by retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor - is a website designed to teach students civics and the role of the courts. It is designed for middle school students but is a fun way for law students to review the basics. Right now there are two interactive games: Do I have a right? and Supreme Decision that put the player in on the action in a law firm and the Supreme Court...
Go2Web20.net
Posted on August 24, 2009If you are looking for a way to stay up to date with new web 2.0 services, try Go2Web20.net. The site provides a directory of new web 2.0 tools and applications.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Advice For New Associates
Posted on August 23, 2009In a recent article in the National Law Journal, Steven Bennett outlines how new law firm associates can avoid some common pitfalls. His answer to problem number one, wasting time?"Ask lots of questions when receiving an assignment. Ask more later, if you are still not sure of the assignment...
JURIST
Posted on August 22, 2009The start of a new school year is a great time to become acquainted, or reacquainted, with JURIST, the real-time legal news and research site that keeps you up to the minute with legal news from the United States and around the world. Written and maintained by faculty and students at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, JURIST is self-described as "the world's only law school-based comprehensive legal news and research service...
Some Basics
Posted on August 21, 2009WELCOME Back 2Ls and 3Ls and welcome again to the new 1Ls. Just wanted to remind everyone when you can find me prowling the stacks and when I'm off for my required catnaps. The Library is open :Sunday 10 a.m. - Midnight Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. - Midnight Friday 8 a...
News from the Government Printing Office (GPO): FDsys
Posted on August 20, 2009GPO's Federal Digital System (FDsys) is an advanced digital system that will enable GPO to manage important government information from all three branches of the U.S. government. FDsys is available as a public beta during the migration of information from GPO Access...
Women's Rights Employment Blog
Posted on August 19, 2009Anyone following Mad Men has seen stories of sexual harassment and sex discrimination in the workplace. Of course, those stories took place in the 1960's --what about now? Take a look at the Women's Rights Employment Blog to learn about about sex discrimination in today's workplace...
Lexis and Westlaw
Posted on August 18, 2009Attention 1L students. You should know by now that you must register your Westlaw password for access to TWEN and Westlaw; and your Lexis activation code for access to LexisNexis and Web Courses. You will be using both of these systems and should register as soon as possible...
Supreme Court Database
Posted on August 17, 2009If you are looking for a resource about Supreme Court decisions, try Supremecourtdatabase.org. The database contains over two hundred pieces of information about each case decided by the Court between the 1953 and 2008 terms.If you are interested in a particular legal or political issue, the analysis tool allows you to select and summarize cases...
No Felonies for 3Ls
Posted on August 16, 2009New York Lawyer reports that Ohio has become the 42nd state to allow third year law students to handle felony cases, but New York has no plans to join that group.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Starting Law School--A Little Help
Posted on August 15, 2009For 1L's in the midst of orientation and first class assignments, LexisNexis has posted some straightforward background information on the American legal system with common terms and concepts used in studying cases. Take a look at Introduction to the American Legal System, which might be a useful brief guide as you begin your legal studies...
WELCOME!!
Posted on August 14, 2009WELCOME new students to the Law School and Law Library. It is my job as Virtual Cat to give you the tips on everything you really need to know about the Law Library. And, my hope is to hear many a meow and comment back from you.So, first things first, get to know the non-virtual Library (o...
Civil Law Online
Posted on August 13, 2009Explore a legal tradition that is completely different from the Anglo-American common law system. Sponsored by the Center of Civil Law Studies of the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at LSU, Civil Law Online offers a single gathering place of resources for the study of the Civil Law...
A Judge for Yosemite National Park
Posted on August 12, 2009If you love the outdoors, you will be fascinated by this NY Times article about a judgeship for the United States District Court Court in Yosemite National Park. Apparently, the courthouse sits beneath Yosemite Falls and bears have been seen from the windows...
Ways To Get Your Lost Laptop or Cell Phone Back
Posted on August 10, 2009Click here to listen to Kim Komando discuss ways to find your lost cell phone or lap top.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Fastcase
Posted on August 09, 2009For those who are interested in a legal research database that is cheaper than Lexis or Westlaw but don't want to subscribe to a database before using it, Fastcase is offering free 24-hour trials.If you are a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association or the Florida Bar (or one of about a dozen other groups that aren't near New York), you already have free access to the database...
Divorce Lawyers in Video Spotlight
Posted on August 08, 2009Leave it to lawyers, not to be left out. Over 17 million people have viewed JK Wedding Entrance Dance, a wonderful part of "Jill and and Kevin's Big Day," as posted on YouTube. Have you seen the JK Divorce Entrance Dance, a lighthearted parody posted in the past week featuring a cast of dancing divorce lawyers, law clerks, and court officers, not to be outdone by the judge? The video of the courtroom entrance on what is billed , all in fun, as "Jill and Kevin's Last Day," was created by New York City based Indigo Productions...
Other virtual library cats
Posted on August 07, 2009Did you know that you can visit with other virtual library cats ? All you need is a public library card. You can then access that Library's databases and investigate a wide range of subjects including biographies, genealogy and newspapers. All for free!! Just go to your nearest public library and speak with a librarian...
The 25 Greatest Legal TV Shows
Posted on August 03, 2009The latest issue of the ABA Journal has a piece on The 25 Greatest Legal TV Shows. Now that the bar is over, you can give yourself a break and relax with some legal TV. You can even vote for your favorite legal TV show on the ABA website.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Movie Review Intelligence
Posted on August 01, 2009As I mentioned yesterday, now is the time to relax and have some fun. So how do you find the best movies to enjoy, and avoid the disappointing ones? Let Movie Review Intelligence sort it out. The self-described purpose of this site is to give moviegoers (of which about 81%, according to a recent survey, follow movie reviews) the most accurate and complete picture of movie reviews possible...
You Survived!!!
Posted on July 31, 2009Congratulations to the 3rd years - you have survived the Bar Exam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Now that you take some time to rest and recover. Enjoy some movies, sleeping late, or my favorite relaxation locale - the Long Island beaches. As a Virtual Cat I don't get to feel the sand between my toes, but many of my feline counterparts do love to sit in the sun...
Where There's Smoke . . .
Posted on July 25, 2009To those studying for the bar, remember, things could be even worse. As stressful as the bar exam may be, let's keep things civil in the Deane Library and not set it on fire.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Cool tool - Drop Box
Posted on July 24, 2009Do you ever wish you can access a file from your laptop when you are using another computer? There is a cool tool on the web called Drop Box . When you sign up for a free account, you can sync your files online and across computers. This way you have only one copy of a file that is automatically synced when you update it...
Wiki Sky?A Virtual Planetarium
Posted on July 23, 2009The recent anniversary of the first Moon landing reminds us that Summer is an ideal time for outdoor star-gazing. Virtual star-gazing, however, can be interesting, too. See Wiki Sky, for instance. In this free virtual planetarium, you will discover all sorts of interesting information about, and images of, the night sky...
One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
Posted on July 21, 2009Monday, July 20th 2009 was the 40 year anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on the moon. Some of us older folk remember watching it live on television. It was a time when space exploration was new and exciting. NASA has organized a web page celebrating the event...
Paperback Swap
Posted on July 20, 2009Do you have a lot of paperbacks at home? Do you love reading, but find that storing all those books is taking up too much space? You might want to try PaperBack Swap.PaperBack Swap is an online group that allows you to swap your books with other members...
Sports Labor Law
Posted on July 19, 2009This might provide a nice short break for anyone who is now studying for the bar but finding it impossible to stop thinking about law--even while taking a break to watch baseball highlights.David Cone testified at Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation hearings last week (transcript here) and he also happened to throw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium yesterday (a still-devastating curve)...
Searching the Deep Web
Posted on July 15, 2009Did you know that you can search for Deep Web content? Completeplanet is a Deep Web directory that searches ?surface? Web sites as well as Deep Web content contained in searchable databases.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Haymarket Affair: 1886-1887
Posted on July 14, 2009Chicago Anarchists on Trial: Evidence from the Haymarket Affair1886-1887This collection showcases more than 3,800 images of original manuscripts, broadsides, photographs, prints and artifacts relating to the Haymarket Affair. The violent confrontation between Chicago police and labor protesters in 1886 proved to be a pivotal setback in the struggle for American workers' rights...
The Earth Portal
Posted on July 11, 2009Self-described as a comprehensive resource for timely, objective, science-based information about the environment, the Earth Portal was selected as one of Library Journal's "Best Free Reference" web sites of 2008. The Earth Portal covers the natural environment of the earth as broadly defined, from air and water to living organisms and interdisciplinary topics, including related law and policy...
The World's Ten Smallest Animals
Posted on July 09, 2009We follow up our list of the weirdest animals of 2008 with that of the ten smallest animals. If you've ever wanted to see the smallest lizard, or--*cough, cough*--the smallest cat, then have a look.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
It was a dark and stormy night...
Posted on July 07, 2009The results of the 2009 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction contest are released. Most likely you think of Snoopy in the Peanuts comic strip when you see the phrase "it was a dark and stormy night", but the phrase is actually part of the first sentence of the novel Paul Clifford by Edward George Bulwer-Lytton...
Spring OCIs?
Posted on July 05, 2009There is some talk of moving the summer associate recruiting process from the 2L Fall Semester (often, in reality, summer) to the 2L Spring Semester. There is no telling whether this idea will catch on.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
SCOTUSblog: Super Stat Pack
Posted on June 30, 2009Want a statistical overview of the Supreme Court term that has just ended? Then check out SCOTUSblog "Super Stat Pack". The statistics include:Opinion TallyJustice AgreementDecisions by Final VoteFrequency in the MajorityOpinion Authors by SittingCircuit ScorecardThe Court?s WorkloadGrant Rates by ConferenceOT08 Questions Presented and Results (with embedded links to slip opinions)Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Bill Jackets in the News
Posted on June 28, 2009There has been a lot of controversy recently related to bill jackets in the New York State Senate. Bill jackets are, not surprisingly, jackets--or folders--for bills. As Bill Manz writes in Gibson's New York Legal Research Guide, "Engrossing a bill involves affixing to it the certifications of passage from each house and enclosing the bill in a folder known as a 'bill jacket...
The Redistricting Game
Posted on June 27, 2009How may future lawyers, legislators or policymakers really understand how congressional redistricting works--and how it affects political power and the outcome of elections? Grasping these concepts would never be fun if it weren't for the Redistricting Game...
Independence Weekend Hours
Posted on June 26, 2009For those of you studying for exams or the Bar Exam, make sure to take a break to celebrate the 4th of July. I will be doing the same. This means on Friday, July 3rd and Saturday, July 4th the Library will be CLOSED. We will be open on Sunday, July 5th from 10am-8pm...
Sleeping on a Complex Decision May Be a Bad Choice
Posted on June 25, 2009The venerable piece of advice that one should ?sleep on? a complex decision before acting upon it may not help you to make the best choice, after all. So say two studies that question the evidence for unconscious decision-making. Read more about these findings here...
In this Corner .... Microsoft Bing: Interesting New Search Engines from Microsoft and Google
Posted on June 24, 2009Microsoft recently launched their new search engine, Bing. While there are similarities between Bing and Google, Bing has added a few features like page preview. When you hover your mouse to the right of your search result, a preview of the page is displayed...
Philpapers
Posted on June 22, 2009Looking for philosophy resources? Try PhilPapers. Philpapers is an online directory of philosophy articles and books--from here you can browse current tables of contents from over 200 journals or you can browse articles by subject. A search engine allows you to search by keyword as well...
Black's iPhone App
Posted on June 21, 2009You can now purchase Black's Law Dictionary for your iPhone. At $50, it's comparable to the price you would pay for a new copy of the print version, but up to $48 more than you might pay for a used copy, or $50 more than you would pay for a copy provided by your law firm...
American Car Art
Posted on June 20, 2009Take a break from summer work, courses, or bar exam study. Escape for a few minutes into the glamorous world of car advertising from the decades when the U.S. auto industry was immensely profitable and car ads represented an idealized vision of an era...
The Year's Weirdest Animals
Posted on June 18, 2009According to the New Scientist, ?from a sea-slug that runs on solar power, to a bug that lives in total isolation; from the world's smallest snake to a one-tonne rodent ? here are the 10 oddest [animal] species from 2008?. See for yourself here (and notice that no species of felidae are included!)...
Summer Pre-Bar Exam Schedule
Posted on June 17, 2009Just a reminder that the Law Library's Bar Exam Schedule will begin after Independence Day. From Monday, July 6 - Tuesday, July 28, the Law Library's hours will be:Monday - Thursday 8:00 A.M. - 11:00 P.M.Friday 8:00 A.M. - 10:00 P.M.Saturday & Sunday 10:00 A...
Map of Disputes between WTO Members
Posted on June 16, 2009The WTO has created an interactive map of disputes between WTO members. One can search disputes by country, subject or chronologically. There is also a link for "Find Dispute Documents." An interesting way to view trade disputes.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Writing in the Age of Distraction
Posted on June 15, 2009I know that many of you are currently (or are interested in) writing scholarly work. And I also know how difficult it is to write without being distracted by e-mails, texts, online games, RSS feeds, Facebook posts and/or other shiny things on the internet...
2006 United States Code
Posted on June 14, 2009You can stop holding your breath. The 2006 United States Code has been completed. It is up-to-date through the end of 2006. What is nice about it is that you can now download PDF copies of individual sections of the U.S. Code from the Government Printing Office website...
YouTomb
Posted on June 13, 2009If you have an interest in copyright, open access, and culture, you might want to check out YouTomb, a research project of MIT Free Culture, a student organization at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. YouTomb tracks videos on YouTube that have been removed for alleged copyright violations...
Another Search Engine choice
Posted on June 12, 2009I know the name needs work, but I am still a fan of the Web search engine, Clusty . What makes it different and worth a look is that it "clusters" your results. So, if you search for something, for example "pet insurance" you will get your results in topics such as "health insurance", "cat insurance" and "compare" as well as just the usual list...
The Blog of Unnecessary Quotation Marks
Posted on June 11, 2009Once you start looking, you'll "notice" that they're everywhere: Myriad signs with odd and unnecessary quotation marks. For instance, one that tells you there "will" be an extra charge, or another that urges you to step right ?in?. The Blog of Unnecessary Quotation Marks photographically chronicles these oddities...
Discover who is Tweeting with We follow
Posted on June 10, 2009Are you having a tough time finding out who is Tweeting? Try We follow. We follow is a "user powered user directory" that ranks Tweeters by the number of followers and sorts the followers by user-defined tags. Popular tags include "celebrity," "news,""politics," and "socialmedia...
Revolving Door | Open Secrets
Posted on June 09, 2009The Center for Responsive Politics is a donor supported research group dedicated to tracking money in politics and its effects on elections and public policy. Their mission is:Inform citizens about how money in politics affects their livesEmpower voters and activists by providing unbiased informationAdvocate for a transparent and responsive governmentThe mission is pursued mainly through the website...
UN Secretary-General's Database on Violence Against Women
Posted on June 08, 2009The UN Secretary General's Database on Violence Against Women contains information about violence against women and the measures taken by various countries to combat this violence. The advanced search feature allows you to search by type of measure taken, the form of violence and by country...
Bing
Posted on June 07, 2009The launch of Microsoft's Bing reminds us that search engines other than Google do, in fact, still exist. PC World compares Bing with Google and Yahoo!. (from the Law Librarian Blog).Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Sotomayor's Student Days
Posted on June 06, 2009Law students and faculty might gain some special insight in to the personality and background of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor by taking a look at some events and writings from her student days at Princeton University and Yale Law School. Check out Princeton's press release with a link to images and documents chronicling her undergraduate interests and achievements...
Ever-Changing Art On The White House?s Walls
Posted on June 04, 2009The art that has decorated the White House since its inception has undergone some interesting mutations during that time. Click here for an overview of variations in presidential taste in decorative paintings, from George Washington?s time to the present...
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes Legislative Library
Posted on June 03, 2009The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) is an agency of the United Nations established to assist Member States with issues concerning illicit drugs and international crime. UNODC?s online legislation legal library provides full text of drug control laws and regulations adopted by countries in support of international drug control treaties...
YouTube - U.S. Government's channel
Posted on June 02, 2009The U.S. government has aggregated channels and videos from across departments and agencies onto one site, YouTube - The U.S. Government Channel. Channels and playlists are organized by topics such as White House, NASA, etc. (channels) or "Defense and International" or "Money and Taxes" (playlists)...
Legal Ethics and Facebook
Posted on June 01, 2009The Legal Ethics forum has an interesting post on lawyers, litigation and Facebook. The "friending" of adverse witnesses or lawyers in pending litigation have apparently become problematic issues. I'm guessing that we'll soon see much more discussion about professional misconduct and the use of Facebook (and other social networking sites) by lawyers...
Supreme Court Confirmation Process
Posted on May 30, 2009Now that we have a nominee to fill a Supreme Court vacancy, the process of evaluation and confirmation hearings begins. You can find background about the process, confirmation surveys, and hearings documents on the web sites of two key players: the U...
SCOTUS Nominee: Sonia Sotomayer
Posted on May 26, 2009Today Pres. Obama announced Second Circuit judge Sonia Sotomayor as his nominee for the United States Supreme Court. She would replace Justice Souter who announced his decision to retire from the Court at the end of this term. The wikipedia entry on Judge Sotomayor may be found here, and a discussion of her opinions is available on SCOTUSblog here...
Kangaroo Courts
Posted on May 24, 2009The Yankees recently held their first kangaroo court in over a decade. Mariano Rivera presided as judge. The Mariners also recently held a kangaroo court, and it sounds as though Ken Griffey, Jr. had better robes than Rivera, but that neither was dressed quite as poorly as Wade Boggs when he presided over the previous Yankees kangaroo court, if you believe the rumors...
Write Your Name In Runes
Posted on May 21, 2009For a light-hearted yet historically informative start to your Summer break, why not see how your name looks when written in the Futhark, the ancient runic alphabet of the Nordic peoples. PBS?s Nova Online Web page allows you to type your name into a little box, and then see how it would look in the runic script...
Criminal Justice Reform Resources 2008-2009
Posted on May 19, 2009Criminal justice reform is an issue that does not receive as much attention as it should, but there are people and organizations generating important work on the subject. Criminal Justice Reform Resources 2008-2009 compiles some of the most important resources and documents...
Human Rights Watch International Film Festival
Posted on May 18, 2009The 20th annual Human Rights Watch International Film Festival is scheduled from June 11 through June 25. This year, over 20 films are featured, touching human rights issues across the globe. One particularly interesting film is The Reckoning -- a documentary about the International Criminal Court...
Holmes Defeats Posner
Posted on May 17, 2009Brian Leiter surveyed his readers with the question, 'Who were the most influential legal thinkers of the twentieth century?' The results of the survey are here. Oliver Wendell Holmes ranked first. Richard Posner came in second. Antonin Scalia was tenth...
Bottom Line Job Interview Tips
Posted on May 16, 2009I can't help noticing how quiet my corner of the Library is, with most students celebrating the end of exams and/or Commencement weekend. For those facing law job interviews in the months ahead, it's a good time to review and bookmark these "right to the point" tips and tricks to "Ace that Job Interview" in tough financial times...
Congratulations, Graduates!
Posted on May 15, 2009C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S to all graduates!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!As soon to be alumni, make sure to come back and visit. You are always welcome in the Library.As you make your plans to study for the Bar exam, check Library hours at http://law...
Update: Free Rice Vocabulary Game For World Hunger
Posted on May 14, 2009In a previous post on January 10, 2008, we described the Free Rice game. The game helps to build one?s vocabulary, as follows: For each word you match with its correct synonym, Free Rice donates ten grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program...
Wolfram|Alpha a New Type of Search Engine
Posted on May 13, 2009Something new in search engines will arrive on May 18. Referred to by some as a "Google killer," Wolfram|Alpha "is a hybrid of a search engine and an encyclopedia, designed to generate the answer to a search query, rather than the most relevant information...
New York State Senate website
Posted on May 12, 2009The New York State Senate has re-designed the Senate's website and it is a big step forward in functionality and transparency. It is a clean design easy to figure out and easy to find the information you want. They have also added more information and made it interactive with the public...
Flare Index to Treaties
Posted on May 11, 2009Looking for a treaty? The Flare Index to Treaties is a searchable database of multilateral treaties from 1856 to the present.The database presents information about more than 1,500 treaties, and provides links to the full text of the treaty when it is available online...
Free Case Law
Posted on May 10, 2009Related to Thursday's post with guides to low cost legal research resources, there is a new article in Law Technology News that reviews free sources of case law. And you can add one more source to those listed in the article, the New York State Reporter...
Summer Lexis/Westlaw access
Posted on May 08, 2009For those of you taking summer classes, doing research for a class or working as a research assistant, you may extend your Lexis and Westlaw passwords for the summer. To do this, use the links for each service in this post and look for the summer access links...
Free and Low-Cost Online Legal Research Resources
Posted on May 07, 2009As many of you prepare for your Summer jobs, you may be interested to learn of free or low-cost legal research resources that are available online. Both Pace and Georgetown law schools offer excellent guides to unearthing such economical online legal research resources...
GlobaLex Research Tools
Posted on May 06, 2009Are you looking for international, foreign, and comparative law research tools? Try GlobaLex.Published by the Hauser Global Law School Program at NYU School of Law, GlobaLex is an electronic legal publication dedicated to international and foreign law research...
Constitution Finder
Posted on May 04, 2009Need to find the constitution of a particular country? Look no further than the Constitution Finder.This handy site allows you to search by country and links to the country's constitutional text. It is a nice place to keep in mind when doing foreign law research...
Souter Replacement Speculation
Posted on May 03, 2009With the announcement that Justice Souter will be retiring at the end of the current term, the game of Supreme Court nomination speculation is in full gear.The Blog of Legal Times lists all of the likely candidates, and some others are listed in the comments...
Law Day Perspective
Posted on May 02, 2009Each year on May 1, with law students in the midst of final exams, the nation observes Law Day, celebrating the higher ideals for which the law profession stands and the role it plays in a nation "under law." For just a little perspective while studying, take a few moments to read the official proclamation of the 51st Law Day, U...
Facts Galore
Posted on May 01, 2009Need a quick fact and Google not finding it? refdesk.com is a great source for facts - such as maps, definitions, and translations. It is also great for a quick study break, with comics, music, games and jokes. There is much, much more, so check it out...
U.S. Government Web Site On Influenza Pandemics
Posted on April 30, 2009Pandemicflu.gov is a U.S. government Web site devoted to swine, avian, and other pandemic influenza information. The home page currently offers updates regarding the threatened swine influenza pandemic. Sidebar subjects include links to general information, planning and preparation, monitoring outbreaks, travel and economic impact, and much moreErnster, the Virtual Library Cat
Google's Public Data Tool
Posted on April 29, 2009I was prowling the Law Librarian's Blog and discovered a cool new Google feature. With Google's Public Data Tool you can "compare visually public data often buried deep in government websites." Click here for more information.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Nuremberg Trials
Posted on April 28, 2009From the site: Twenty-four major political and military leaders of Nazi Germany, indicted for aggressive war, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, were brought to trial before the International Military Tribunal. More than 100 additional defendants, representing many sectors of German society, were tried before the United States Nuremberg Military Tribunals in a series of 12 trials known as ?Subsequent Nuremberg Proceedings...
Immigration in the United States, 1789-1930
Posted on April 27, 2009Harvard's Open Collections Program offers yet another web-based collection: Immigration to the United States, 1789-1930. This collection includes "approximately 1,800 books and pamphlets as well as 9,000 photographs, 200 maps, and 13,000 pages from manuscript and archival collections" and offers insight into the immigrant experience...
The Legal Workshop
Posted on April 26, 2009The Legal Workshop is a new venture put together by several leading law reviews. It offers short versions of articles that appear in the print versions of those journals and some short responses to those articles that do not appear in the print versions...
Document Sharing
Posted on April 24, 2009Working on outlines together to start to study for exams? Try Google Docs - a free document sharing service by our friends at Google. It is a basic, but quite decent word processor that allows you to share documents so that others you invite can add comments...
U.S. Department of State Background Notes
Posted on April 23, 2009According to its Web page, the U.S. Department of State Background Notes include ?facts about the land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations of independent states, some dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty...
Trans-Lex.org Law Research
Posted on April 21, 2009Trans-Lex.org is a free research and codification platform for transnational commercial law that was recently launched by The Center for Transnational Law (CENTRAL) at Cologne University. From the site:Browsing TransLex TransLex-Principles The TransLex-Principles contain more than 120 principles and rules of transnational law, the New Lex Mercatoria...
United Nations Launches its World Digital Library
Posted on April 21, 2009The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization launched its World Digital Library. The Library makes available on the Internet, free of charge and in multilingual format, significant primary materials from countries and cultures around the world...
National Poetry Month
Posted on April 20, 2009April is National Poetry Month, and to celebrate, poets.org is offering a poem-a-day. Take a break from your studies to read a poem (or two). Poets.org also offers poems for every occasion and recently added a new category to the list: poems for times of turmoil...
Lawsuit Over 'Sham' Supplement
Posted on April 19, 2009Law Students, you know those supplements you purchase for $15 or $20 to go along with your $100 casebooks? Apparently casebook authors do, in fact, take these supplements seriously. The authors of a casebook are seeking an injunction against West for publishing a supplement that its purported authors are calling a "sham...
Climate Change Central
Posted on April 18, 2009For the latest U.S. government policy initiatives relating to climate change, as well as background science summaries, press releases, and information about hearings and other public involvement, check out the Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Change page...
New Search Tool
Posted on April 17, 2009Wednesday was so taxing, I just had to take yesterday off. (Sorry, couldn't resist.) I did accomplish something though, and that is to post a new search tool called "USS Search" on the Library homepage. USS Search will enable you to search the Library's catalog, HeinOnline and Wilson's Index to Legal Periodicals with a single search...
Tax.com
Posted on April 15, 2009While prowling the Law Professors Blog Network, I came across Tax.com. Launched by Tax Analysis, "Tax.com brings you relevant and provocative opinions on today's tax issues and creates a forum to discuss the practical impact of tax policy decisions. You will also find useful information on the tax implications of life events and on how to minimize your tax burden--all in a way that keeps you entertained as well as educated...
FDA Notices of Judgment Collection, 1906-1963
Posted on April 14, 2009From the announcement: The FDA Notices of Judgment Collection is a digital archive of the published notices judgment for products seized under authority of the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act. The NJs are resources in themselves but also lead users to the over 2,000 linear foot collection of evidence files used to prosecute each case...
Watch that Page
Posted on April 13, 2009What do you do when your favorite web site does not have an RSS feed? How do you keep track of changes? You might want to try Watch that Page-- a service that monitors the web sites of your choosing and sends the new information to you in an e-mail...
Consumer Action Web Site
Posted on April 09, 2009The Federal Citizen Information Center maintains the Consumer Action Web site. Here, you will find valuable information about such consumer-oriented topics as how and where to file a complaint about a purchase, how to find consumer resources for specialized audiences, the latest consumer news, and much more...
Helpful Policies During Exam Period
Posted on April 08, 2009We start extended Library exam hours on April 15. Our extended schedule is:EXAM PERIOD SCHEDULE - Wednesday, April 15 - Wednesday, May 13Monday - Friday 7:00 A.M. - 2:00 A.M.Saturday & Sunday 10:00 A.M. - 2:00 A.M.EXCEPTIONS:Wednesday, May 13 7:00 A...
Vermont Legislature Makes Same-Sex Marriage Legal
Posted on April 07, 2009Today the Vermont state legislature overrode the governor's veto to approve a bill that allows same-sex couples to marry. This makes Vermont the first state to permit same-sex marriage through legislative action rather than through the court system. The bill is called an "Act Relating to Civil Marriage" and the stated purpose is to recognize legal equality in the civil marriage laws and to protect the religious freedom of clergy and religious societies authorized to solemnize civil marriages...
Privacy and Social Networking
Posted on April 06, 2009Think your MySpace or Facebook musings are private? A California court disagrees. Take a look at this post from the Wall Street Journal law blog about a "private" MySpace post that was reprinted in a local newspaper.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
EFF FOIA database
Posted on April 05, 2009The Electronic Frontier Foundation has put all of the documents it has obtained through FOIA into a searchable database here. The EFF mostly advocates in matters related to electronic privacy and intellectual property, so this database could be useful for people studying related subjects...
NATO Online
Posted on April 04, 2009The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed sixty years ago, on April 4, 1949, when twelve countries signed the North Atlantic Treaty as a defensive alliance after World War II and in light of the growing power of the Communist countries to their east...
Government Printing Office (GPO)
Posted on April 02, 2009You?ve often seen references to GPO Access in this blog, but have you ever wondered about the GPO, or Government Printing Office, itself? This GPO fact sheet will likely tell you all you want to know about this most venerable of U.S. government institutions...
April Fool?s Day Database
Posted on April 01, 2009Enjoy the April Fool?s Database, a catalog of April Fool's Day hoaxes, pranks, and related events throughout history, categorized by year and theme. The theme of this particular page is law. Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
New Attorney Ethics Standards to Take Effect in New York
Posted on March 31, 2009A new New York Code of Conduct goes into effect tomorrow. About three quarters of the rules are from the current state code and the remainder are lifted from or modified ABA Model Rules. The new code adopted the format and numbering of the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct...
Women in the Profession
Posted on March 30, 2009The ABA Commission on Women in the Profession provides some good resources for both attorneys and law students. It offers a list of upcoming events and provides links to news articles on women in the law. Its publications page is filled with many reports (some of them free, even) and is a great place to start when doing research in women in the legal profession...
Storing With Paper
Posted on March 29, 2009This week, David Pogue posted an interview about "data rot" with the curator of the Computer History Museum. The crux of the interview is that electronic methods of storing information don't last very long at all and constantly need to be backed up. And it includes this quote:consider paper as an archival medium...
YouTube EDU
Posted on March 28, 2009Have you discovered YouTube EDU, launched earlier this week? By bringing together into one collection only material submitted to YouTube by colleges and universities, YouTube EDU makes it quick and easy to find university and law school class lectures, 200 full courses (including one in Environmental Law and Policy), and guest lectures and presentations on law and related topics given at some of the world's most prestigious universities...
Keeping up on the legal profession
Posted on March 27, 2009Did you know that you can subscribe to the ABA daily or weekly email newsletter for free? You can set up an RSS feed, if you prefer as well. It helps me keep up with what is going on in the profession as well as legal education. For instance in this week's edition, there is an article about the tough market for Law grads...
Cost-Saving Tips For Lexis And Westlaw Research
Posted on March 26, 2009The Cleveland-Marshall College of Law?s blog contains a brief but excellent article with tips on how to do research cost effectively using Lexis and Westlaw. Links to PDF files that contain further tips offered directly by Lexis and Westlaw are available, as well...
The Oyez Project
Posted on March 25, 2009The Oyez Project is a "multimedia archive devoted to the Supreme Court of the United States and its work. It aims to be a complete and authoritative source for all audio recorded in the Court since the installation of a recording system in October 1955...
Titanic Case
Posted on March 24, 2009The wreck of the Titanic was found in 1985 and started a legal tussle regarding ownership of the artifacts. A federal judge in Norfolk, VA is expected to rule soon that the items must remain together and accessible to the public. There is a sub-set of law devoted to shipwreck and salvage; and the Titanic is a prime example of some of the legal conflicts generated...
The Human Trafficking Project
Posted on March 23, 2009The Human Trafficking Project is a good place to keep track of issues surrounding human trafficking and related crimes. The blog features news, government reports and legislation about trafficking and also provides commentary and discussion about the problem...
Local Library Databases
Posted on March 22, 2009Many people are unaware that they probably have access to a number of subscription databases through their local public library, many of them accessible from home.For instance, databases available from the NYPL are here. Anyone who lives, works, attend school, or owns property in New York State is eligible for a free NYPL card...
Stem Cell Resources
Posted on March 21, 2009When the topic is stem cell research, the place to start for background information, federal policy, bioethics and other topical papers, research programs, and related internet links is the Stem Cell Information web site, the official stem cell resource of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)...
Last chance to attend Top 10 Research Workshops
Posted on March 20, 2009The Top 10 Research Skills Workshops will be repeated next week. The schedule is copied below. If you are unable to attend some of the workshops, they will be available as podcasts on the Law Library's web site. The handouts are available on TWEN...
The Ten Most Endangered Newspapers In The U.S.
Posted on March 19, 2009Many of you may have heard already that the Seattle Post-Intelligencer daily newspaper has moved to online-only status. For an interesting overview of the state of print newspapers in the digital age, see this recent Time magazine article.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Women's History Month at the Library of Congress
Posted on March 18, 2009Learn more about Women's History Month at the Library of Congress. This year's theme is "Women Taking the Lead to Save Our Planet" and it honors the contributions of women in the "going green" movement. You can read about the 2009 Honorees here.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Subject Compilations of State Laws
Posted on March 17, 2009is now available on HeinOnline! accessed from the Law Library's homepage. The subject compilations reference articles, documents and other sources that compare state laws on hundreds of subjects. You can search the database or browse by subject. Links to the articles and documents that are available in other Hein libraries...
Should Radio Stations Pay to Play?
Posted on March 16, 2009This week, the House Judiciary Committee will consider H.R. 848. The bill would require AM and FM radio stations to pay royalties to songwriters when their material is played on the radio. In a related bill, S. 379 requires fair compensation to artists for use of their sound recordings by satellite, Internet and cable stations...
Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts
Posted on March 15, 2009RULAC is a new project by the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. It attempts to provide links to many relevant documents on international humanitarian law and how that law is interpreted by different countries. Each country has its own page, including a list treaties adhered to, interpretations of international humanitarian law, and information on the country's current conflicts and peace-keeping operations...
Changes Proposed for Civil Trials
Posted on March 14, 2009In their final report issued this week, a task force of prominent plaintiffs' attorneys and defense attorneys from the American College of Trial Lawyers agreed on something. They called for changes that would transform the current civil discovery rules--including replacing notice pleading with fact-based pleading, revising the rules for initial disclosures, and making civil discovery more targeted and time-limited...
What employers want you to know - workshops next week
Posted on March 13, 2009You have seen the emails, now find out how to handle that first scary research assignment from your new employer. The Reference librarians will be leading workshops starting Monday. The schedule and description is below. For those who are curious to read the article TOP 10 THINGS LAW LIBRARIANS WISH NEW ASSOCIATES WOULD KNOW, sign on to Westlaw and Use Find for 4/7/2006 Legal Intelligencer 7...
Federal Budget 2010
Posted on March 12, 2009The United States Government Budget overview for the 2010 fiscal year is now online. This document offers an overview of the full Fiscal Year 2010 Budget that is expected to be released this Spring.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
SEC Interactive Data for Mutual Funds - Final Rule
Posted on March 11, 2009To improve the usefulness of business intelligence, the SEC recently adopted rule amendments changing the form in which mutual funds provide risk/return summary information. The rule outlines what firms must file using XMBL tags and when they must file using these tags...
Obama on Presidential Signing Statements
Posted on March 10, 2009Presidential signing statements have been controversial in recent years. Yesterday President Obama released a memorandum that sets forth how and when he will issue signing statements. From the memorandum:The executive branch will take appropriate and timely steps, whenever practicable, to inform the Congress of its constitutional concerns about pending legislation...
Research skills needed in your new job
Posted on March 09, 2009As you read in your email, this week the Library begins our Top 10 Research Skills workshops. Start with our special feature workshop, this Wednesday, March 11 in Room 206. Two law firm librarians will share their insights on Cost Efficient Research and other Law Practice Survival Tips...
The Glass Hammer
Posted on March 09, 2009The Glass Hammer is a great blog dedicated to issues relevant to women in the legal and business professions. The articles offer useful advice and insight to women navigating their careers and the blog is updated frequently. Recent articles have discussed the "mommy penalty", handling sexual harassment and the recession...
More on Pacer
Posted on March 08, 2009To follow up from this post, Sen. Lieberman recently used his position as chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to question why federal court documents are not provided for free (hat tip: Out of the Jungle). This was apparently in response to the previously mentioned New York Times article...
Women's History CyberMuseum
Posted on March 07, 2009Women's History Month is a great time to become familiar with the CyberMuseum of the National Women's History Museum (NWHM). The Museum, a nonprofit and nonpartisan institution "dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and celebrating the diverse historic contributions" of American women, created the CyberMuseum as a platform for its collection of online exhibits while awaiting a permanent home in Washington, D...
Afraid about that first research assignment at your new job?
Posted on March 06, 2009Whether you will be a summer associate/intern or starting your career, you want to hit the ground running. So, if you are concerned about that first research assignment, we can help.Next week, the Library kicks off our Top 10 Things You Should Know series...
Department of Justice Releases Nine Office of Legal Counsel Memoranda and Opinions
Posted on March 03, 2009Catalog Of U.S. Government Publications
Posted on February 26, 2009The Catalog of U.S. Government Publications is a finding tool for federal publications. It includes descriptive records for historical and current publications, and provides direct links to those that are available online. Users may search by authoring agency, title, and subject, as well as by general keyword...
Searching the Deep Web
Posted on February 25, 2009The phenomenon of the "invisible Web" or "deep Web" is not new, yet information remains hidden from search engine crawlers. Alex Wright discusses recent attempts to capture this data in Exploring a 'Deep Web' That Google Can't Grasp.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Forensic Science: reality v. television
Posted on February 24, 2009You may have heard of the CSI Effect that is a reference to the phenomenon of popular television shows raising peoples real-world expectations of forensic science and especially crime scene investigation. Sensible people acknowledge that television takes dramatic license with science, but we tend to think that there is at least a reasonable basis for the techniques and procedures shown...
Leash Laws
Posted on February 23, 2009Do you need to find the leash laws for your state? Take a look at the Animal Legal and Historical Center's overview of state leash laws. It provides a handy table where you can look up your state's leash laws. Do proceed with caution--while the site does give information on statewide leash laws, many municipalities also have ordinances concerning dogs...
Blogging Jurors
Posted on February 22, 2009A recent article in the Fulton County Daily Report points out the new problems, and opportunities, attorneys are faced with as jurors sign onto blogs and social networking profiles to complain about the cases they are deciding. It might be possible not only to find out if a juror is commenting during trial, but also to use information culled from social networking sites to tailor a presentation to specific jurors...
Licensed to Practice?
Posted on February 21, 2009Finding out if an attorney is licensed to practice law in a particular state is the topic of a recently updated research guide and directory, "A Compilation of State Lawyer Licensing Databases," provided by the legal research and technology site, LLRX...
Guide to the Stimulus
Posted on February 20, 2009Plan on buying a car this year? Wondering what your tax bill will look like for 2009? Get a guide to the new Stimulus package enacted into law at the NY Times. This guide lets you get information on the stimulus by categories such as Tax Cuts for Individuals, Energy, Housing and many others...
New Credit Crisis Victim: Bar Loans
Posted on February 18, 2009Law.com is reporting that the newest victims of the credit crisis are some law students who seek bar exam study loans. Criteria for obtaining a bar study loan has apparently tightened, causing more applicants to be denied than in the past. The WSJ Law Blog has also commented on the article...
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Posted on February 17, 2009Pres. Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act today. To assist citizens to understand this act a website was created to explain the act and to permit tracking of the money spent. Recovery.gov is a one stop site for this important piece of legislation...
Free Federal Court Docs
Posted on February 15, 2009There was an article in the New York Times last weekend about public.resource.org, which has taken a large number of federal court documents and made them free and available on the general internet, rather than downloadable for 8 cents per page on Pacer...
Presidents' Day
Posted on February 13, 2009In honor of Presidents' Day and President Lincoln - this year being President Lincoln's 200th - I will be prowling the Library from 10am-6pm (which coincidentally, is when the Library will be open). For those interested in the Lincoln bicentennial, check out the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library...
Military Personnel Statistics
Posted on February 12, 2009Those who are interested in finding the latest numbers for American military personnel on active duty, whether by rank or by region, will find the Department of Defense page for Military Personnel Statistics to be helpful. Just click "personnel" after following the previous link...
Stay Up-to-Date with TicTOCs
Posted on February 11, 2009If you are have difficulty staying up-to-date with content from your favorite scholarly journals, try ticTOCs. TicTOCs, a table-of-contents aggregator, is a free service which provides the most recent table of contents for more than 11,000 scholarly journals...
Forms from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
Posted on February 10, 2009Finding appropriate legal forms is sometimes difficult, so it is a great help that the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has prepared and made available some basic forms for use by practitioners. The forms can be found here. Note that there is a link to Bankruptcy forms on this page...
Kindle 2
Posted on February 09, 2009Amazon unveiled the Kindle 2 today--a "new and improved" version of its e-reader. The event took place at the Morgan Library and included a guest appearance and reading by Stephen King. I understand from several news sources (for example, here and here) that it was a well attended event...
The Lighthouse in the Bronx
Posted on February 08, 2009You know when you asked a librarian to help you find law review articles, and they sent you to some database that's not Lexis or Westlaw? That database was probably the Index to Legal Periodicals. It's owned by H.W. Wilson, which has had offices in the Bronx since 1917...
Where Does the Money Go?
Posted on February 07, 2009Whether for school-related or personal interest, you can now see at a glance which banks have received federal bailout funds--and how much--under TARP, the Troubled Asset Relief Program approved by Congress. ProPublica, an independent, nonprofit organization that produces investigative journalism in the public interest, has created a user-friendly "Show Me the TARP Money" page, with a map and a running count of where this money has gone...
Check out the Library Webcasts
Posted on February 06, 2009The Library is now webcasting our research workshops. If you are writing a paper this semester and could not make the Paper Writing Resources workshop (see Tuesday's post), go to Paper Writing Resources webcast on the Library's webcast page. In order to coordinate the audio and visual components, we use a system called WIMBA...
American FactFinder
Posted on February 05, 2009American FactFinder allows you to obtain data in the form of maps, tables, and reports from a variety of U.S. Census Bureau sources. Popular links to information include the following:Fact Sheet for quick access to basic demographic, social, and economic data about your city, town, county or state, or ZIP Code...
New Borrowing Period for Materials Held on Reserve
Posted on February 04, 2009As you requested, to increase access to materials maintained on Reserve, WE HAVE CHANGED OUT BORROWING PERIOD.Commencing Monday, February 9, ALL RESERVE ITEMS MAY BE BORROWED FOR THREE HOURS. Patrons may request one renewal.Shortened loan periods for high demand materials:Provide support to the needs of our studentsOptimize accessOffer intensive library use of reserve material for studentsClick here for additional information about the Library's borrowing/Circulation policies...
Paper Writing Resources workshop
Posted on February 03, 2009The 1st presentation of the Paper Writing Resources workshop was a success and the workshop will be repeated this Thursday, Feb. 5th, 4:10 to 5:00 PM in room 038N. The workshop is an overview of resources you want to consider when researching a scholarly paper with some research tips thrown in at appropriate moments...
Breadlines and Champagne
Posted on February 02, 2009For a fascinating, in depth look at depression era entertainment, check out Breadlines and Champagne--a series of depression era movies that will be screened at the Film Forum from February 6-March 5. The series will screen 50 movies over the course of four weeks, many of which deal with issues that are particularly relevant today: unemployment, corruption and banking crises...
Civ Pro on the MBE?
Posted on February 01, 2009More on rumors about future bar exams. The National Law Journal reports that Civil Procedure may be added to the Multistate Bar Exam.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Tracking Labor and the Economy
Posted on January 31, 2009With the current state of the economy, here's a reminder about the best official source of U.S. economic and labor market statistics. The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, has a user-friendly site that provides law students and attorneys with data for everything from class assignments and research papers to business decisions and career planning...
111th Congress
Posted on January 30, 2009The 111th Congress has begun its work. If you want to keep up with the documents produced, including the latest laws signed by the President, there are two web sites to check. First, the one I mentioned yesterday, GPO Access , will have Congressional bills, Reports and other Congressional documents...
Daily Compilation Of Presidential Documents
Posted on January 29, 2009Effective with the change in presidential administrations on January 20, 2009, the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents has been replaced by the Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents. The Daily Compilation includes such documents as executive orders, presidential proclamations, speeches, and press conferences...
New Policy for Library Fines Begins February 1
Posted on January 28, 2009To better serve the Hofstra Law School Community, there will be a change in the Library's fine and borrowing policies. Effective February 1, 2009, borrowing privileges may be revoked once a patron has accumulated at least $25 in unpaid fines. Remember to return borrowed materials in a timely manner to avoid the accumulation of fines and your ability to check out additional materials...
Paper Writing Resources workshop
Posted on January 27, 2009Are you writing a paper this semester? If you are we have the workshop for you "Paper Writing Resources". You want effective and efficient research so that you can spend more time writing your paper. This workshop will give you some research tips and point out sources both legal and multi-discipline so you can find what you need quickly...
Happy Chinese New Year
Posted on January 26, 2009Happy Chinese New Year! 2009 is the year of the Ox.Take a break and and learn some Cantonese new year's greetings. One nice one is "hohk yihp jeun bouh"--wishing you progress in your studies.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
U.S. Code on HeinOnline
Posted on January 25, 2009You can now access and download PDF images of the United States Code on HeinOnline! This should relieve many law journal members of carrying 30-40 pounds of books back and forth between the library and their offices a few times each year. (It may not immediately improve life for anyone else...
The New Congress in Profile
Posted on January 24, 2009With so much media attention on the new President in the past week, it's easy to forget that we also have a Congress in transition. Membership of the 111th Congress: A Profile is a brief Congressional Research Service (CRS) report that provides a fascinating snapshot of the new House and Senate membership by selected category--age, gender, ethnicity, education, religion, prior occupation (from NFL football player to casino dealer), foreign birth and military service...
The new White House on the Web
Posted on January 23, 2009As of shortly after noon on Tuesday, President Obama joined me in the virtual world and presented a totally new whitehouse.gov web site. On that site you can find the new executive orders issued , including the closure of the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facilities...
How To Do Statistical Research
Posted on January 22, 2009As a follow-up to last Thursday's post about the 2009 Statistical Abstract of the United States, here is an excellent tutorial from American University that teaches the concepts involved in basic statistical research.Because even disciplines such as legal analysis increasingly require a quantitative approach, the tutorial linked above should be of value to those who wish to learn the fundamentals of statistical research...
Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States: Barack Obama
Posted on January 20, 2009Did you miss the inauguration events? You can view here on CNN a number of videos, other news and additional inauguration activities.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
The UBE
Posted on January 18, 2009The National Law Journal reports that the bar examiners in up to 19 states are considering incrementally implementing a Uniform Bar Exam. In the story, the chairwoman of the New York State Board of Law Examiners says that New York would consider using such an exam, which could offer attorneys greater mobility...
Introducing "Obama's People"
Posted on January 17, 2009Inauguration Day is almost here. Along with a new president, a whole new group of powerful cabinet members, lawmakers, White House staff and presidential advisers will be making their mark on the news and the direction of the country. An easy way to get acquainted with them is by visiting the New York Times online, where you will find "Obama's People,"a gallery of 52 engaging photos with brief biographies taken from a special inauguration issue of the New York Times Magazine...
Martin Luther King Day hours
Posted on January 16, 2009Yes, the Library is open on Martin Luther King day. Our hours are 10am - 6pm. A reference librarian will be here during those hours as well. Stay warm!! I plan to get to know the Library radiators very well. We virtual world inhabitants feel the cold too...
2009 Statistical Abstract of the United States
Posted on January 15, 2009The 2009 version of the Statistical Abstract of the United States is now online.According to the United States Census Bureau?s Web page, which hosts the document, the Statistical Abstract of the United States ?is the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States?...
New Library Fine and Borrowing Policy
Posted on January 15, 2009To better serve the Hofstra Law School Community, there will be a change in the Library's fine and borrowing policies. Effective February 1, 2009, borrowing privileges may be revoked once a patron has accumulated at least $25 in unpaid fines. Remember to return borrowed materials in a timely manner to avoid the accumulation of fines and your ability to check out additional materials...
Word of the Year is "Bailout"
Posted on January 13, 2009The American Dialect Society recently released the 19th annual words of the year vote. This year the word is "bailout". Word of the Year is interpreted in its broader sense as ?vocabulary item??not just words but phrases. The words or phrases do not have to be brand-new, but they have to be newly prominent or notable in the past year, in the manner of Time magazine?s Person of the Year...
Law School Summary -- Laptops in Class Helps
Posted on January 11, 2009The National Law Journal has posted a summary of a national study of law students. Among the findings highlighted is that laptops in class do have academic value. That's because students can, for instance, instantly look up cases that are mentioned in class...
Gallery of Juror Art
Posted on January 10, 2009A snowy weekend before the start of a new semester is a great time to browse the American Gallery of Juror Art, an eclectic and eye-opening collection of drawings, sketches and photographs by "actual jurors on actual jury duty." The Gallery is a feature of trial lawyer Anne Reed's blog, Deliberations: Law, News, and Thoughts on Juries and Jury Trials...
I'm Back (almost)
Posted on January 09, 2009Starting Monday, I'll be back to my normal prowling hours - and the Library will be back to regular schedule. As always, check the Library's web site for the Library's hours and the Reference Librarians' Hours link to the right of this post. REGULAR HOURS - Monday, January 12 - Tuesday, April 14Sunday 10:00 A...
Moon-Venus Conjunction Ends 2008
Posted on January 08, 2009As a follow-up to our post of December 20, 2008, and in case you missed the occurrence during your New Year?s Eve revels, we present a link to a nice photo of the Moon-Venus conjunction that took place on December 31, 2008.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Better With Age: the Computer Mouse Turns 40!
Posted on January 07, 2009Happy birthday friend! I couldn't imagine purring through my computer files without . . . my mouse. It is pretty amazing that 30 years have passed since Douglas Engelbart and Bill English introduced and demonstrated the computer mouse. In their 90 minute demonstration at the Fall Joint Computer Conference, Englebart, English, and their team stationed 30 miles away also introduced hypertext, email, video conferencing, word processing, and cut-and-paste...
Top Ten Legal Issues of 2008
Posted on January 05, 2009Findlaw has posted its 2008 Top Ten Legal Issues on Consumers Minds. The legal issues were chosen on the basis of popularity indicators, including "most searched" legal topics, most popular lawyer searches, and top legal questions. According to the list, the number one issue is "Home Foreclosure and Renter's Rights"--not a surprise!Hat tip to the Law Librarian blog for bringing my attention to this...
Where Your Money Goes
Posted on January 03, 2009While prowling the internet this week, a new report made me stop purring and pay attention. The New York Attorney General's Charities Bureau, which supervises charitable organizations and maintains a registry of charities and fundraising professionals in the state, has just released "Pennies for Charity, Where Your Money Goes: Telemarketing by Professional Fund Raisers...
HeinOnline Tips
Posted on December 22, 2008Thea href="http://heinonline.blogspot.com/" HeinOnline blog/a contains tips and tricks for navigating and searching the databases. The most recent post containsa href="http://heinonline.blogspot.com/2008/12/heinonlines-tip-of-week-recap-of-all.html" a recap of the tips and tricks of the year/a grouped by category...
Winter in Cosmic Perspective
Posted on December 20, 2008Well, exams are finally over, and the snow is here. In other words, it's time to appreciate winter's beauty as only the web, a href="http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html"NASA/a and the astronomers can bring it to us. It's no coincidence that today's a href="http://antwrp...
OUTTA HERE!!!!!!
Posted on December 19, 2008CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!! You made it through exams! First years - it gets easier after this. Now that you have finished, I can take a much needed break. My reduced prowling hours (and the hours of the Library, coincidentally) will be as follows:Friday, December 19 ? Tuesday, December 23Friday 8:00 A...
Is Technology Rewiring Our Brains?
Posted on December 18, 2008Some scientists are beginning to suspect that the ?wired world? may be changing the way that people read, learn, and interact with one another. Click a href="http://enews.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20081203/49361250_3421_1334520081203-2108060028"here/a to read why...
It's Almost Time To Curl Up With A Good Book
Posted on December 17, 2008span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" Our holiday break is just around the corner and I?m sure you can?t wait to curl up with a good book.span style="" /spanTo help you, I'd like to share a few readers? advisory tolls.span style=""br /br //span/spanspan style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" First, check your local library for NoveList Plus...
2008 Comparison of Legislative Resources
Posted on December 16, 2008A comparison of legislative resources available on GPO Access and other Government and non-Government Web sites was recently completed. Eight Web sites were selected for in-depth analysis including GPO Access, THOMAS, House.gov, Senate.gov, CQ.com, HeinOnline, Lexis-Nexis Congressional, and Westlaw...
Gifts for bookworms
Posted on December 15, 2008Need a holiday gift for the legal history buff in your family? Shopping for a friend that can't get enough American law in society? You might one to check out this list-- the winners of the Littleton-Griswold prize for the best book on the history of American law in society...
10 Weirdest Legal Cases of 2008
Posted on December 13, 2008At this point in the exam period, a little humor and perspective about the law might help. Take a quick break with this London Times article in which Professor Gary Slapper, Director of the Centre for Law at the Open University (UK), has distilled the "ten weirdest legal cases" of the past year from his regular Friday column on amusing and strange legal disputes from around the world...
More on Study Guides
Posted on December 12, 2008For a quick reference to study guides we have available in the library, check out our Study Guide handout . This handout is also available in print in the handout rack near the Reference desk.Good luck on your remaining exams!!Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Stanford Intellectual Property Litigation Clearinghouse
Posted on December 11, 2008The Law, Science & Technology Program at Stanford Law School recently launched the Stanford Intellectual Property Litigation Clearinghouse, an online database that offers comprehensive information about intellectual property disputes within the United States...
United Nations Audio/Visual Library
Posted on December 09, 2008The United Nations Audio/Visual Library is not only an excellent collection of links and resources but the multimedia aspect provides additional depth to the collection.From the Introduction: The Audiovisual Library is a unique, multimedia resource which provides the United Nations with the unprecedented capacity to provide high quality international law training and research materials to an unlimited number of recipients on a global level...
Stretching
Posted on December 08, 2008Exam time is certainly stressful! Do take a few moments to stretch out your shoulders and back--your body will love you for it. To help you out, the Mayo Clinic web site offers a video demonstrating a few shoulder and upper back stretches.Once you have a little more time, perhaps you can treat yourself to a yoga class and learn my favorite pose-- Marjariasana (cat pose)...
Blawg Tips
Posted on December 07, 2008Law.com has a good article this week with tips for people with legal blogs. The tips are largely for attorneys with "blawgs" that are attached to their firm's websites, but most of them apply universally.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
New exam study guides on CD
Posted on December 05, 2008We have heard your requests and based on suggestions from you, we have added over a dozen new "Sum and Substance" exam study guides on CD. You can take these out for 3 days to listen to in your car, at home, or on your laptop in the library (with headphones, of course)...
Judicial Humor
Posted on December 04, 2008Need a few law-related laughs during the stressful period of final examinations? Then have a look at Judicial Humor. This page from the Marian Gould Gallagher Law Library of the University of Washington School of Law ?identifies and describes humorous court opinions and related sources?...
Interview Suits
Posted on December 03, 2008According to this New York Times article sales of conservative suits in navy or gray pinstripes (also known as "interview suits") are on the rise. If you are starting to think about what to wear for your next interview, the Career Services @ Virginia Tech web site has some advice on what to wear...
Night Owl Breakfast
Posted on December 02, 2008The Night Owl Breakfast is today (Tuesday) starting at 7:30 PM. Not only is the food free this is an opportunity for a fun social event with your fellow law students, law faculty and law administrators. Talk with your professors outside the class room and get to know them as people...
State and Local Government Links
Posted on December 01, 2008The Library of Congress? Newspaper & Current Periodical Research Center provides links to state and local government web sites.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Law Student Risks His Life to Save His Outlines
Posted on November 30, 2008This is a story that's showing up on a lot of legal blogs (or "blawgs," as they say). An ASU 1L recently beat up a baseball bat-wielding burglar to save his laptop and the notes it contained.Note to 1L's: One or more friends will probably give you their notes if yours are stolen...
India: Legal Research Guide
Posted on November 29, 2008News this week about India's tragic terrorist attacks reminded us that India is increasingly important as an international business and financial center. India is also an important part of the global legal community with a system rooted in our own English common law tradition...
Thanksgiving Holiday Hours
Posted on November 26, 2008In recognition of the Thanksgiving holiday, the Deane Law Library will operate under the following schedule: Wednesday, November 26: 7AM ? 8PMThursday, November 27 - Friday, November 28: CLOSEDSaturday, November 29: Extended hours resumeErnster, the Virtual Library Cat
How Congress Works: Resources from the House of Representatives Committee on Rules
Posted on November 25, 2008Think you know how Congress works? Well, take a look at the How Congress Works site hosted by the U.S. House Committee on Rules for a complete overview of rules and procedures. Aside from links to rules, definitions, etc., there are CRS reports on legislative research and another on tracking current federal legislation and regulations...
The pardoning of the turkey
Posted on November 24, 2008It's not to late to cast your vote for the the National Thanksgiving Turkey. The lucky turkeys (the National turkey and an alternate) will be flown to Disneyland and to spend the rest of their lives in leisure.If you are interested in statistics on clemency actions, such as pardons, the Department of Justice has a web page with statistical tables of clemency actions by administration...
Federal Register's Electronic Public Inspection Desk
Posted on November 22, 2008Just in time for the Presidential transition period and the final regulatory rush (see yesterday's post), the Office of the Federal Register (OFR) has announced an electronic Public Inspection Desk to provide free online access to all documents--new final regulations, proposed regulations, and notices--that will be published in the next day's Federal Register, and to some that are scheduled to be published at a later date...
Midnight Madness???
Posted on November 21, 2008Today is the day the Bush administration must finalize regulations in order for them to take full effect before President Bush leaves office. These so-called "midnight regulations" have been used by every president since the outgoing Carter administration, according to the Sunlight Foundation blog ...
Identity Theft Resource Center
Posted on November 20, 2008Identity theft occurs when someone steals personal information (often a Social Security number) from an individual, and subsequently impersonates that individual. It is one of today?s fastest-growing crimes. The Identity Theft Resource Center is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the understanding of identity theft, as well as its prevention...
G20 Meets in Washington
Posted on November 19, 2008The group of 20 leaders from major industrialized and developing countries known as the G20 met in Washington last weekend. In their final communique the Delegation agreed "to work together to restore global growth."Click here for additional information about the Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy...
Justice Matters
Posted on November 17, 2008The Justice Matters web site from the National Partnership for Women and Families is a good place to go if you are interested in legal issues related to women and families. The site monitors Supreme Court cases on matters such as workplace discrimination, equal pay and health care...
Radiohead Price Model Casebooks
Posted on November 16, 2008Professors are experimenting with how students pay for two new intellectual property law casebooks. See a summary here. One is being offered as a pay-what-you-will download, with a suggested price of $30, and another is offered as a free SSRN download...
Google Docs
Posted on November 14, 2008My new favorite Google tool is Google Docs. You can use your Google account (which is the same as your pride account) to share Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents. This means if you are working with a study group on an outline and you all want to contribute, you can put the outline on Google Docs...
Congressional Hearings Digitization Project
Posted on November 13, 2008The Law Library of Congress contains approximately 75,000 volumes of printed Congressional Committee Hearings. Committees hold hearings for a variety of purposes on legislative proposals, the functioning of government programs, subjects of controversy, and other matters...
Useful Tips During Exam Period
Posted on November 12, 2008Are you looking for additional resources to help you through exam period? Take a look at Study Guides. The Guide lists study aids available in the Library and it is organized by subject and series title.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
U.S. Presidential Transitions: Resources
Posted on November 11, 2008The transfer of power from one President to another is a tremendous and complicated affair. Resources have been developed to assist with the orderly transfer. Here are some resources of interest:Change.gov: Office of the President Elect offers the latest news, events, and announcements pertaining to the formation of the Obama Administration...
Nuremberg Trials Project
Posted on November 10, 2008The Nuremberg Trials Project from the Harvard Law School Library is an incredible source of information those researching the Nuremberg trials. The project's goal is to digitize and make available documents from the Harvard Law Library's Nuremberg Trials Collection--this collection includes approximately one million pages of trial transcripts, briefs, document books and evidence files from the trials...
The New President and the Courts
Posted on November 09, 2008It is now just a few days after the election, and people are already speculating about what changes President-Elect Obama will bring to the federal judiciary with his court appointments. Of course, most lawyers are curious to see who Obama will appoint if any justices step down from the Supreme Court, but as these National Law Journal and AP articles point out, Obama will immediately have fourteen circuit court seats to fill and about four dozen total federal court openings to fill...
Jury Expert
Posted on November 08, 2008Interested in litigation? The Jury Expert: The Art and Science of Litigation Advocacy, is now online and free. This bimonthly publication of the American Association of Trial Consultants is full of fascinating, social science research-based articles on cutting edge topics such as preparing narcissistic witnesses, understanding "solution based mediation," and using technology to create visual images in the courtroom...
Are You Watching?
Posted on November 06, 2008That is the question that WashingtonWatch poses. WashingtonWatch tracks the bills in Congress (along with estimates about their costs or savings, whenever possible), so that you may watch them and keep track of federal expenditures, bill by bill. To gather more information, or to comment on a bill, all you need to do is to click the link to a bill...
Helpful Policies During Exam Period
Posted on November 05, 2008The Library has a new exam period schedule! Here is the new schedule:New Exam Period Schedule - Friday, November 21 - Thursday, December 18Monday - Friday 7:00 A.M. - 2:00 A.M.Saturday & Sunday 10:00 A.M. - 2:00 A.M.ExceptionWednesday, November 26 7:00 A...
Have you voted?
Posted on November 04, 2008Remember the polls are open until 9 PM so there is time. Thanks to all of you who voted by absentee ballot and so have already performed your civic duty. Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Houned, Cowed and Badgered
Posted on November 03, 2008Hounded, Cowed and Badgered is an animal law blog from an animal rights perspective. The blog contains informative, in-depth posts about legislation and court cases dealing with the rights of animals, as well as current events in animal rights. Although the posts seem somewhat sporadic, the content is fascinating...
Witch Pardons
Posted on November 01, 2008While prowling the web, I discovered that a petition was delivered yesterday to the British Justice Secretary, Jack Straw, calling for the government to posthumously pardon more than 400 women and men executed as witches in England before the Witchcraft Act of 1735 (9 Geo...
Librarians in Black
Posted on October 31, 2008One of our little known duties is to keep an eye on the aliens (intergalactic) in this building. We take the concept of diversity very seriously here. However, on this day some of the resident aliens (intergalactic) like to come out of "hiding" so to speak...
Count down to the election
Posted on October 30, 2008We keep on hearing that this is an historic election, but what about elections in history. Voting America plots election results over time AND by locality . Not to be left out, good ol' Google has its own Election08 site - with links to YouTube, blogs and mashups with Google Maps and Google Earth...
Political Fact-Checking Websites
Posted on October 29, 2008Are you still wondering about the factual accuracy of claims made by both presidential candidates? LLRX provides access to and a summary of several elections-oriented ?fact-checking? sites. Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Keeping track of the financial bailout
Posted on October 28, 2008Mark Cuban launched BailoutSleuth this month to "keep an eye on our taxpayer dollars and call Bullshit when necessary." Chris Carey edits the blog, which looks promising. Recent watchdog posts include The Money List and the Next Wave.Christopher Carey is editor and president of Sharesleuth...
The Intelligence Project
Posted on October 27, 2008The Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project is dedicated to monitoring hate group and extremist activity. As such, it is an excellent place for information and analysis regarding hate crimes committed in the United States. Resources offered include the Intelligence Report, a map of U...
The Rough World of Attorney Athletics
Posted on October 26, 2008This NY Lawyer article, about a negligence suit against the Lawyers Athletic League that was thrown out last week, makes law firm basketball sound a little more competitive than some might expect. The suit alleged that in 2006, a ringer (each team is allowed two) and former college player who was playing for a law firm team was punched and injured by an enforcer who was playing for the Food Bank of New York City...
Presidents past
Posted on October 24, 2008With so much talk about who will be our next President, I found it useful to look at presidents in the past. You can now see the presidential papers and much more at the U.S. Presidential Library available on HeinOnline.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
FRASER
Posted on October 23, 2008With the Federal Reserve Bank frequently in the news of late, FRASER might be of interest to readers of this blog. FRASER--The Federal Reserve Archival System for Economic Research--is a project by the Research Division of the Federal Reserve Bank of St...
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes
Posted on October 22, 2008The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) is an agency of the United Nations established to assist Member States with issues concerning illicit drugs and international crime. UNODC?s online legislation legal library provides full text of drug control laws and regulations adopted by countries in support of international drug control treaties...
Predicting Sucess at Big Law
Posted on October 21, 2008While GPA and school rank are important, a recent study concludes they are not the best predictors of success at large law firms. The study conducted by consultants from Kerma Partners and Redwood reviewed 1,300 associates at a top 25 law firm in order to identify attributes of the "outstanding" performers...
Arts and Letters Daily
Posted on October 20, 2008I've always been an erudite feline and I do like to read up on literature, history, art and philosophy. But, as you can imagine, the life of a law library virtual cat can get hectic! That is why I read Arts and Letters Daily. Created by the Chronicle of Higher Education, Arts and Letters Daily finds and links to interesting articles, book reviews and essays on the internet...
CiteGenie
Posted on October 19, 2008CiteGenie is a Firefox add-on that creates real Bluebook pinpoint citations from material you highlight in Westlaw. Normally, these kinds of features and applications aren't reliable, but CiteGenie received a good review here, so it may actually be worth trying...
Adoption History Project
Posted on October 18, 2008For those studying or researching family law issues, the Adoption History Project web site, created by University of Oregon history professor Ellen Herman, is a unique window into American adoption history and a wide range of issues and controversies that have defined the field...
Tax plan calculator
Posted on October 17, 2008Joe the plumber may want to check Newsday's Tax Calculator which calculates for different income levels what the change in taxes would be under the competing tax plans of Senators Obama and McCain. According to Newsday's reports on Joe's income, he might be surprised...
Fact-Checking The Third Presidential Debate
Posted on October 16, 2008Like the first two presidential debates, the third debate generated controversial and factually debatable claims from both candidates. Here are a couple of examples.Barack Obama claimed that all of John McCain's campaign advertisements have been negative:"And 100 percent, John, of your ads ? 100 percent of them have been negative...
Kluwer Law Journal Library
Posted on October 15, 2008Kluwer Law Journal Library is now available on HeinOnline. The Library provides access to:· Business Law Review· Common Market Law Review· European Business Law Review· European Foreign Affairs Review· European Public Law· European Review of Private Law· International Journal of Comparative...
International Legal Research: Getting Started
Posted on October 14, 2008Where to start? How to start? International legal research is vast - it's a big world - and can be confusing. Come discover some basic resources, strategies and tips to guide you on your international research adventure.When: Monday, October 20th, 5:10 PM to 6 PMWhere: Lower Level Computer LabEveryone is welcome and no sign up is necessary...
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Posted on October 13, 2008October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Take the time to increase your own awareness of domestic violence and its effect on millions of victims. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence provides resources and information about what you can do to help...
New Supreme Court Term
Posted on October 12, 2008The Supreme Court began its new term last Monday. This term it will hear cases on a number of issues, including FCC fines for "fleeting expletives," the question of whether patients can sue drug companies over drugs that are regulated by the FDA, and, in Iqbal v...
Pew Research Center's Election ' 08
Posted on October 11, 2008Sometimes in an intense political season it's good to step back from the daily tracking polls and breaking news. For a broader perspective on what the American public is thinking, check out Election '08: Pew Research Center's Coverage of This Year's Campaign...
Hot off the Virtual Press-Conn. on same sex marriage
Posted on October 10, 2008The Connecticut Supreme Court released its opinion overturning the ban on same sex marriage in Connecticut. To view the opinion of the court and the 3 dissenting opinions, go to the Supreme Court's opinions page .Have a great weekend.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Online Social Networking: Etiquette Tips
Posted on October 09, 2008Looking for guidance as to how to comport yourself when using such social networking sites as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter? This article from CIO comes to the rescue with etiquette tips for users of social networking sites. Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
The Second Presidential Debate
Posted on October 08, 2008The second Presidential debate between Obama and McCain was held last night at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. This debate differed from the first in that it used a town hall format in front of 80 selected voters. What didn't differ were claims that the opposing candidate made untrue statements...
What do large law firms attorneys want?
Posted on October 07, 2008A recent survey concludes that it is not more money. Nearly tied for 2 aspects of their careers that attorneys would change are that they would like less stress (31%) and fewer hours / more personal time (30%). Job related stress and difficulty maintaining a work/life balance can lead to increased job dissatisfaction...
Voting Location
Posted on October 07, 2008Not sure of your voting location? The Smartvoter site by the League of Women voters can help. Use the Find My Ballot function to find voting locations and ballot information. The site also contains candidate information and links to other political information sites...
Press for Public.Resource.org
Posted on October 05, 2008There was a good article in the Times last week about Carl Malamud's effort to makes laws and regulations, including things like building codes, available for free online. It's worth checking out for anyone interested in how copyright law relates to government information...
New Launch of Global Legal Monitor
Posted on October 04, 2008The Law Library of Congress recently announced big changes to its Global Legal Monitor, which covers news and legal developments worldwide. Formerly a monthly PDF publication, Global Legal Monitor is now a continuously updated web site that is browseable by topic and jurisdiction and fully searchable...
VP Debate - getting their facts straight
Posted on October 03, 2008Watch Sarah Palin face off with Joe Biden last night? I lost count how many times each of them claimed that what the other said was not true. So, I have turned to my trusty fact checking sites for the VP debate - FactCheck.org and - PolitiFact.com - a cooperative effort of Congressional Quarterly and the St...
Opening Westlaw PDF Documents in Internet Explorer 7
Posted on October 02, 2008Those who are having difficulty opening Westlaw documents in PDF using the Internet Explorer 7 Web browser may wish to try re-setting their browsers per these instructions. (Thanks to the Paul L. Boley Law Library of Lewis & Clark Law School for providing this information)...
Getting to Know HeinOnline
Posted on October 01, 2008HeinOnline's legal database provides access to full-text legal resources including treaties, law review articles and cases from the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition, the HeinOnline Wiki includes frequently asked questions, instructional videos and training guides...
New Look for UN Treaty Collection site
Posted on September 30, 2008The United Nations Treaty Collection has a new refined look. The front page is much easier to view and the contents clearly identified. Searching for a treaty is streamlined and there are some advance search features including: Popular Name, Participant search and Title search...
Obscenity Laws and The First Amendment
Posted on September 29, 2008If you are interested in obscenity laws and the First Amendment, you might want to check out Obscene. Obscene is a documentary about Barney Rosset, the founder of Grove Press and the publisher who fought obscenity laws in order to bring classics such Lady Chatterly's Lover and Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer to the United States...
Law Library Staircase Repairs
Posted on September 29, 2008The Library staircase closest to room 102A is closed for repair today. Please use the staircase next to room 104 to access (or exit) the lower level of the library. Apologies for the late notice!Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Fact-Checking Friday's Debate
Posted on September 29, 2008Here are a few of the claims made by Senators McCain and Obama in Friday's presidential debate, and resources for checking their accuracy.Factcheck.org and the Washington Post's Fact Checker blog each have their fact-checking for the whole debate on a single page, so those two links are only provided here...
Ernster's Blogroll
Posted on September 27, 2008You may have noticed our newest feature--our blogroll. We've selected outstanding law and legal news blogs; blogs for which Hofstra Law professors are editors and contributors; a few law library and librarian blogs with research guides and tips; and blogs that feature legal technology news and news about the legal profession...
Paper Writing Research Workshop - repeated
Posted on September 26, 2008At your request, the Library is repeating the 21st Century Workshop on research for paper writing. We received great feedback from some of you and the most popular day and time suggested was Thursday at 4:10pm.So, we will repeat the workshop on Thursday, October 2nd at 4:10pm in Room 038N in the Library...
Speechology
Posted on September 25, 2008Speechology archives video of political debates, speeches, and campaign advertisements. Moreover, for each video, users may contribute comments to confirm or refute claims made by politicians by offering their own independent research to the contrary...
Human Rights Watch Report
Posted on September 24, 2008If you are interested in human rights issues, look at the Human Rights Watch website. Their site provides access to information concerning current human rights issues and includes Human Rights Watch Reports in full text.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
President Signs New Attorney-Client Privelege Rule
Posted on September 23, 2008The President signed into law a new evidence rule (FRE 502) that limits the waiver on attorney-client privilege and work product. It is intended to provide an consistent standard for the privilege for the application of the attorney-client privilege and the work product doctrine...
Manage Your Library Transactions Using "My Library Account" -- Renew Items Online!
Posted on September 22, 2008You just got home and remembered that you forgot to renew your library book. Don't worry. Renew it online from home with MY LIBRARY ACCOUNT. MY LIBRARY ACCOUNT provides access to your library patron record and allows you to see what materials you have checked out and renew them online...
Being a Research Assistant
Posted on September 21, 2008For Research Assistants and prospective Research Assistants, a helpful article from Student Lawyer on whether to apply, how to get hired, and how to do well at it is linked to here.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Election Cartoons from Harper's Weekly
Posted on September 20, 2008If you enjoy political cartoons and would like a bit of perspective on the current campaign, check out The Presidential Elections, 1860-1912, a web site that documents American presidential elections during these years. For each election, the site provides a brief overview of the major issues and events of the period and candidate biographies...
Writing a Paper this semester?
Posted on September 19, 2008Writing a Paper? Need to find a topic? Need to figure out where to start your research? Having trouble finding non-legal resources? If you answer yes to any of the above, or just want to get some advanced research skills, come to the Library's 21st Century Workshop on research for Paper Writing...
Top Ten Law Songs
Posted on September 18, 2008For a bit of near-the-end-of-the-week fun, have a look at the Law Librarian Blog's Top Ten Law Songs, and see whether your favorite is there.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
HofNews: New Parking Registration Procedure
Posted on September 16, 2008NEW PARKING REGISTRATION PROCEDURETo all Faculty, Staff, Administrators and Students:Beginning in the 2008/2009 academic year, the Department of Public Safety will be implementing a new parking registration procedure. ALL persons with currently registered vehicles must obtain a rear view mirror parking tag, which is linked to the window sticker already on the vehicle...
National Organization of Bar Counsel
Posted on September 15, 2008The National Organization of Bar Counsel is a good resource for finding information on legal ethics and professional conduct rules in the different states. The web site provides links to state disciplinary procedure rules, state ethics opinions, professional conduct rules, and state rules for admission...
Legislative Histories Online
Posted on September 13, 2008Finding compiled legislative histories for federal laws can be a challenge, even though many are now available to law students on commercial databases like Lexis, Westlaw, and HeinOnline, and some are on free web sites of U.S. government agencies, libraries, and other organizations...
1L/Transfer Lexis Westlaw training
Posted on September 12, 2008For all of you taking Legal Writing this semester, Lexis and Westlaw training will start on Monday. You will have the opportunity to learn just how much is available on these systems beyond cases and statutes and how to search time-efficiently and effectively...
Election Law Online Resource
Posted on September 11, 2008Election Law is a Web publication of timely interest from the Moritz Law Library at the Ohio State Moritz College of Law.According to its Web site, Election Law ?covers developments in the law of election administration-- laws dealing with voter registration, voter ID, early and absentee voting, provisional balloting, poll workers and polling place procedures, recounts and election contests, and other related issues?...
George Stephanopoulos to visit Hofstra
Posted on September 09, 2008This is an Educate'08 event. Take advantage of these opportunities. This is the announcement from the Educate'08 page:George Stephanopoulos is the Chief Washington Correspondent for ABC News and anchor of ABC?s Sunday morning program, This Week with George Stephanopoulos...
HeinOnline Wiki
Posted on September 09, 2008If you would like some tips and tricks on using HeinOnline, take a look at the HeinOnline wiki. The wiki offers some really helpful things such as a faq, training guides, and a list of new content. I even have it bookmarked in my Diigo account.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Shepard's in Print
Posted on September 07, 2008This post is about something that doesn't come up too often in law schools now: using Shepard's Citations in print. Here are a couple of places with quick primers on how to use these red books. U. Delaware has a decent guide, with a picture, that goes over the basics here...
Landmark Voting Cases
Posted on September 06, 2008Election law and the story of who has the legal right to vote in the United States has been marked by a key group of landmark court cases. These cases, brought together and summarized by the American Bar Association on its web site, are a good starting point for both law students and the general public...
Following the Money
Posted on September 05, 2008With the campaign season now in full swing, we will all want to find a way to track the financial claims of both candidates and their campaigns. A great resource to do just that is the Sunlight Foundation - with its associated sites OpenSecrets.org and FedSpending...
Google U.S. Government Search
Posted on September 04, 2008According to its Web site, ?Google U.S. Government Search offers a single location for searching across U.S. government information, and for keeping up to date on government news. You can choose to search for content located on either U.S. federal, state and local government websites or the entire Web -- from the same search box...
Library Audio Tour
Posted on September 03, 2008If you missed the Law Library walking tours it is not too late! Take a self-guided tour of the Law Library by downloading our seven part Library Audio Tour to your MP3 player and listen at your leisure.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Educate'08
Posted on September 02, 2008Are you taking advantage of the Educate'08 activities on campus? Hofstra University is to host the third and final Presidential debate on October 15, 2008, and the University has taken this as an educational opportunity to engage in a year-long series of conferences, events and lectures...
Laptops in Class
Posted on August 31, 2008Law students may or may not be aware of this, but the distraction that many law professors think is created by allowing students to take notes on laptops in class is an ongoing topic of discussion. One recent development in this discussion is noted here, with Eugene Volokh experimenting with a one-laptop policy, where one student in the class takes notes on a laptop and shares them with the other students...
Politico
Posted on August 30, 2008Just as the academic demands of Fall Semester weigh in, the world of politics is heating up and changing fast. If you are looking for a smart, continuously updated web site to keep up with the latest political news, Politico may fit well with your schedule...
Factbites Search Engine
Posted on August 28, 2008According to its Web site, Factbites is a search engine, currently in beta, that searches for matches on the basis of your entire topic area, and not just based upon the keyword that you use. This means that it can return relevant, informative results about your topic that do not necessarily mention the keyword that you used...
Democratic National Convention
Posted on August 26, 2008The Democratic National Convention is August 25th through August 28th, 2008. Please take a look at how the Democratic Party is presenting their activities and the presidential nomination.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Nolo Press Blogs
Posted on August 25, 2008The Nolo Press web site links to a number of blogs written by Nolo editors and authors. One of my favorites is Nolo's Employment Law Blog . I read it to keep up with news and recent decisions in the employment law realm. Recent posts have discussed Supreme Court retaliation cases, amendments to the ADA, and EEOC guidance on religious discrimination...
New York Legislative History
Posted on August 24, 2008The New York State Archives has put Bill Jackets for 2005 and 2006 online. (Those who have dealt with New York legislative history probably remember that bill jackets are about all the legislative history that exists for New York laws.) We can expect more years to follow...
CALI to the Rescue
Posted on August 23, 2008Are you a IL feeling a little overwhelmed, or a returning law student finding a new class rather confusing? CALI, the Center for Computer Assisted Instruction, has a web site full of interactive computer-based lessons (over 700 of them, both IL and advanced) keyed to typical law school courses and texts...
Goodbye Lexis and Westlaw??
Posted on August 22, 2008Will PreCYdent replace Lexis and Westlaw? Test it out and make your own judgment. PreCYdent is a search engine for legal materials - opinions, statutes, us government documents - which is available on the web FOR FREE!! On his YouTube clip, the founder claims that PreCYdent retrieves more relevant results than Lexis and Westlaw...
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (E-CFR)--Update
Posted on August 21, 2008The Electronic Code of Federal Regulations is out of the beta stage. According to its Web page at GPO Access,"The Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR) is a currently updated version of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). It is not an official legal edition of the CFR...
Manage Your Library Transactions Using "My Library Account" -- Renew Items Online!
Posted on August 20, 2008You just got home and remembered that you forgot to renew your library book. Don't worry. Renew it online from home with MY LIBRARY ACCOUNT. MY LIBRARY ACCOUNT provides access to your library patron record and allows you to see what materials you have checked out and renew them online...
Legal History blog
Posted on August 19, 2008Legal History blog: Scholarship, News and New Ideas in Legal History is generally reviews of legal history scholarship (books/articles) but also provides some original commentary. It caught my eye as today's post (8/19/2008) is Muller on Hirabayashi discussing new evidence of the Japanese American curfew during World War II...
First Amendment Law Prof Blog
Posted on August 18, 2008For news and scholarship on First Amendment rights, look to the First Amendment Law Prof blog.Authored by two law professors, the blog discusses First Amendment issues and current events, as well as scholarship in the field. Recent topics include; profanity, bullying on MySpace, and religious instruction in schools...
CasemakerX
Posted on August 17, 2008Casemaker has started a new CasemakerX system for law students. CasemakerX is a sort of social networking site, but one only needs to register for CasemakerX, and doesn't need to include personal information, to get free access to Casemaker. Using Casemaker could make a law student familiar with how legal research is done at many smaller law firms (i...
Now the Semester REALLY begins
Posted on August 15, 2008O.K., new students, you have had your introduction and fun at orientation, now it is time to really start Law School. As of this Sunday, I go back to my regular prowling hours and the Library resumes its regular hours as well - which are listed below and, of course, on the Library's web site...
Legal News Sources
Posted on August 14, 2008As many of you know, our Law Library home page offers a scrolling update at the bottom of the page that provides law-related news. Those who seek even more sources for news related to the law, however, should examine Professor Peter Suber?s Legal News Sources Web portal page...
Library Walking Tours
Posted on August 13, 2008As promised, I will let you know about Library events. As part of orientation, and to properly introduce you to the Law Library, we have 1/2 hour walking tours (schedule listed below). In these tours, you will get a sense of just how much we have to offer in the Library, some of our policies, and some tips for studying - the best place for quiet study, a great handout to help you with your Legal Writing assignment and other great tips...
WELCOME FIRST YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted on August 13, 2008WELCOME TO LAW SCHOOL AND TO THE LAW LIBRARY!!!!By the end of today, you will have been introduced to me - Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat. It is my job to prowl the Library, virtually of course, and report back to you on Library events and workshops, great sites to visit in the Virtual world, and occasionally even great sites to visit in the so-called "bricks and mortar" world (occasionally referred to as the real world)...
We're not always serious
Posted on August 12, 2008Law school is intense and time consuming, but we can still take time for fun. Thanks to Law Librarian blog for their you tube double feature: "I guess you didn't know we had a system for shelving books" and "They weren't meant to be or how discussing the Dewey Decimal System in the library leads to a break up...
Wall Street Journal Law Blog
Posted on August 11, 2008For current events in legal news, I like to read the Wall Street Journal Law Blog. The blog is updated frequently and keeps me up to date on recent court cases, new laws and political issues. Recent topics include pregnancy discrimination, counterfeit goods on ebay, and expert witnesses...
MetaVid
Posted on August 10, 2008MetaVid is a relatively new site that archives videos of federal legislative action. Its contents are only from about the last two years, and because it relies largely on user uploads, it does not contain videos of everything that happens in Congress...
Olympic Justice
Posted on August 09, 2008While millions of spectators enjoy the 2008 Olympic Games, lawyers are ready in the host city to handle the sports-related disputes that always arise. This is the domain of the Tribunal for the Olympic Games in Beijing, which will operate as an ad hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) through August 24...
Library Hours next week
Posted on August 08, 2008It has come time for me to step up my prowling duties. With the new students arriving on Tuesday, I will be prowling (and the Library will be open) longer hours for orientation, as listed below. As always, you can check the Library's web site for our hours and for other Library related information...
Culture
Posted on August 06, 2008One of my favorite free online newsletters is Culture. As a forum for "exploring the complex of meanings that informs and shapes our social world", Culture offers great articles about contemporary culture. Past subjects include: the history of the work cubicle (Fall 2007); the disappearance of shop class (Spring 2007); and individualism in social networking sites (Spring 2008)...
American Lawbreaking
Posted on August 05, 2008American Lawbreaking by Timothy Wu is a series of articles published on slate.com in 2007. Wu explores what he calls "the black spots in American law: areas in which our laws are routinely and regularly broken and where the law enforcement response is...
Declaration Signed Today in 1776
Posted on August 02, 2008Yes, that's right. Not many people celebrate August 2 as the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but it is. The Continental Congress approved the Declaration on July 4, 1776, by unanimous voice vote, and also voted to have it printed...
Summer & Law & Movies
Posted on August 01, 2008So what do summer, law and movies have in common? It is August, classes are finished and the bar exam is done, so what better time then to catch up on some good flicks. For the legal aspect, check out the latest issue of ABA Journal online for The 25 Greatest Legal Movies...
Portmanteau Words
Posted on July 31, 2008A linguistic oddity that pervades the English language far more than many realize is the portmanteau word. Portmanteau words are ?blend? words that are derived by combining sections of two or more separate words. Some famous examples include the ?nonsense? words in Lewis Carroll?s poem ?Jabberwocky?, such as ?slithy? (compounded of slimy and lithe)...
Constitutional Sources Project
Posted on July 29, 2008The Constitutional Sources Project is a collection of letters, speeches and journals of our nation's founders. The goal is to create and maintain the first, free, fully- indexed, comprehensive online library of constitutional sources. The collections include: Constitutional PrecedentsThe United States ConstitutionJames Madison's Notes of the Constitutional ConventionThe Federalist PapersAnti-Federalist and Pro-Federalist PapersState Ratification DebatesBill of Rights Legislative HistoryState Constitution and ChartersThe Papers of George WashingtonDocuments by AuthorTruly a treasure trove and the project is still adding documents...
The Onion on Convoluted Legal Wranglings
Posted on July 27, 2008There was a funny article in The Onion last week about Mets third baseman David Wright appealing a check swing call to the Supreme Court. It is funny because umpires and judges have some things in common (as PrawfsBlawg points out, Chief Justice Roberts has analogized his Court to a crew of umpires), because spending years waiting for a ball-strike call exemplifies how out of sync the timing of our courts can be with real life, because a check swing involves the sort of subjective test courts like to examine at length, and because it quotes John Kruk explaining originalist interpretation...
HealthMap
Posted on July 26, 2008The students around me are absorbed in studying for the bar exam, so it's a good time to prowl the Web for cool sites making news. If you haven't seen HealthMap yet, take a look when you have a chance. HealthMap tracks the latest infectious disease outbreaks throughout the world by gathering and filtering masses of information from news and other web sites, including health organization and government sources...
Quick Study break
Posted on July 25, 2008For those studying hard for the bar exam and needing a quick break, try Hangman . It has topics like American Presidents, cartoon heroes and Reasons to Stay Inside on a Sunny Day. I just played a quick 2 minute game and had a bit of fun.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Official U.S. Time
Posted on July 24, 2008Anyone (especially busy and time-conscious students who are studying for next week?s New York State Bar Examination) who would like to set his or her timepieces to the official U.S. time will find the solution here.Just click your time zone on the map...
Multijurisdictional Practice
Posted on July 23, 2008Attorney multijurisdictional practice is an increasingly important topic for attorneys. Thus, it is essential to be aware of topics such as, admission by motion, reciprocity, and pro hac vice admission. The web page of the ABA's Commission on Multijurisdictional Practice is a great place to start...
Westlaw and Lexis Directories
Posted on July 20, 2008Law students often have trouble transitioning from the "free" (flat-rate) Westlaw and Lexis access they receive in law school to using these systems at firms where charges must be justified and clients don't like to see large bills for online research...
PolicyArchive Launched
Posted on July 19, 2008PolicyArchive, billed as the "nation's first free, comprehensive, online archive of public policy research," became available yesterday. With over 12,000 policy documents from over 220 think tanks, PolicyArchive hopes to become the world's largest online repository of public policy research, reaching up to 20,000 documents by the end of 2008...
Legal Anagrams
Posted on July 17, 2008As many of you know, an anagram is a word whose letters may be rearranged to form another word. For instance, ?time? may become ?item?, with its letters suitably rearranged. Here are some amusing anagrams created from the phrase ?the legal profession?, courtesy of the Anagram Genius site: *Large if not hopeless *Posh liars on fee gelt *Profile those angles * Pleasing fools there *Oops! All-nighter fees...
Dickens And The Law
Posted on July 10, 2008Next to Shakespeare, the English-language author who is perhaps most famous for his characters? observations about the law is Charles Dickens. This page offers an amusing and interesting assortment of Dickens? characters? law-related ruminations.May you never be embroiled in a modern-day Jarndyce v...
Free Online Courses
Posted on July 09, 2008You may know that universities such as Harvard, MIT and Berkeley have been offering free classes online via iTunes, YouTube and more. Open Culture has made them easier to find by providing a list of free online courses offered by several universities...
60 Gadgets in 60 minutes
Posted on July 08, 2008Techie fun can be found at 60 Gadgets in 60 minutes. Some of the gadgets are silly and others cutting edge, but it is a good way to get a quick overview of current technological innovation.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Laptop Distraction
Posted on July 06, 2008Do you sometimes find yourself playing games during class, rather than taking notes? Apparently members of certain foreign parliaments have the same problem.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
If You Think Law School Is Hard . . .
Posted on June 29, 2008. . . just try being waterboarded. Artist Steve Powers is looking for 50 attorneys to waterboard for five seconds, because attorneys are "qualified to impartially describe the experience." There is no word on whether Steve Powers is related to Fran Powers, who ran to become the nominee of the Libertarian Party for the congressional seat representing Staten Island...
Saturday's Virtual Silence
Posted on June 27, 2008Just a reminder to everyone - tomorrow (Saturday, June 28) all of us with Virtual voices will be silenced. The infrastructure necessary for my existence (routers, switches and other gizmos) are being upgraded and replaced. This means there will be no network access...
Shakespeare?s Legal Puns
Posted on June 26, 2008The Bard is well known for his characters? comments apropos of all things legal. This Time magazine article from 1964 offers an amusing overview of Shakespeare?s wittier references to the law. Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
LaterLoop: A new bookmarking service
Posted on June 24, 2008What makes LaterLoop stand out from other bookmarking services is that LaterLoop has a desktop version that allows you to view saved websites offline, and the mobile version that provides mobile access to your saved websites. LaterLoop also lets you share your saved sites with public profile options and RSS feeds...
World Values Survey
Posted on June 21, 2008For those interested in what social scientists have learned about changing values and beliefs in 80 countries around the world over the last 25 years, the World Values Survey provides a wealth of information. Based on data from four "waves" of surveys representing the demographics and views of participants in 1981-1984, 1985-1993, 1994-1999, and 2000-2004, the web site describes the findings and the changes that have occurred in human values, life perceptions and expectations, and national identity across generations and with increased economic development...
More on Words
Posted on June 20, 2008There are times when I just cannot find the right word beyond the good all purpose "meow". When that happens, I go to Thesaurus.com . Using this site has improved my writing and helped me to become a more erudite feline.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Fun With Palindromes
Posted on June 19, 2008Palindromes are words or sentences that read the same way both backward and forward. The famous line attributed to Napoleon, ?Able was I ere I saw Elba?, and ?A man, a plan, a canal, Panama?, are fairly well-known examples. Many more odd and intriguing instances of these linguistic peculiarities are available at this site...
Loving Day
Posted on June 18, 2008Did you know that June 12 was Loving Day? Loving Day is an educational community project commemorating Loving v. Virginia (1967), the landmark Supreme Court decision that banned restrictions on interracial marriage. Although it's too late to join in on the Loving Day Celebrations, it's not too late to learn about the Supreme Court decision...
Nassau County
Posted on June 13, 2008Did you know our very own Nassau County has a great web site for accessing local law? My favorite page is the Accessing Government, where you can find the Nassau County Administrative Code and Charter as well as links to other localities' websites and ordinances...
Advice For Future Litigators
Posted on June 12, 2008When you conduct your first jury trial, make certain that your jurors are paying attention to the court proceedings, instead of, say, doing crossword puzzles, or playing Sudoku. Think I?m exaggerating? Then read this news story from Australia, where a jury in a lengthy and expensive criminal trial was recently discharged for doing just what I mention, above! Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
The Civil Rights Digital Library
Posted on June 11, 2008The Civil Rights Digital Library is a wonderful source of information on the civil rights movement. In addition to offering an archive of historical news footage, the web site acts as a portal to related civil rights digital collections. You can browse the site by event, persons, places and topics...
Beat the Heat
Posted on June 10, 2008Studying in the air conditioned library helps, but there are other tips to help cope with the hot weather.1. OK, this one should be obvious. Drink lots of water. Avoid caffeine, alcohol or drinks with a high sugar content.2. Wear loose light colored clothing...
Summer Associate Writing Tips
Posted on June 08, 2008This article in the National Law Journal offers tips to help summer associates write better, but these tips could also be helpful to any law students or new attorneys. For anyone receiving a writing assignment from a lawyer, #3 is particularly helpful--it reminds us that attorneys sometimes accidentally leave out key information when giving a writing assignment and that the person receiving the assignment should ask for the missing information before beginning...
Survey on Status of Women in Law Firms
Posted on June 07, 2008Law students interested in the status of women attorneys, particularly in law firm practice, should not overlook the 2007 Survey of the Status of Women in Law Firms. Results of the survey are compiled and published by the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL), an independent organization affiliated with the American Bar Association...
10 Essential Legal Web sites
Posted on June 06, 2008For some new places to find legal information on the web, look at 10 Essential Legal Web sites for Litigators . Some you should recognize, but others, such as ZoomInfo, for information on companies and people, is a new one for me.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Cosmic Collisions!
Posted on June 05, 2008Nothing puts the smaller-scale activities that take place in the "human aquarium", be they Bar examinations or presidential politics, into perspective quite like images of the greater cosmos, courtesy of the Hubble telescope.In particular, these photographs of cosmic collisions are intriguing on many levels, not least of which is the contrast between the immense power of the collisions and the glacial (by human standards) time scale at which they occur...
Human Rights Watch International Film Festival
Posted on June 04, 2008The 2008 Human Rights Watch Film Festival will be screening at the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center from June 12-26. This festival features works that "help to put a human face on threats to individual freedom and dignity, and celebrate the power of the human spirit and intellect to prevail...
Looks like it will be Obama
Posted on June 03, 2008News sources are reporting that Barack Obama is likely to become the presumptive Democratic nominee for President this evening. The contest between Senator Clinton and Senator Obama for the nomination has made for an interesting primary.Please remember that Hofstra University is hosting a Presidential debate October 15, 2008...
Searchmash
Posted on June 02, 2008If you would like to know whether your search results are available in other formats, try Searchmash a website operated by Google, Inc. Searchmash displays your Web results by URL and clusters other results by format type, such as blogs, videos and images...
Hein's Compiled Legislative Histories
Posted on June 01, 2008People often try to compile federal legislative histories from scratch, but legislative histories of many important laws have already been professionally compiled and published. One good source for these is HeinOnline. Last week, Hein's blog offered a how-to for using its compiled legislative histories...
Audiobooks Online
Posted on May 28, 2008I love listening to classic literature in audiobook format, especially in the summer! So I was excited when I found LibriVox -- a web site that provides audiobooks free for download. Libravox describes its mission as "acoustical liberation of books in the public domain"...
2007 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics
Posted on May 27, 20082007 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics is a compendium of tables that provides data on foreign nationals who, during a fiscal year, were granted lawful permanent residence (i.e., admitted as immigrants or became legal permanent residents), were admitted into the United States on a temporary basis (e...
Complaints About Lawyers' Writing
Posted on May 25, 2008This National Law Journal article surveys typical problems with lawyers' writing, noting that these problems are not all new, but that technology may be both helping and hurting. It also charts the pedigree of distraction from legal writing as being crossword puzzle > computer solitaire > basically anything on the internet...
Memorial Day weekend
Posted on May 23, 2008Just a reminder for this holiday weekend. There will be no reference librarian here on Saturday and the Library is closed on Monday. We will be open bright and early on Tuesday morning at 8am. As always, you will find the Library's hours on our web site or pick up a bookmark...
Legal Limericks?A New Study Aid?
Posted on May 22, 2008Do you Bar examination candidates need some catchy rhymed verse to help you to remember certain elusive case holdings or legal doctrines? Then why not visit the Legal Limericks page at the ContractsProf Blog? Here is an example: Parker v. 20th Century Fox The studio's conduct was terrible,And the actress's damage repairableOnly with a lead partIn a great work of art:A film that is at least comparable...
Municipal Codes Online
Posted on May 21, 2008In this day and age, many municipal codes can be found on the internet. A good place to look first is E-Codes: Municipal Codes on the Internet. E-Codes contains hundreds of municipal codes from over twenty states. Coverage of municipalities in New Jersey and New York is particularly good; it contains the codes for over forty towns and villages in Nassau County alone...
Immigration and Assimilation in the U.S.
Posted on May 20, 2008A recent study by the Manhattan Institute introduces a quantitative index that measures the degree of similarity between native- and foreign-born adults in the United States. These included civic factors, such as rates of U.S. citizenship and service in the military; economic factors, such as earnings and rates of homeownership; and cultural factors, such as English ability and degree of intermarriage with U...
UNdata
Posted on May 18, 2008The UN produces lots of statistics on a wide variety of subjects, but they have not always been easy to find on the internet because this data is collected by many specialized agencies and sub-organizations and because it has often been presented in hard-to-use interfaces...
Career & Professional Development Blog
Posted on May 17, 2008The semester is over, but a Virtual Library Cat just settles into a cool spot near the reference desk and continues to prowl the Web for news and sites related to legal research and technology, and life in the law. A good source of valuable information about getting and keeping legal jobs and making career decisions is Career & Professional Development Blog, a new member of the Law Professor Blogs Network...
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted on May 16, 2008CONGRATULATIONS, GRADUATES!!!1LS AND 2LS, you made it through.Have a great summer!!!!!!!Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Summer Library Hours
Posted on May 15, 2008This is just a reminder that the Law Library is now on a Summer schedule. The Law Library hours for the first part of the Summer are as follows:SUMMER 2008 PRE-BAR EXAM SCHEDULE :Thursday, May 15 - Sunday, July 6Monday - Thursday 8:00 A.M. - 10:00 P.M...
Homeless Law blog
Posted on May 14, 2008The Homeless Law blog is a relatively new blog that discusses the rights of homeless persons. In addition to providing insight into topics such as shelter, healthcare, and employment, it also provides links to helpful resources. A recent post on police and the use of force on homeless persons includes links to the model penal code, relevant case law and Department of Justice web pages...
Career Suicide Tips
Posted on May 13, 2008Career Suicide Tips (registration may be required) or what you should know, but may not think about. This article appears in the New York Lawyer, May 9, 2008 and is written by Steven C. Bennett who is a partner is Jones Day in New York.This is a quick synopsis of the tips...
Answers to the Questions Associates Should Be Afraid to Ask
Posted on May 11, 2008Via law.com here (this article, written by "The Snark," is semi-serious).Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Transnational Law Blog
Posted on May 10, 2008Transnational legal issues are part of the typical summer associate and new attorney experience. Check out Transnational Law Blog, which encompasses "all law regulating actions or events transcending national frontiers." This blog is authored by law students and recent law school graduates enthusiastically involved in transnational law and issues, and features wide-ranging topics and diverse perspectives...
PLoL: Public Library of Law
Posted on May 08, 2008In keeping with our recent theme of suggesting sources for free online access to primary legal materials, here is yet another source for such information. The Public Library of Law (PLoL) offers free online access to primary sources of United States law...
HeinOnline on Youtube
Posted on May 07, 2008If you are looking for instruction on using HeinOnline, take a look at the the HeinOnline YouTube channel. The channel features how-to videos for HeinOnline collections. To date, there are eleven videos available, including a "Quick Start Guide". Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Presidential Claims of Executive Privilege: History, Law, Practice & Recent Developments
Posted on May 06, 2008Presidential Claims of Executive Privilege: History, Law, Practice & Recent Developments is a CRS report recently updated. It includes an Appendix listing claims of executive privilege from the Kennedy administration through the George W. Bush administration...
Google Date-Limiting
Posted on May 05, 2008Is currency an important factor in your search query? Try Google date-limiting and restrict your search results by a date specification that you set. To use date-limiting, go to advance search on the Google home page, click on ?date, usage rights, numeric range, and more...
Lawyers and Social Networking
Posted on May 04, 2008A recent post on the KM Space blog lists some Facebook groups of big law firms (particularly groups made for summer associates), and a post on the Lexblog points out that, despite what some may say, online social networking may be around for awhile, including for lawyers...
PollingReport
Posted on May 03, 2008What do Americans really think about the key social, political and policy issues of the moment? Find the latest poll and survey results from PollingReport, chosen one of time.com's "50 Best Websites 2007". This independent, nonpartisan site posts American survey data from a wide group of reputable and authoritative polling sources, including Pew, Harris, Gallup and a range of major news organizations...
AltLaw?Update
Posted on May 01, 2008AltLaw, about which we previously blogged last October 4, has expanded its freely available federal case law offerings. AltLaw now offers most federal circuit court cases dating from the past forty or fifty years, as well as U.S. Supreme Court opinions dating from approximately the past thirty years...
Center for Worklife Law
Posted on April 30, 2008Family Responsibility Discrimination (also called "caregiver discrimination") is "discrimination against workers who have family caregiving responsibilities" and it can affect both women and men, parents of children and children of the elderly. The Center for Worklife Law at UC Hastings College of the Law is a great resource for learning about this type of discrimination...
Google Timeline
Posted on April 28, 2008Are you interested in knowing when something was a ?hot? topic? Google's new timeline operator will help. Simply add ?view:timeline? to any search and a navigable timeline appears across the top of your query results. Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
The Bluebook: Have Your Say
Posted on April 27, 2008The editors of The Bluebook are asking for advice to help them create the 19th edition. They have an online survey here and are also taking suggestions via email. The survey must be submitted by June 30.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Finding Quotes with Google News
Posted on April 26, 2008Want to find the actual quote behind all the media comment and spin about what a politician, actor or sports figure has been saying recently? Last week Google announced a new Google News feature that lets you find the original quote fast, and then link directly to the news article where the quote appeared...
Congressional Research: Video Tutorials
Posted on April 24, 2008The University of California at Berkeley has created several video tutorials that demonstrate how to do Congressional research in the following areas, each of which is highly useful for law students: Finding bills and Congressional debates from 1989 forward on Thomas Finding a Congressional report on LexisNexis Congressional Finding debates from 1873 to the present in print in the Congressional Record...
The Compassion Index from the Animal Welfare Institute
Posted on April 23, 2008Naturally, I am always interested in legislation affecting me and my friends. Thus, I was happy to find the Compassion Index from the Animal Welfare Institute. The Compassion Index rates U.S. Senators and Representatives based on their positions on animal protective measures...
Earth Day
Posted on April 22, 2008Earth Day is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation of the Earth's environment. Originally a grassroots demonstration, this day - April 22nd - is now celebrated worldwide. For ideas on what you can do to protect the environment check out the Earth Day page at the EPA...
Vulcan
Posted on April 19, 2008Would you like to escape exam outlines for a few minutes and focus on the wider world? Here's something brand new from scientists at Purdue University. Vulcan is a web site of interactive high-resolution maps with zoom features, tracking carbon emissions in the U...
Just the Facts
Posted on April 18, 2008In this presidential election season, knowing the facts and knowing whether the candidates get them right matter. For help in making those judgments and keeping those politicians accountable, go to FactCheck.org . This site monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major U...
GovEngine
Posted on April 17, 2008GovEngine is a Web portal for uncovering information about federal, state, and local government. Links on the sidebar to the right lead to pages on each of these subjects.There is also a map of the U.S.A., where one can click a state and then go to a page that contains links to the state's home page and constitution...
Art Law Blog
Posted on April 16, 2008If you are interested in art law, take a look at the art law blog. This frequently updated blog discusses current events in the art law world. Besides offering loads of information on art law, the blog also gives insight into the fascinating world of art collectors, dealers, museums and artists...
Work / Life Balance in the Law
Posted on April 15, 2008Students experience the demands of law school, but how to learn what to expect in the practice of law? The New York State Bar Association. Special Committee on Balanced Lives in the Law recently released the long awaited Final Report. The bad news is that for many attorneys it is difficult to find and achieve a work / life balance...
Wham! Pow! Zoom! A Superhero Registration Act?
Posted on April 14, 2008Exam period is near. Take a study break to consider the legal issues that arise in Marvel Universe when Capital Hill proposes that all costumed heroes unmask themselves before the government! In Civil war: a Marvel Comics event, superheroes clash with one other as they struggle towards a decision that will change the Marvel Universe ...
Federal Materials on Scribd
Posted on April 13, 2008Some federal agencies seem to be putting a number of their documents on www.scribd.com. These are not easily browsable, so you should only use this site if you have some information on what you are looking for, but there may be documents here that do not appear on agency websites...
Tax Filing Day is next week
Posted on April 11, 2008I hate to mention this on a Friday, but just in case you need that last minute tax form, remember you can find most of them on the web. For Federal Forms and Publications, go to the IRS web site. You will find just about any form you need and the publications are good sources of explanation for how to fill out those forms...
Sunshine in Government Initiative
Posted on April 10, 2008According to its Web site, the Sunshine in Government Initiative is ?a coalition of media groups committed to promoting policies that ensure the government is accessible, accountable and open?. In addition to a brief history of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the site offers FOIA statistics, a study on FOIA litigation from 1999 to 2004, and FOIA-related Congressional testimony...
National Poetry Month
Posted on April 09, 2008April is National Poetry month and Poets.org (from the Academy of American Poets) is celebrating by offering a Poem-A-Day . For the month of April, Poets.org will send a new poem into your e-mail inbox. Or, you can take a break from your studies and read the poems in the Poem a Day archive...
Criminal Law Resources: Fingerprint Evidence Challenges
Posted on April 08, 2008Fingerprint analysis has been around since the 19th Century and we assume that if the police can get fingerprints, they are good identification. Actually the science is not is not as accurate as assumed and professionals have been debating the reliability and admissibility of fingerprint evidence for a number of years...
Evening Research Skills Workshop
Posted on April 07, 2008As requested and promised, tonight we will repeat the Top 10 Research Skills workshop, ?Strategic Searching?. This was rescheduled from last week and will be held in Room 206 at 5:10-6pm. In this workshop you will learn tips for mapping out a research strategy...
Legal Blogger Sued for Defamation
Posted on April 06, 2008For any other bloggers and those thinking about blogging, this story about the Patent Troll Tracker blog (currently off-line) may be instructive. This particular blogger is an in-house lawyer with Cisco, which is often a party in patent cases. He blogged anonymously about patent law, and in one post he seemed to allege an instance of improper conduct by two attorneys and some judicial clerks in a case which involved Cisco...
Fact about Place
Posted on April 04, 2008As attorneys, you must apply the law to the facts. At times, you first must uncover those facts. Legal issues frequently arise in a particular place and you frequently need facts about those places. One good resource for facts about places is Dataplace...
Slashdot
Posted on April 03, 2008If you are interested in law and technology, take a look at Slashdot.org-- the leading place to find "news for nerds". Although much of Slashdot deals with highly technical and scientific issues, it often features legal news in its Your Rights Online section...
Thursday evening Reference
Posted on April 03, 2008The Reference librarian scheduled to be at the Reference desk has been called away to care for an ailing parent. Consequently, there will not be a Reference librarian available tonight after 5pm for your questions. The Reference librarians will be back bright and early tomorrow morning...
Strategic Searching: Legal Research as Process
Posted on April 01, 2008A comment frequently heard from law firm librarians is that young associates just jump onto Lexis or Westlaw and run searches as if they were Google. Hmmm, they are not Google nor are Lexis/Westlaw necessarily the best places to start research. All depends on what one is doing and what one has available...
Evening Research workshops
Posted on March 31, 2008At the request of some of the evening students, we had scheduled make-ups of two of the Top 10 Research Skills workshops - Getting Background on your Topic and Strategic Searching. Due to sudden illness of a family member, the Getting Background session, scheduled for tomorrow night has been canceled...
Helpful Policies During Exam Period
Posted on March 31, 2008The Library has a new exam period schedule! Here is the new schedule:New Exam Period Schedule - Wednesday, April 16 - May 14Monday - Friday 7:00 A.M. - 2:00 A.M.Saturday & Sunday 10:00 A.M. - 2:00 A.M.ExceptionWednesday, May 14 7:00 A...
Superman
Posted on March 30, 2008As reported in the Times, the suit on the termination of transfer of copyright for the Superman character (noted in our display case in January) has partially resolved with a grant of partial summary judgment--awarding the heirs of Jerome Siegel a share of the character (from the time the termination took effect, in 1999)...
Social Security History
Posted on March 29, 2008The history of Social Security, a favorite political topic during Presidential campaigns, is captured on the outstanding government web site of the Social Security Administration (SSA). A great resource for law students and researchers, the site's Social Security History page includes an overview of how the program developed, the text of the original Social Security Act, legislative history documents, and reports and studies, together with speeches and articles representing early public opinion about the controversial program...
Podcasts of Library Workshops
Posted on March 28, 2008Worrying about that first research assignment at your summer or new full time job? Really want to make that partner happy? Most of the Library's Top 10 Research Skills workshops are now available as podcasts on the Library's website . The handouts and PowerPoint presentations are available on TWEN...
CourTopics
Posted on March 27, 2008CourTopics is a product of the National Center for State Courts (NCSC). According to the NCSC Web site, CourTopics includes in-depth information about state court-related subjects. In particular, you will find coverage of more than 130 court-related topics, including resource guides, overviews, frequently asked questions, state links, and much more...
National Security Archive
Posted on March 26, 2008The National Security Archive at George Washington University School of Law is a good source for information related to national security and foreign intelligence. The site "collects and publishes declassified documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act" and advocates for the public "right to know"...
Elections 2008
Posted on March 25, 2008So much to do, so little time. How to get a grasp on the 2008 Presidential election? The Documents Center at the University of Michigan created Elections 2008. This is site provides background information on the process, the candidates, the issues and much more...
State Primary Legal Materials Online: Another Source
Posted on March 20, 2008As a supplement to Monday?s blog post, note that Cornell's Legal Information Institute provides a useful Web page that brings together links to the primary legal materials (constitutions, statutes, cases) of the fifty states and the U.S. territories. Simply click the link provided here, and then click the link to the state whose materials you seek...
Spring Break
Posted on March 19, 2008Just one more day, and you can enjoy some free time and hopefully warmer weather next week. I will still be prowling, but on an abbreviated schedule. The Library's schedule will be:SPRING BREAK SCHEDULE - Friday, March 21 - Sunday, March 30Friday, March 21 (Good Friday): CLOSEDSaturday, March 22: 10:00 A...
Immigration Policy Center
Posted on March 18, 2008The Immigration Policy Center is the research arm of the American Immigration Law Foundation. IPC was established in 2003 with the mission to provide policymakers, academics, the media, and the general public with access to accurate information about the effects of immigration on the U...
State Laws on the Internet
Posted on March 17, 2008State Laws on the Internet provides access to online versions of state statues and links to many official state legislature sites. Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Library of Congress on Constitutional Law
Posted on March 16, 2008The Law Library of Congress is offering PDF downloads of books and articles on three of the more contentious subjects in constitutional law: executive privilege, war powers, and presidential inherent powers. All are by Louis Fisher.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Legacy Tobacco Documents Library
Posted on March 15, 2008The tobacco industry has had a long and checkered history in American business, law, and society. The Legacy Tobacco Documents Library (LTDL), a digital collection of the Tobacco Control Archives at the University of California at San Francisco, contains more than 8 million searchable documents "created by major tobacco companies related to their advertising, manufacturing, marketing, sales, and scientific research activities...
Supreme Court Justices on Writing and Advocacy
Posted on March 14, 2008Get insights from the top jurists in the country about what makes for good legal writing and advocacy. On LawProse, Inc, you will find interviews of eight Supreme Court Justices in which they discuss what they find persuasive and what they wish attorneys would avoid...
State Agency Databases
Posted on March 13, 2008State Agency Databases is a wiki sponsored by the American Library Association's Government Documents Round Table (GODORT). It arose from the recognition of the following fact: Much government information, especially information relating to state agencies, is part of the so-called "invisible Web"...
Women's History Month
Posted on March 12, 2008March is Women's History Month! Celebrate by learning more about women's contributions to our society at the Library of Congress Women's History Month webpage. The 2008 theme is "Women's Art:Women's Vision" and the Library of Congress is offering several online exhibits showcasing women artists, musicians and writer...
** "Cost Efficient Research and other Law Practice Survival Tips"**
Posted on March 11, 2008Come hear two great librarians from top firms tell you about legal research and the practice of law. The firms are different in size, but both expect and provide quality services. Quality legal research is important to them and they take research skills seriously...
"I Do Solemnly Swear . . .": Presidential Inaugurations
Posted on March 10, 2008"I Do Solemnly Swear . . .": Presidential Inaugurations is available through The Library of Congress? American Memory database. "I Do Solemnly Swear . . ." provides access to over 2,000 digital files relating to presidential inaugurations from George Washington's in 1789 to George W...
Another Election Resource
Posted on March 09, 2008Congresspedia (mentioned here in September) is creating the Superdelegate Transparency Project--an attempt to track the allegiances of every Democratic superdelegate, and thus give those who follow politics even more access to the statistics of their favorite sport...
Federal Judicial Center
Posted on March 08, 2008Here's a great site for all types of key information on the federal court system and its judges. The Federal Judicial Center--the education and research agency for the federal courts--produces biographical, historical, photographic, and educational material on the U...
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AS A NEW ATTORNEY
Posted on March 07, 2008Hear it from THE REAL WORLD perspective in . . . ** "Cost Efficient Research and other Law Practice Survival Tips"**Wednesday, March 12, 11:10-1pm in Room 205 Presented by - Kathy Greco, Librarian/CLE Coordinator, Rivkin Radler LLP - Jim Murphy, Reference and Continuing Education Librarian, Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP Part 6 of the Library's Top 10 Research Skills workshops Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Gigablast Search Engine
Posted on March 06, 2008The revised version of the Gigablast search engine, currently in beta, is worth a look. Some of its more unusual features, in comparison to other search engines, are as follows. First, there is its ?human-built? directory search, which is based upon the Open Directory Project...
Concurring Opinions
Posted on March 05, 2008Concurring Opinions is a group authored blog covering a broad range of legal topics. From patent litigation to employment discrimination to Facebook, the authors (most of them law professors) offer a varied assortment of insightful and informative posts...
Top 10 Research Skills: Strategic Searching
Posted on March 04, 2008You've just been handed your first firm research assignment and are a little uncertain as to how you should proceed. The workshop Strategic Searching gives you some pointers on legal research as a process.1st Strategic Searching workshop is Wednesday, March 5, 1:10-2 pm in Room 243...
Political Speeches
Posted on March 03, 2008If you are interested in political speeches, take a look at Allan Louden's Web site. This Wake Forest University site provides access to collections of political speeches, audio sites, individual presidential sites, and political debates.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Top 10 Research Skills: Smart Searching
Posted on March 02, 2008You are looking for something--one or more cases, articles, or documents that you know exist, or that you hope exist. Why can't you find what you are looking for? Why is it taking so long?Learn how to save yourself a little time by using a couple of basic tricks, and by using the internet and databases like Westlaw and Lexis to complement each other...
Elections Everywhere
Posted on March 01, 2008With the U.S. media--and voters--so focused on our own Presidential race, it's easy to forget the elections going on all over the world. Whether for research, personal interest in another country, or background for travel, check out ElectionGuide.org...
Happy Leap Day !
Posted on February 29, 2008O.K. so what's with the extra day this year. Was it some astronomer royal hundreds of years ago who decided we needed an extra day in such a beastly month as February? Actually, according to Wired Magazine, it goes back to the times of Julius Caesar...
State And Local Government Web Sites
Posted on February 28, 2008Do you need information from, or regarding, state or local governments and agencies? The State and Local Government Internet directory provides convenient access to the Web sites of thousands of state agencies and city and county governments.Users may employ the drop-down menus on the left to view directory pages to find state government offices (all the Web sites in a given state, ranging from a state's home page or a governor's site to the smallest counties or townships)...
Sir Thomas More
Posted on February 27, 2008If you are interested in legal ethics in history, read about the life of Sir Thomas More, lawyer and author of Utopia. In the service of Henry VIII, More held the powerful position of Lord Chancellor. However, More's opinions and personal morals eventually led to his execution...
Top 10 Research Skills: Strategic Searching
Posted on February 26, 2008The basics have been reviewed and getting background information has been surveyed. How is all this put together? The workshop on Strategic Searching will focus on the process of legal research. Using the incident ?Don?t Taser Me Bro!? as the basic fact scenario ? instructor reserves privilege to alter as needed ? we will make a step-by-step strategic search analysis and evaluate the incident as a possible sec...
Deal or No Deal?
Posted on February 24, 2008The Georgia Supreme Court is set to hear arguments Tuesday to decide whether people who were charged 99 cents to use their cell phones to participate in a sort of lottery NBC created to promote the show "Deal or No Deal" are entitled to recoup their losses under a Georgia gambling law...
Top 10 Research Skills: Getting Background on Your Topic
Posted on February 23, 2008Imagine you are in your first "real world" summer or full-time job and you are asked to write a memo for the partner, supervising attorney, or judge. The problem is, you don't know anything about the topic or legal issue, and you don't know where to begin...
Sweatshops in America
Posted on February 20, 2008New York Fashion Week is over and I am still purring over the latest looks. However, as I reflect on the fantastic fabrics and designs, I have to wonder where all of our clothes come from. Sadly, I know that sweatshops in America have a long history.To raise awareness of sweatshop labor, the National Museum of American History has created an online exhibit entitled Between a Rock and a Hard Place: A History of American Sweatshops 1820-Present...
Top Ten Research Workshops Schedule
Posted on February 19, 2008Check your email and read about the latest workshops in the Library's 21st Century Library workshop series. The full schedule is listed below.Top 10 Research Skills: What Employers Really Want New Attorneys to KnowWeek 1 1. ?Know the Basics. Civics 101" ? Monday, February 25, 5:10-6pm in Room 242 and repeated on ? Wednesday, February 27, 1:10-2pm in Room 243...
Blog: Free Government Information
Posted on February 19, 2008From the site: The future of government information is in peril from many economic and political forces. Free Government Information was initiated in order to raise public awareness of the importance of government information and create a community with various stakeholders to facilitate an open and critical dialogue...
Summer Associate Response Time
Posted on February 17, 2008As reported by the National Law Journal, the National Association for Law Placement has mandated that next fall, students with summer employment offers will need to reply within 45 days. Under the old guidelines it was possible for students to hold offers for up to four months before replying...
Positively Presidential
Posted on February 16, 2008Presidents' Day weekend is a great time to look at some of the digital treasures from the inaugurations of Washington, Lincoln and other American presidents in "I Do Solemnly Swear...Presidential Inaugurations." This wonderful collection, part of the Library of Congress American Memory project, features inaugural invitations, handwritten drafts and final texts of inaugural addresses, eyewitness accounts, photos and other images, videos, and other special facts and documents associated with taking the Oath of Office...
Presidents' Day
Posted on February 15, 2008The Library is open and I will be prowling with an occasional pounce from 10am - 6pm on Presidents' Day, Monday, February 18th. Enjoy the three-day weekend.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
CQ Voting and Elections Collection (Online Resource)
Posted on February 14, 2008The CQ Voting and Elections Collection, available via the Axinn Library online databases, is a timely addition to our blog. CQ Voting and Elections integrates data, analyses, explanations, and historical material. The database offers research and reference tools that deal with the American voter, major and minor political parties, campaigns and elections, historical and modern Congressional races, the presidency, and governorships...
Sentencing Law and Policy Blog
Posted on February 13, 2008If you are interested in criminal law, take a look at the Sentencing Law and Policy blog. The blog has been discussed in the Wall Street Journal and Lawyer's Weekly, and according to this, is the first blog to be cited by the U.S. Supreme Court.Speaking of sentencing, I discovered that a movie called Punishment Park (1971) will be screening at the Museum of Modern Art in February and March...
International Law in Domestic Courts
Posted on February 12, 2008For those engaged in transnational/international legal research ILDC brings you a regularly updated repository of domestic cases in international law from over 60 jurisdictions. The cases are selected by local reporters in conjunction with our editorial board and feature expert commentary, full texts of judgments in their original language and translations of key passages of non-English judgments into English...
Authenticated Documents
Posted on February 10, 2008The Government Printing Office has begun offering digital certificates of authentication with some documents. This basically means that a document includes a certificate that will check the document's authenticity when you open it (i.e. whether there is any chance that parts of the document are incorrect because it has been tampered with) and then display an icon showing whether the document has been validated...
Intute--The Academic Search Engine
Posted on February 09, 2008When your studies include transnational law or commerce, human rights, migration, intellectual property--or any topic that involves a British or European focus--Intute is not to be missed. This free academic search engine cuts through the mountains of material on the web to bring users directly to the best web sites and guides for education and research...
Library's Exam Hours Extended
Posted on February 08, 2008As per your requests, I will be prowling an additional week of extended exam hours. The Library will start exam hours two weeks prior to the last day of classes for this semester. The new schedule is below.EXAM PERIOD SCHEDULE - Wednesday, April 16 - Wednesday, May 14Monday - Friday 7:00 A...
Budget of the United States Government
Posted on February 07, 2008As all who read the newspapers know, it is that time of year, again.... Anyone who seeks in-depth information about the U.S. Government budget should be aware of the Office of Management and Budget?s (?OMB?) Web site. The OMB page for the budget contains downloadable PDF files that include the budget, itself, as well as supporting documents...
Child Labor Photographs
Posted on February 06, 2008As a photographer for the National Child Labor Committee, Lewis Hine (1874-140) documented child labor across America. His images exposed the harshness of the practice and the poor conditions under which the children worked.The George Eastman House has an online exhibit of Lewis Hine's work titled "Let Children Be Children: Lewis Wickes Hine's Crusade Against Child Labor"...
Super Tuesday
Posted on February 05, 2008Today is Super Tuesday, the day that 24 states - including New York - go to a caucus or primary to select presidential candidates. A brief overview of Super Tuesday (2008) can be found here on Wikipedia.A guide and update on how the process is proceeding can be found here at CNN...
International Labour Organization?s NATLEX
Posted on February 04, 2008Find information concerning national labor, social security, and relevant human rights legislation worldwide by using NATLEX. NATLEX is maintained by the International Labour Organization?s (ILO) International Labour Standards Department, a specialized agency of the United NationsErnster, the Virtual Library Cat
The Super Bowl
Posted on February 03, 2008Some legal commentators have had football on the brain recently. This blog post notes that the NFL is upset that some churches violate copyright law with their Super Bowl parties, and Nixon Peadody's Employment Law Alert cites the hundreds of millions of dollars in productivity America loses every year due to the big game...
CQPolitcs: News, Background, Connections
Posted on February 02, 2008Super Tuesday, with Presidential primaries in 24 states including New York, is almost here. Whether you plan to vote, are trying to decide on a candidate, or just want reliable facts and background to understand how primaries and Presidential elections work, CQPolitics has it all...
Happy Ground Hog's Day
Posted on February 01, 2008Did you know that here in Nassau County, we have our very own Winter's end predictor named Malverne Mel? Mel will be making his appearance tomorrow just down the road a bit to let us know whether to start shedding soon or not for another 6 weeks. Tomorrow I'll be checking our hometown paper's website - Newsday for Mel's prediction...
Religious Liberty Archive
Posted on January 31, 2008According to its Web site, the Religious Liberty Archive is ?an extensive repository of valuable information and a useful resource for anyone seeking information about state and federal laws pertaining to religious freedom in the United States?. Here, one may view cases on the subject of religious liberty, as well as commentaries, federal statutes, state constitutions, and other important historical materials that are relevant to religious freedom in the United States...
Studies in Scarlet
Posted on January 30, 2008Last Tuesday's post directed you to "bloody murder" from the Harvard Law Library. This week, we are following it up with adultery, abduction, and seduction. Also from the Harvard Law Library, Studies in Scarlet presents trial narratives involving marriage and sexuality from 1815-1914...
Loose-leaf Binders
Posted on January 29, 2008Need a loose-leaf binder? There are some used blue loose-leaf binders available in Government Documents. Some of the exteriors are a little battered, but all of the binders are sturdy and usable. We prefer not to discard usable binders so are offering them to law students...
Human Rights Watch
Posted on January 28, 2008If you are interested in human rights issues, look at the Human Rights Watch website. Their site provides access to information concerning current human rights issues and includes Human Rights Watch Reports in full text.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Regulations.gov
Posted on January 27, 2008Regulations.gov, previously noted on this blog in 2005, is being called Regulations.gov 2.0 because of some enhancements. More agencies now integrate information into the site (a full list of participating agencies is here). It is also possible to sign up to be alerted by email when documents have been added to specific dockets, and to get an RSS feed of new material in the Federal Register...
Discovery Resources
Posted on January 24, 2008Those cutting-edge future litigators among you might find the Discovery Resources Web site to be of interest. Discovery Resources aggregates current information about electronic discovery for the legal community from a variety of different online sources...
Manage Your Library Transactions With "My Library Account" and "Preferred Searches"
Posted on January 23, 2008Save time by re-running important searches using the "Preferred Searches" option in "My Library Account.? Preferred Searches allows you to save search results when using the library catalog. To access Preferred Searches: Log in to your My Library AccountClick "Search Catalog" Key in your search terms and click ?Submit?When your search results display, click ?Save as preferred search?The next time you use ?My Library Account? click the preferred search icon to retrieve your saved searches...
Dying Speeches & Bloody Murders: Crime Broadsides Collected by the Harvard Law School Library
Posted on January 22, 2008From the Cornell Law Library's InSITE website reviews: We learn that Harvard Law School Library digitized its collection of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century British crime broadsides, covering the years 1707 to 1891.Broadside. A sheet of paper printed on one side only or containing one large page without columns...
Court Rules and Forms, Nationwide
Posted on January 20, 2008There's no need to browse through poorly organized official court websites looking for the local rules of procedure, because this LLRX page offers links to court rules for most courts in the U.S., as well as links to online forms and dockets.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Martin Luther King: A Legal Legacy
Posted on January 19, 2008Focusing on the impact and contributions of Martin Luther King and his movement to American law, two librarians from the University of Chicago Law School created a wonderful resource guide. "The Legal Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Selected Resources" includes books, videos, and online articles (many available in Hofstra libraries and databases), as well as primary documents and key web sites with a wealth of information and material on the subject...
Martin Luther King Day
Posted on January 18, 2008Although there are no classes on Monday, January 21 in observance of Martin Luther King Day, the Law Library will be open 10am - 6pm and both Reference and Circulation services will be available during those times.I, of course, will be prowling to make sure all is in order...
Animal Law.com
Posted on January 17, 2008As a follow-up to Monday's post, here is another valuable Animal Law resource: AnimalLaw.com. According to its Web site, AnimalLaw.com "provides access to legislation and legal matters pertaining to the rights and welfare of animals". Presented by the International Institute for Animal Law, AnimalLaw...
Manage Your Library Transactions Using "My Library Account" - Renew Items Online
Posted on January 16, 2008You just got home and remembered that you forgot to renew your library book. Don't worry. Renew it online from home with MY LIBRARY ACCOUNT. MY LIBRARY ACCOUNT provides access to your library patron record and allows you to see what materials you have checked out and renew them online...
Six Techniques to Get More from the Web than Google Will Tell You
Posted on January 15, 2008An article from CIO.com provides some interesting techniques on using the web for research.1. Use Search Engines and Wikipedia to Find Quality Research Sources2. Search Blogs for Specialized Experts Who Sift Through the Web for You3. Study Business School Websites4...
The National Center for Animal Law
Posted on January 14, 2008If you are interested in animal law, take a look at the National Center for Animal law's website.The site offers an abundance of information about animals and the law, a career center, a list of animal law courses, and much, much more. Find out more about your feline (and canine, equine, etc...
IDRC and South Pacific Clerkships
Posted on January 13, 2008The International Data Resource Center (IDRC) offers searching and browsing of 1,200 datasets from the University of Michigan's Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research. This database should definitely be considered when looking for foreign or international statistics...
Enhanced InSITE for Spring Semester
Posted on January 12, 2008Are you facing a new class where the subject is totally unfamiliar and maybe a bit daunting? Two of my favorite services (see posts of February 4 and 13, 2007) from Cornell University Law Library have just been enhanced to help you out. First, get acquainted fast with some of the best websites for an area of law by searching InSITE, the legal site current awareness service...
Regular Hours resume Monday
Posted on January 11, 2008I hope you all had a great break - and come back relaxed and refreshed. I for one enjoyed many a long (and short) catnap.On Monday, the Library will resume regular hours and I will return to my prowling schedule as set forth below. Check out the link on the side for the Reference Librarians' hours...
Free Rice--Vocabulary Builder For World Hunger
Posted on January 10, 2008Would you like to improve your general vocabulary and, at the same time, help to erode the problem of world hunger? Then play FreeRice. For each word you match with its correct synonym, Free Rice donates twenty grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program...
1L Advice from Out of the Jungle
Posted on January 09, 2008Your first semester in law school is over; here is some good advice for 1Ls from the Out of the Jungle blog: Spring Semester Blues ? Treating 1-Ls right.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Young & Well Connected use Libraries More
Posted on January 08, 2008A recent study by the Pew Center and UIUC (Univ. of IL at Urbana-Champaign) found that people 18 to 30 years old were the age group most likely to have recently used a library. From the site:The survey results challenge the assumption that libraries are losing relevance in the internet age...
Legally Funny Videos
Posted on January 05, 2008Now is the time when law students can enjoy a comic and satirical perspective on law school and the legal profession, before a new semester and more serious thoughts intrude. Have you seen "Law School Musical," a popular You Tube video created by University of Maryland law student Owen Jarvis that vividly captures the life and mind-changing experience of the new law student? If you enjoy viewing lawyers and the law as shown in a variety of media and the performing arts, check out The Video Venue (TVV), just launched by The Billable Hour and featuring "video clips by, for, and about lawyers, law students, and legal professionals...
Legal Theme Crossword Puzzle
Posted on January 02, 2008Happy New Year! Before classes begin, have a little fun with K. Hobb?s Legal Beagle crossword puzzle.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
HAVE A GREAT BREAK!!
Posted on December 21, 2007As you all finish up with exams, I look forward to some well earned cat naps. The Library will close at 10pm tonight (Fri., 12/21) and not reopen until Jan. 2, so I will finally get some rest.I will be back on the prowl bright and early at 8am on Wed...
Google Patent
Posted on December 20, 2007Google has now extended its tentacles into the area of patent research. Google Patent allows patent researchers to search the entire collection of patents made available by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Dates of coverage extend from patents issued during the 1790s to those issued by the middle of 2006...
Remote Access to IM Archive
Posted on December 19, 2007Do you wish you could access your IM remotely? Well, Josh Lowensohn discusses two new options from IM History and Simkl that will allow you to search and read your IM archive remotely.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
Lawcrossing for your job search
Posted on December 18, 2007From the site: LawCrossing offers the largest collection of active legal jobs in the world. We continuously monitor the hiring needs of more than 750,000 legal employers, including virtually every law firm, corporation, government office, and public interest organization in the United States...
The Death Penalty Information Center
Posted on December 17, 2007The Death Penalty Information Center is non-profit organization that provides analysis and information on capital punishment. The web site is filled with useful resources such as reports, press releases, news stories, an execution database, and state-by-state information...
The Mitchell Report
Posted on December 16, 2007Are you looking for something to ease the post-finals transition from reading outlines to reading the newspaper? AskSam has posted a free searchable version of The Mitchell Report on steroids in baseball, which is somewhere between reading a contracts outline and reading the sports page...
OANDA: The Currency Site
Posted on December 15, 2007As exams wind down, thoughts may turn to study abroad and other foreign travel in 2008. If foreign travel is in your plans, be sure to visit OANDA first. This helpful site for both currency traders and travelers offers a wide array of currency calculation tools and financial resources, but anyone can appreciate its "Leisure Traveler" section...
Study Break
Posted on December 14, 2007It's Friday, you have had a long week of studying and exam taking. Take a break and restore your sense of humor at Comics.com . Read your favorite comic strips in one place - whether that is Dilbert, Frank & Ernest or classic Peanuts.Study hard, take a break now and again and remember - only one more week to go...
Government Gazettes Online
Posted on December 13, 2007Federal governments throughout the world publish some type of gazette that documents regular governmental activity. For instance, in the United States, the government publishes the Federal Register. The Government Gazettes Online Web site Aattempts to list all online government gazettes and their characteristics to aid researchers...
Looking for a Good Book?
Posted on December 12, 2007Our holiday break is just around the corner and I?m sure you can?t wait to curl up with a good book. To help you, I thought I would share a few readers? advisory tolls.First, I?d like to suggest NoveList. It is a wonderful tool that is accessed through the New York Public Library?s database link with a NYP Access or library card number...
Noise in the library
Posted on December 11, 2007This is a busy time of year and many of you are studying in the library. Please be aware of the different quiet and talking areas within the Library. Please step outside into the lobby or use the upstairs lounges for extended conversations.If you are in a talking area, please keep your voices down...
Codes of Ethics Online
Posted on December 10, 2007Are you looking for a code of ethics? Codes of Ethics Online is a good place to start your search. Created by the Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Codes of Ethics Online has collected over 850 codes of ethics from professional societies, corporations, government and academic institutions...
ARDA: Religion Data Archives
Posted on December 08, 2007ARDA, The Association of Religion Data Archives, is a fascinating goldmine of information from researchers, polling and census data, and other reliable sources. ARDA provides free access to quality data on American and world religions. In easy to view format, it quickly presents national profiles and American city statistics, religious group membership and religious freedom data, and recent survey results on beliefs and practices, replete with maps, charts, and reports...
Government Docs.Org
Posted on December 06, 2007According to its Web site, Government Docs.org "was created to advance the values of open and accountable government. This site gives the public an unprecedented level of access to government documents by allowing users to browse, search, and review hundreds of thousands of pages acquired through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and other public disclosure, or 'sunshine', laws"...
Helpful Policies During Exam Period
Posted on December 05, 2007You know that the Library has extended hours during exam period, but knowing the archived exam and study room policies may prove helpful also. To access the Exam Archive: Go to Hofstra Law School Library Main Page http://law.hofstra.edu/LibraryScroll down...
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Do I have to pay taxes on the sale of virtual items in online games like Second Life and World of Warcraft?
It would seem the most sensical that: a) those who play purely for entertainment...
Can a city library prevent you from using thier facilities based on a school district being from another city reaching into your city?
that seems a little ridiculous that they would do that. libraries are supposed t...
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