So much to do, so little time

So much is happening this Wednesday during Common Hours, it may be difficult to decide what to do. Fortunately the free time is for 2 hours and activities are staggered so you can participate in more than one. Overview of the Library's website starts at 12:10 and won't last an hour so you will have time to stop by the bake sale before heading to 308 for the Professors' discussion of the Supreme Court. OK, you may prioritize your schedule differently, but take advantage of the activities offered!

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Supreme Court Nominations

The Library of Congress Law Library Reading Room has added new resources on Supreme Court nominations. The three categories of links can be reached from the main page and are:
1. John G. Roberts Nomination Collection, which contains a bibliography of books, articles and opinions written by Roberts, cases argued by Roberts and a variety of secondary and other sources;
2. Supreme Court Nomination Documents, which contain floor debates, votes, hearing transcripts and Senate statements of the current Supreme Court Justices;
3. Web Resources Relating to Supreme Court Nominations.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Google Earth - A 3D interface to the planet

This Google application has a HUGE wow factor. It has been suggested that it is the best thing ever to be given away in the history of free things (This had been a pay service called Keyhole before being purchased by Google) . Google Earth is a map of the world made up of satellite and aerial images. You can type in an address or zip code and zoom right in from outerspace. It's a planet worth of pictures that you can magnify, tilt and explore to your heart's content. You can "fly" from one location to another. It is so powerful that the South Korean government is voicing concerns about disclosure of it's military bases. I could go on and on, but this MUST be downloaded (easy & quick) and seen to be appreciated. Here is the Link: http://earth.google.com/ . Be forewarned, flying around the planet is strangely addicting! To get beyond the basics, check out Chris Sherman's recent article Hacking Google Earth . This is world class COOL!!

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Locating Journal Articles--More Help

Have you tried Lexis and Westlaw, HeinOnline, and the Hofstra online catalog’s “Journal Finder” and still not found the full-text article you need, preferably in PDF format? The reference librarians tell me that another useful source that links to sites with full-text articles online is Library of Congress Law Reviews Online. In order to be listed in this source, a journal must publish online—and some full-text material must be available. Despite some bad links, this site is worth a try if you haven’t had luck elsewhere. For an example of quick results with a title not available on HeinOnline, select the link to Richmond Journal of Law and Technology.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

21st Century Library: Overview of the Library's website

Want to look at a past exam? Need to know how late the library is open? Looking for inspiration for paper or note topics? Will the 21st Century Library workshop "Overview of the Law Library's Website" will answer your questions. The workshop will be held Monday, September 12 at 12:10 PM and repeated on Wednesday, September 14 at 12:10 PM in the lower level computer lab. Take a tour of the website and discover a wealth of resources.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

For the Chemists and Poets in the Crowd

Yes, I know you are all lawyers, but you do not need to be a chemist to appreciate The Periodic Table of Haiku . Here you will find the Perioidic Table, with links to haikus about the elements. Amazingly, each haiku is descriptive of that particular element. An example:

6 Carbon

Dead stars reborn
as diamonds, buckeyballs,
and beings

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Legislative Branch Resources On GPO Access

As you know, at times, my virtual nocturnal prowlings take me far afield of the Law Library. During one such wandering, I discovered that the following link to federal legislative resources on GPO Access, the U.S. Government Printing Office's Web page, is well worth bookmarking.

Here, you will find links to resources ranging from the searchable full text of the U.S. Code and the Congressional Record, to legislative history materials (Committee hearings, prints, even the Congressional Serial Set), to Congressional rules and procedures, all just a click away. Note, however, that the coverage is of fairly recent vintage. Therefore, for older materials, you will likely need to search elsewhere.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Bathroom Construction Update

The bathroom in the Library is still under construction. We do not have an update from the University as to when it will be finished, but we all hope soon.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Constitution Day

Congress has declared September 17th as Constitution Day. This is a day to commemorate the signing of the United States constitution at the Constitutional Convention convened in Philadelphia to draft a replacement for the Articles of Confederation. Educational institutions must offer an educational program or display on the Constitution. As the 17th is a Saturday this year, the event may be held the week before or after. The Library plans a display, but the American Constitution Society and the Federalist Society are hosting a debate between Prof. Leon Friedman and Prof. Julian Ku during the common hour on Monday, Sept. 19th. Look for the posters for this event, it should be an interesting and fun debate.

The U.S. constitution was signed in 1787, but still had to be ratified by the states. The proposed constitution was extremely controversial and almost was not ratified. It was only by promising a "Bill of Rights" that the populace accepted the document. Amendments 1-10 are the results of that promise.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Katrina Information Map

An amazing use of technology in the face of disaster is Scipionus.com . This is a resource where people can report and find damage assessments on a Google Map. Scipionus is a "wiki", a collaborative page which has created a document of incredible detail regarding the condition of the gulf coast. Click on one of the hundreds of red balloons for site specific information. A wonderful application. Kudos to its 24 year old creator, Jonathan Mendez, a computer programmer living in Austin, Texas.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat