Treaty Status On Thomas

A somewhat well-kept secret is the fact that information is available on Thomas regarding the status of treaties to which the U.S. is a party. Complete coverage begins with the 94th Congress (1995-96). Older treaties are included if they were pending in 1975 when the database was created. Users may search by Congress, by word/phrase, by treaty number, or even by treaty type. There are also links to GPO Access for those who require the full text of treaties from the 94th Congress forward.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Painting the Library

Starting this week, and continuing for at least through next week, the walls of the first floor of the Library are being painted. The work will be done during closed hours, but you will see pictures and signs being moved around as the painters do their work. We thank you for your patience during this time.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Legal Tech Trends

OK, so you are computer literate and may even be something of a techie guru. But, do you know how technology is used in law firms? As everywhere else the technology changes at law firms speeds ahead at a phenomenal rate. Predictions for 2006 maybe found at "Dennis Kennedy's Legal Technology Predictions for 2006: Small Steps for Most Firms, Giant Leaps for a Few Firms". He gives some big picture trends and makes 8 quick specific predictions. More information on law firm technology may be found at Dennis Kennedy's website that also links to his blog. Both his site and blog are worth looking at (IMHO).

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

New Postage Rates

On Sunday, January 8th, 2006, the U.S. postage rates increased. The price of a 1 oz. First class letter has risen from .37 to .39 and the price of a postcard from .23 to .24. For a list of all the rate changes see the USPS new rates and fees page. If you don't want to wait on line to buy new stamps you can purchase your stamps online through the The Postal Store. Since I had been caught unprepared for the change and had many .37 stamps left, I stocked up on the nice Navajo jewelry .02 stamps they are selling.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Google Video Store

Google has announced at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) plans for a new Google Video Store allowing video purchase and rental from Google Video. Content from about 40 providers will be initially available for purchase. In the near future, the program will open to any video producer wishing to charge per view of their video. Google's flexible pricing structure sets it apart from iTunes. Here, content suppliers can name their own price, from zero on up. The content owners who charge for video downloads must share 30 percent of the revenue with Google. Break out your video cameras!

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

The Best of Legal Blogging Awards, 2005

Just as final exams ended last month--and most law students settled into some serious escape and rest--Dennis Kennedy's 2005 Best of Legal Blogging Awards, a/k/a the "Blawggie Awards," were announced by the law and technology expert and pioneer legal blogger at DennisKennedy.com/blog. (Scroll down and click on "Blawggies" under Archives.) The winners of the second annual awards represent eleven categories of law-related blogs and blogging (including one called "Best Legal Blog Category," honoring blogs created by law librarians). The announcement features lively short descriptions, links, and overall criteria for selection. Law-related blogs have quickly become a key information and communication resource for lawyers--both academics and practitioners. Before a busy new semester begins, explore a few of the best.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

In my Prime

Having watched the film Pi (a "mathematical thriller") over break, I am in a mathematical mind. For any of you mathematicians who could use and extra $100,000, check out the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search . The longest known prime number discovered just last month is 9.1 million digits. The first person to discover a "Mersenne" prime number over 10 million digits long will win the $100,000 top prize. Good luck!

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Environmental Conditions In Your Community

The Environmental Protection Agency's "Where You Live" Web page is a very useful resource for those who wish to learn more about the environmental conditions in their communities. A simple search by ZIP code yields information regarding pollution, hazardous waste sites, and other regulatory information. For those without a protective coat of fur, there is even a daily forecast of the expected intensity of Ultraviolet radiation from the sun!

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Happy Birthday Louis Braille!

Serendipity. When heading on over to Google to do a search, I noticed their normal logo wasn't normal anymore. As of right now, you can see it here. Same letters, but spelled in braille instead of the romanized alphabet.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Happy New Year!

We are back for a new year and shortly the start of a new semester. Keep an eye on this blog for updates on Deane Law Library news and events. Library hours are shorter during the intersession, so you might want to check our website for specifics.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat