OpenCongress

The OpenCongress website brings together official government data with news and blog coverage to give you the real story behind each bill. It is a project of the Sunlight Foundation and the Participatory Politics Foundation. The mission of the website is to help everybody know as much about what is going on in Congress as insiders do and to encourage civic engagement.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

It is not Spring quite yet

Due to the freezing rain/sleet/snow, the Library will close at 5pm tonight. The University has closed at 1pm. Get home safely.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Cybercrime Law

Cybercrime Law is a Web site dealing with computer crime and the law. The site defines cybercrime as “offenses against information technology infrastructure”, and it covers the following areas, among others: illegal access to computer systems; illegal interception of, or interference with, non-public data transmissions; illegal interference with computer systems; forgery; and online fraud. The site also contains a worldwide survey of cybercrime laws, as well as original research, presentations, and white papers on the subject.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

New York Crime Statistics Online

In a changing world, crime statistics map important trends in law and society. Whether for criminal law classes, research papers, or just to keep up with crime and law enforcement in your county and region, don't miss the wealth of information available at the statistics pages of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services web site. On the main statistics page, you can find recent data comparing the number and rates of violent and property crimes by New York county, and annual arrest rates since 1997. The "Crimestat" page includes the recently released 2006 Criminal Justice Crimestat Report, a comprehensive document summarizing crime and population trends, sex offender management and DNA collection statistics, and other New York criminal justice data. Last but not least, the "DCJS Publications" page offers topical reports on issues such as domestic violence, juvenile justice, and hate crimes.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

21st Century Library: Special Presentation on Wednesday, March 14

Our special feature workshop is from the real world. Hear the scoop from inside a law firm.

Kathy Greco, Librarian/CLE Coordinator, Rivkin Radler LLP and Yadira Ramos, Associate, Rivkin Radler LLP share their insights on Cost Efficient Research and other Law Practice Survival Tips on Wednesday, March 14, 11:10-1pm in Room 206.

No need to sign up. Come to as many of the 6 workshops as you can. Each workshop is independent, so if you miss earlier ones, you can still come to later ones.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Daylight Saving Time

Did everybody remember to change their clocks over the weekend? Hopefully everybody's computers, dvrs and other electronic devices are working without incident.

Some interesting information on Daylight Saving Time:
* It is singular Saving, not Savings - you are saving time
* To find the time for anywhere in the country see the World Time Server
* Daylight Saving Time began in 1966, was adjusted in 1986 and adjusted now again in 2007
* This latest adjustment was brought about by the Energy Policy Act of 2005
* Daylight Saving Time is not observed in Hawaii and most of Arizona. Only half of Indiana observed it until 2005. Now the entire state observes it.

For anybody that is really interested in the topic, a new book has just come out titled Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time by Dr. David Prerau.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Religion and the Law

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life’s Religion and the Law Web page covers a variety of subjects in the area of controversies involving the separation of church and state. Here, the researcher will find pages that address such topics as bioethics, gay marriage, religion and public schools, the death penalty, and many other related subjects that reflect the interplay of religion, religious belief, and the law.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Multi-State Research Guide

Law school librarians across the country regularly compile up-to-date legal research guides for their students and faculty. Most of these guides are freely available to other law students and the general public on the authoring library's web site. A recent addition to Harvard Law Library's research guide collection is Multi-State Legal Research. This well designed one-page guide provides "resources to legal matters across all fifty U.S. state jurisdictions." Materials are arranged by format (internet, database, and print) and by topic--including links to compilations of state laws on subjects such as adoption, employment and capital punishment, as well as to legislative histories, uniform laws, and state newspapers. For all kinds of multi-state research, this is a great place to start.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

The Ridiculous Business Jargon Dictionary

Yes, I am aware that you are all budding lawyers, but many of the terms appear to cross-professions or can be used in non-business settings. The Ridiculous Business Jargon Dictionary is not to be confused with a real Business Dictionary that accurately defines business terms, but it is a fun place to browse. It is part of the officelife.com site that in their words offers "a collection of opinionated and heavily biased articles about making the most of your life under the fluorescent glow." A not very serious place that does have some common sense articles.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Breastfeeding and the Law

La Leche League International has a wonderful website providing numerous resources dealing with breastfeeding. A large part of the website is devoted to breastfeeding and the law. The legal information is both for the United States and World Wide. The U.S. information provides both current and proposed legislation for each state.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat