IT secrets

Need to know how to create Tables of Contents and Authorities in Word? I just learned that the Law School's IT department has a handout on that. Don't forget to check Tips of the Day for useful tips and tricks online.

I learned this because one of you put a suggestion in our Library Suggestion box. Keep those suggestions coming - either in the Suggestion box, or post a comment with yours truly.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

BBC News

On occasion, would you like to receive news about world affairs from a different perspective from that of our home-based media? Then look no further than the BBC News Web site. Different sections of the site offer news categorized by world regions (those links appear in the left-hand column), as well as by various subjects, such as health, business, science, technology, and entertainment. Links are often available to audio and video coverage, and news coverage also appears in thirty-three languages.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Have You Tried SearchMash?

SearchMash is a little-known, unbranded Google site, available at http://www.searchmash.com/, where you can help Google try out a new search engine interface. Search results are sorted with the first 20 web pages and some brief text displayed on the left side of the screen, while images, blogs, videos, and Wikipedia results are viewed from a menu on the right. A link for "more web results" will add 20 more results to the first 20, and so on, allowing a continuing scroll without having to return to a previous page. Watch and pause the videos by clicking on their thumbnails; display detailed results for images, blogs, or videos on the left side of the screen; and hide the details to produce a quick list of web sites useful for background information and primary documents on a topic. Try out SearchMash with a favorite legal, historical or other topic--and let them know what you think.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

What Research Skills Do employers Really Want New Attorneys to Know ?

What research skills do your employers really want you to know before you start your summer or full time job?

According to “Top 10 Things Law Librarians Wish New Associates Would Know”, you should:

- “Know the basics. Civics 101 .... Know the difference between statutes and regulations”

- “Know that you should never, ever start your research with Lexis and Westlaw if you are clueless about the topic at hand.”

- “Know that efficiency in searching Lexis and Westlaw is essential.”

(Bobbi Cross, “Commentary” The Legal Intelligencer, Vol. 233 , No. 67, April 7, 2006. Article available on Westlaw at “Top Ten Things . . .” or use Find for 4/7/2006 Legal Intelligencer 7. )

To help you to be ready for your jobs, the Reference Librarians will present a series of 6 workshops in March -

“Top 10 Research Skills: What Employers Really Want New Attorneys to Know.”

During the first week :

1. “Know the Basics. Civics 101" will be on Monday, March 5, 5:10-6pm in Room 205 and repeated Tuesday, March 6, 12;10-1pm in Room 243.

2. “How to Use the Basics” will be on Wednesday, March 7, 1:10-2pm in Room 243 and repeated on Monday, March 12, 5:10-6pm in Room 242.

3. "Getting Background on your Topic" will be on Thursday, March 8, 3:10-4pm in Room 242 and repeated on Tuesday, March 13 at 12:10-1pm in Room 242.

Coming in week 2 is our special feature workshop. A law firm librarian and associate will come share their insights on Cost Efficient Research and other Law Practice Survival Tips on Wednesday, March 14.

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.

For the full schedule of workshops, see the Schedule in the posting below.

If you have any questions, contact Lisa at lawlas@hofstra.edu or at 463-5392.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Top 10 Research Workshops Schedule

Top 10 Research Skills: What Employers Really Want New Attorneys to Know

Week 1
1. “Know the Basics. Civics 101"
• Monday, March 5, 5:10-6pm in Room 205 and repeated on
• Tuesday, March 6, 12:10-1pm in Room 243.

2. “How to Use the Basics”
• Wednesday, March 7, 1:10-2pm in Room 243 and repeated in Week 2

3. "Getting Background on your Topic"
• Thursday, March 8, 3:10-4pm in Room 242 and repeated in Week 2


Week 2
2. “How to Use the Basics”
• Monday, March 12, 5:10-6pm in Room 242.

3. “Getting Background on your Topic”
• Tuesday, March 13, 12:10-1pm in Room 242.

**4. “Cost Efficient Research and other Law Practice Survival Tips”**
• Wednesday, March 14, 11:10-1pm in Room 206
Presented by Kathy Greco, Librarian/CLE Coordinator, Rivkin Radler LLP
Yadira Ramos, Associate, Rivkin Radler LLP

5. “Search Strategy”
• Thursday, March 15, 3:10-4pm in Room 242 and repeated in Week 3


Week 3
5. “Search Strategy”
• Monday, March 19, 5:10-6pm in Room 242

6. “Smart Searching”
• Tuesday, March 20, 12:10-1pm in Room 242 and repeated on
• Wednesday, March 21, 1:10-2pm in Room 243




Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Hurisearch

Hurisearch is the only comprehensive search engine specialised in human rights information. Its general objective is to facilitate access to human rights information on the web. Its specific objectives are as follows:

• To provide human rights professionals with a powerful web research tool.
• To increase the visibility of information published by human rights organisations, in particular small local organisations with first-hand information.
• To encourage webmasters to use metadata systematically, thus making human rights information searching much more reliable and efficient.

It targets persons working with or interested in human rights, who need powerful search tools to access up-to-date and relevant information including: human rights monitors and researchers, students and academics, diplomats and persons working in international organisations, politicians and journalists.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Online Renewals

Did you know that you can renew online the library books that you have checked out of the Deane Law Library all by yourself. All you have to do is enter the library catalog and click on the link to My Library Account, which is up in the dark blue part of the page. You must then fill in your first and last name and 700 number, which can be found on your Hofstra I.D. card, and click submit. This will then take you to your patron record page. Click on the number of items you have checked out and you will be taken to a page listing the items with little boxes next to each item. Above the list are icons that say "renew all" and "renew selected". If you only want to renew some of your items, check the boxes for those items and click renew selected. If you want to renew all, don't check any boxes and just click the renew all icon.

All the loan rules that we follow at the circulation desk are still being followed by the computer when you renew online. So if you try to renew an item that has no renewals left or it is too early to renew it, the renewal will not go through online.

Hopefully online renewals will make it easier for you to avoid overdue fees. Now, even if you can't get to campus, you can still have your books renewed.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat