Legislative Histories Online

Finding 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. A great place to begin is with "Legislative Histories of Selected U.S. Laws on the Internet," part of the Legislative Source Book created by the Law Librarians' Society of Washington, D.C. The non-commercial legislative history sources are listed first, with links to the public law and the web site of the legislative history. The commercial database listing is also arranged alphabetically by popular name of the law, and then by public law number, with links to the database home page. You will need to log on or access that database to locate the specific legislative history. For help with finding a compiled legislative history, just ask at the Law Library Reference Desk.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

1L/Transfer Lexis Westlaw training

For 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. (Evening students, you will have your own session in the Spring.)

Training will last for three weeks. The schedule is below. Sign up at the Circulation desk . . . AND MAKE SURE TO BRING YOUR REGISTERED USERNAMES AND PASSWORDS FOR BOTH SYSTEMS!! Meet in the Lower Level lab.

Monday, 9/15 - 11:10-12:40 ; 3:10-4:40
Tuesday, 9/16 - 10:10-11:40 ; 12:10-1:40
Wednesday, 9/17 - 11:10-12:40 ; 3:10-4:40 ; 5:10-6:40
Thursday, 9/18 - 10:10-11:40
Friday, 9/19 - 12:10-1:40
Sunday, 9/21 - 1:10-2:40

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Election Law Online Resource

Election 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”.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

George Stephanopoulos to visit Hofstra

This 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.

Location: John Cranford Adams Playhouse, South Campus

While this event is free and open to the public, seating is limited. Students and faculty will receive preference during registration and seating. Due to this intense interest in this event, all attendees must register in advance by clicking here. (Registering via this system represents a request for tickets to the event. You will be notified via e-mail within 48 hours regarding the status of your request. There is a limit of two tickets per request.)




Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

HeinOnline Wiki

If 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

This 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. And this is pretty similar to what you'll see in Legal Research in a Nutshell (on Reserve and behind the Ref. desk in our library).







Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat