YouTube EDU

Have you discovered YouTube EDU, launched earlier this week? By bringing together into one collection only material submitted to YouTube by colleges and universities, YouTube EDU makes it quick and easy to find university and law school class lectures, 200 full courses (including one in Environmental Law and Policy), and guest lectures and presentations on law and related topics given at some of the world's most prestigious universities. Many other fields, including science and psychology, are well represented among the more than 20,000 videos. You can also link to YouTube EDU from the YouTube home page. Try searching for "law," a favorite legal topic, or a professor or speaker's name. For example, Hofstra Law Professor Janet Dolgin's lecture on "Attitudes Toward Embryonic Stem-Cell Research" at Case Western University is quickly located on YouTube EDU.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Keeping up on the legal profession

Did you know that you can subscribe to the ABA daily or weekly email newsletter for free? You can set up an RSS feed, if you prefer as well. It helps me keep up with what is going on in the profession as well as legal education. For instance in this week's edition, there is an article about the tough market for Law grads. Also, I learned that "Webster Makes It Official: Definition of Marriage Has Changed" .

It is free. To subscribe, go to http://www.abajournal.com/subscribe .



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Cost-Saving Tips For Lexis And Westlaw Research

The Cleveland-Marshall College of Law’s blog contains a brief but excellent article with tips on how to do research cost effectively using Lexis and Westlaw. Links to PDF files that contain further tips offered directly by Lexis and Westlaw are available, as well.

Your current and future employers will no doubt appreciate your using these money-saving tips during your research.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

The Oyez Project

The Oyez Project is a "multimedia archive devoted to the Supreme Court of the United States and its work. It aims to be a complete and authoritative source for all audio recorded in the Court since the installation of a recording system in October 1955. The Project also provides authoritative information on all justices and offers a virtual reality 'tour' of portions of the Supreme Court building, including the chambers of some of the justices."



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Titanic Case

The wreck of the Titanic was found in 1985 and started a legal tussle regarding ownership of the artifacts. A federal judge in Norfolk, VA is expected to rule soon that the items must remain together and accessible to the public. There is a sub-set of law devoted to shipwreck and salvage; and the Titanic is a prime example of some of the legal conflicts generated.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

The Human Trafficking Project

The Human Trafficking Project is a good place to keep track of issues surrounding human trafficking and related crimes. The blog features news, government reports and legislation about trafficking and also provides commentary and discussion about the problem. Recent posts have highlighted the UNODC Global Report on Human Trafficking and featured an exchange on feminism and trafficking.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Local Library Databases

Many people are unaware that they probably have access to a number of subscription databases through their local public library, many of them accessible from home.

For instance, databases available from the NYPL are here. Anyone who lives, works, attend school, or owns property in New York State is eligible for a free NYPL card. And databases available from Nassau County's public libraries are listed here.

Although many of these offerings will overlap with the online resources provided by the Deane Law Library, and Axinn Library, chances are that you will not be in school forever, and you probably still know people who are not law students.

(Databases provided by public libraries are usually accessible under licenses specifying that they cannot be used for commercial purposes.)



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat