Library Survey, Quiet/Talking Areas (during exams) Follow-Up

Thanks to everyone who participated in the survey! Over the coming weeks, I will post various information from the survey, along with follow-up questions where we have insufficient information.

The first topic for discussion is talking versus quiet spaces, and this is admittedly a hot topic. The responses were significantly divided, with 49.5% of the group voting to make the entire library a quiet space. However, that means that a significant number of people still want some talking areas. Further complicating the matter, the comments that we received were also mixed, some finding the library too quiet and others finding it too noisy. Based on these responses, during Fall 2006 exam weeks, the library will retain its current talking/quiet designations.

Because opinions are so mixed, and because there are different sensitivity levels to noise, please alert the reference or circulation desks if you feel that there is too much noise in an area. They can then assess the noise to see if it is unreasonable and then speak to the noisemakers. Please keep in mind that these service desks are not situated in every library room, so the staff may not always be aware when there is a noise problem. We rely on users in these areas to alert the staff to these issues.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

The Most Reliable Search Tool

CNET recently published an article titled "Most reliable search tool could be your librarian". Although doing your research on Google may be quicker, it is very often not nearly as reliable. The author, Elinor Mills, uses a great example of this, by discussing how the first result of a Google search of Martin Luther King was a web site written by white supremacists. The article goes on to talk about many more reasons why a librarian is better than a search engine for doing research.

So come by and visit us; we are always happy to help.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Law School Innovation Blog

Check out a new member of the Law Professor Blog network entitled the Law School Innovation Blog.

Professor Douglas A. Berman explained in his introductory post that:

Topics ranging from Harvard Law School's new 1L curriculum to the recent emergence of Supreme Court clinics to blogging as scholarship to PowerPoint and internet access in the classroom are just some of the issues I hope will get discussed here.

Sounds like a keeper!

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Today in the Library

Due to illness of our Thursday evening librarian, we will have to close the Reference desk this evening at 5pm.

Don't forget to fill out the Library survey - tell us what you think and enter the raffle to win an iPod shuffle . Check your email for the web site.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Voting Technology: Brave New World

As national elections approach, the media is buzzing about new voting technology and whether our votes (for any candidate) will actually be counted. Anyone interested in the latest news about the voting equipment being adopted across the country, local election experiences, and assessments should check out the Caltech-MIT Voting Technology Project web site. The Project brings together technical and social science experts from both schools to evaluate how reliable and secure American voting systems currently are, and to suggest uniform standards going forward. I also recommend Vote: The Machinery of Democracy for an eye-opening look into America's past experience with ballots, voting methods and machines. This online Smithsonian Institution exhibit visually tracks how voting has evolved over the course of our history along with social and technological change.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

21st Century Library workshop: Paper Writing

Paper Writing: Are you still searching for a topic for a paper this semester? If you already have chosen a topic, would you like some help gathering resources? If so, please attend the library's upcoming workshop exploring databases we have available both in the law school and via Axinn, the university's main library. There are many high quality resources available to you which you may not know about!! This workshop will introduce you to many of them, as well as touch upon the many "law and"-type resources available through Lexis and Westlaw.

When: Tues., Oct. 31^st – 11:10 to 12 noon; and
Thurs., Nov. 2^nd – 5:10 to 6:00 pm

Where: Lower Level Computer Lab

All law students are welcome.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

National Contact Center

The Federal Citizen Information Center National Contact Center website was created to give the public a place to get answers to their questions about the government. There is a national number directly to the NCC 1-800-FED-INFO, in which the NCC will respond to inquiries. The site also has a directory to the phone numbers of Congress, the Cabinet, Agencies and Commissions. In addition, there are also links to questions and answers on popular topics.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Wikipedia Competition?

Seems like the Wikipedia will soon have some serious competition.

According to an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Larry Sanger, a co-founder, and now critic of Wikipedia, has announced the creation of the Citizendium, "an online, interactive encyclopedia that will be open to public contributors but guided by academic editors."

The model for Citizendium is one in which "self-appointed experts will oversee the editing and shaping of articles. Any Web surfer, regardless of his or her credentials, will be able to contribute to the Citizendium. But scholars with "the qualifications typically needed for a tenure-track academic position" will act as editors, he said, authorizing changes in articles and approving entries they deem to be trustworthy".

It will be interesting to see how this competition will play out...



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Taxing Issues

For any of you who were interested but were unable to attend the Tax Research workshop in the Library's 21st Century workshop series, you can pick up the handout from the handout rack by the Reference desk.

Among the highlights: the BNA Tax Portfolios database*, the Westlaw Tax tab, the Lexis Research Task for Tax and RIA Checkpoint database*. Useful for help on filling out your own tax returns are the Publications put out by the IRS, available at http://www.irs.gov/ .

*available from the Library's Research Databases web page.

For questions on any of these, see your favorite Reference Librarian.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

State Statute Legislative Histories

Compiling state legislative histories is a notoriously difficult process, because states vary greatly in the legislative history materials that they make available. If, however, you need information about how to find the legislative history of a state statute, then Indiana University's Web page devoted to state legislative history research guides on the Web will be of great value. Included are links to various online research guides that will help you to find legislative history materials for almost all fifty states, including New York.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat