Google Scholar: A New Way to Search for Cases and Related Legal Publications
Courtney Minick and David Tsai provide an overview of the new features Google Scholar provides for the legal research market.
Year archives: 2009
Understanding the Limitations – and Maximizing the Value – of eBooks
The holiday season is here, and many signs suggest that thousands of people are finding themselves new owners of electronic book (“eBook”) readers. Whether it’s an Amazon Kindle, a Barnes & Noble Nook, a Sony Reader, or any of the less heavily advertised devices currently on the market, electronic book readers are being trumpeted as a product that has finally hit the mainstream after years on the bleeding-edge. eBook readers, in fact, do have the potential to radically reshape how books are read. Equally important, according to Conrad J. Jacoby, they are already reshaping how books are bought and owned.
Project Management – A Law Librarian Survival Skill
Carol A. Watson discusses how effective project management requires considerable thought and preparation before actually initiating the work of the project. Although many of us are eager to jump into the tasks related to a project, it is important to remember that careful planning will provide the groundwork for a successful project outcome. Carol reminds us, “Remember, it takes time to save time,” and she will be writing on this overall topic in forthcoming issues of LLRX.com
A Guide for the Perplexed Part III: The Amended Settlement Agreement
On Friday, November 13, 2009, Google, the Authors Guild, and the Association of American Publishers filed an Amended Settlement Agreement (ASA) in the copyright infringement litigation concerning the Google Library Project. The amendments proposed by the parties are designed to address objections made by the U.S. Department of Justice and copyright holders to the original proposed settlement agreement. This paper by Jonathan Band describes the ASA’s major changes, with emphasis on those changes relevant to libraries.
Deep Web Research 2010
Marcus P. Zillman is a an internet search expert whose extensive knowledge of how to leverage the “invisible” or “deep” web is exemplified in this guide. The Deep Web covers somewhere in the vicinity of 1 trillion pages of information located through the world wide web in various files and formats. Current search engines are able to locate around 200 billion pages. Marcus identifies sources to mitigate the odds on behalf of serious searchers.
Research RoundUp: Business Filings Databases Updated
Kathy Biehl’s guide to online corporate and business filings available provides links to and descriptions of services available from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as selected commercial services. It is the most comprehensive, reliable web resource available on the topic.
Access to Social Websites in The Legal Environment – Fall 2009 – Part 1: Survey of Law Librarians in Selected Firms, County/State Law Libraries and Law Schools.
To ascertain the current use of social websites/media in law firms, a survey was conducted among Law Librarians entitled Computer Use in Your Organization. In addition to the responses from law firm Law Librarians, several Law Librarians from law schools and county/state government law libraries also responded as did an independent Law Librarian. The opinions of Law Librarians was sought since they are typically among the first professionals in the legal environment to explore, use and recommend new computer innovations and trends useful to attorneys, judges and legal scholars regarding information gathering, information sharing, electronic legal research and current awareness. Part 1 of the Survey details the responses of fifty-six Law Librarians regarding computer use in their organizations. Part 2 will review the responses and take a close look at the implications of the responses and what, if any, patterns can be predicted for 2010.
Strengthening Forensic Science: The Next Wave of Scholarship
Ken Strutin’s article focuses on threads of scholarly literature citing and commenting on the recent National Academy of Sciences report, Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward, and highlights discussions where experts and practitioners rethink the merits of a wide range of forensic issues.
Bridging the DiGital Divide: A New Vendor in Town? Google Scholar Now Includes Case Law
The November 17, 2009 Google launch of free caselaw searching via Google Scholar is the focus of John J. DiGilio’s timely content and resource review.
Support for the Research Process – An Academic Library Manifesto
This document by Chris Bourg, Ross Coleman, and Ricky Erway can serve as a pathfinder for those professionals seeking to focuses on roles that academic, law and special librarians could undertake in order to better support the research process.