Attorney and FOIA expert Scott A. Hodes discusses how requestors’ experience in obtaining results from the FOIA process can in large measure be mitigated by two key factors – FOIA Offices must have the ability to follow the law, and top agency management must allow the professionals within the agency to do this.
Sarah Glassmeyer’s commentary challenges us to consider a Venn Diagram comprising the current state of legal education; the systematic failures surrounding issues of Access to Justice; and in the third circle is the Reinvent/Innovate/New Law world of individuals attempting to make the practice of law more efficient using technological solutions. Sarah then asks – What lies smack in the center of these circles? The answer – Legal Information. Read on.
Ken Strutin’s new guide on criminal justice illuminates the growing importance of math in the administration of justice, with an emphasis on the areas of proof and judgment. Ken raises the examples of how statistics (evidence) and probability (analytics) have been used and challenged in many criminal cases to match people to events through such means as: DNA, soil samples, eyewitness descriptions, firearm purchase records, typewritten documents, clothes fibers, footprints, hair follicles, blood types, sperm, teeth marks, and conviction rates. Indeed, everything from traffic tickets to predictive policing draws on math in some way. Ken’s analysis and through documentation of case law adds a critical perspective on the manner in which “numbers are used, and abused” in court.
Marcus P. Zillman’s updated guide is a keynote presentation he has been delivering and fine tuning with his tremendous acumen to include evolving content pertinent to researchers in all arenas. As the virtual territory addressed by this topic covers trillions of pages of information located throughout the world wide web in various files and formats, this guide is a critical resource for professionals seeking to effectively leverage searching for specific data.
David Rothman’s commentary focuses on how the Digital Public Library of America is still on track to be a mostly academic creature despite the P word in its name. David supports and documents innovative, creative and value-added goals that with proper focus, can bolster the DPLA onto the level of a world-class academic digital library system, as opposed to siphoning off badly needed resources and other forms of support from public librarians who should be forming their own e-system. At the same time, Rothman believes that the DPLA and public libraries should work closely on joint projects, including an alternative to Facebook–not a clone but a different kind of social network.
Prof. Annemarie Bridy reviews the facts related to fair use and copyright in the long awaited decision delivered in the Google Book Search case on November 14, 2013 by Judge Chin. She focuses on the court’s deliberation of statutory requirements for the fair use defense to a claim of infringement based on weighing four critical factors. In sum, Bridy believes the opinion is an efficient and complete analysis of the required factors, and thinks that it will hold up well on appeal.
Lawyer and legal tech expert Nicole Black highlights how federal court judges are leveraging research and current awareness sources and services provided to professionals and the public via their respective court websites, as well as actively using mobile tools and apps in their daily work flow.
Attorney/Librarian Eve Ross demonstrates in a clear and actionable presentation how librarians can effectively leverage data-driven statistics to measure and document the work streams, processes and services they provide to respective organizations. Eve’s emphasis is on accountability, transparency and helping to improve the organization’s bottom line with expert, reliable and cost effective services.
Marcus Zillman’s timely and information packed guide to ShoppingBots and Online Shopping Resources is a comprehensive listing of shoppingbot and online shopping/coupon resources and sites on the Internet. Marcus also provides a value-added section of Notes and Suggestions for Virtual Shopping to assist you with safe, effective tools, techniques and sources to ensure your online shopping will be successful in all its facets!
Bess Reynolds expertly documents the strategy, tools and techniques to implement effective metrics that clearly define and communicate to management your library’s value added deliverables.