Law Librarian Blog

Pink Slips at Miami-Dade County Law Library

And who will service the collection when it is integrated into the Miami public library system?

HeinOnline's Retrospective Conversion of Federal Register Completed

As of August 26, HeinOnline has completed its retrospective conversion of the Federal Register from volume 1 (1936) through volume 70 (June 2005). Brian Jablonski, Director, Marketing & Publications, reports that "in the near future, the Federal Register releases in HeinOnline will be within 30 days of the most-recently published Federal Register content."

What's New in LLRX

Copyright and Licensing Digital Materials - A Resource Guide

Researching Intellectual Property Law In The Russian Federation

Burney's Gadgets for Legal Pros: Travel in Wireless Style

AALL/Aspen Publishers Grant Program to Award Research Grants

The Research Committee of the American Association of Law Libraries is accepting applications for research grants totaling up to $5,000 from the AALL/Aspen Publishers Grant Program.  The deadline for application is October 28, 2005.

The committee will award one or more grants to library professionals who wish to conduct research that supports the research and scholarly agenda of the profession of law librarianship. The grant program funds small or large research projects that create, disseminate, or otherwise use legal and law-related information as their focus. Projects may range from the historical (indexes, legislative histories, bibliographies, biographies, directories) to the theoretical (trends in cataloging, publishing or new service models in libraries) to the practical (implementation models for collection, personnel or infrastructure management).

The AALL Research Agenda offers suggestions for possible research projects that cover a wide segment of professional interest including: the profession of law librarianship, law library patrons, law library services, legal research and bibliography, legal information resources, and law library facilities. However, projects are not limited to those described in the agenda; and the committee will consider all applications and research projects. To review AALL's Research Agenda, please go to http://www.aallnet.org/committee/research/agenda.asp

The AALL/Aspen Publishers Grant Program was established in 1996 with a generous contribution of $50,000 from Aspen Publishers, a New York-based legal publisher. Aspen Publishers considers its contribution as an investment in research that will examine the role of librarians, researchers and legal information providers and will yield results to which publishers can respond. Aspen's goal is to sponsor research that will have a practical impact on the law library profession
and inspire products and changes in the marketplace.

To apply for the grants, all applicants must provide résumés and statements of their qualifications for carrying out their projects. The
applications must demonstrate experience with research projects and an understanding of the dissemination and use of legal and law-related information. Priority will be given to practicing law librarians and AALL members, working individually or in partnership with other information professionals. The grant application and complete guidelines are available at http://www.aallnet.org/about/aspen_grant_application.asp

The submission deadline for applications is Oct. 28, 2005. Grants will be awarded and announced in December. Allocation of the research grants will be at the sole discretion of the AALL Research Committee.

For more information about the grants, please contact Eloise Vondruska, Chair of the AALL Research Committee, at:
e-vondruska@law.northwestern.edu

The members of the AALL Research Committee are:
Eloise Vondruska, Chair, Northwestern University
Duncan Alford, Georgetown University
Karen Beck, Boston College
Jean Callihan, Cornell University
Carol Collins, University of Tennessee
Joel Fishman, Duquesne University/Allegheny County Law Library
Jeanne Frazier Price, University of Texas

LexisNexis Offers IT Services to Firms

LexisNexis is already taking action to assist our firms in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. There are many areas we will be offering assistance in, but in regards to firms rebuilding their networks, LexisNexis would like to extend the following system recovery services as needed to our legal customers located in areas affected by Katrina. Please feel free to contact Terry Williams or Brad Brown at any time for questions or requests related to the services listed below:

• Assistance with Tape Recovery
• Hosting Space
• Network Services and Support
• Hardware Ordering
• PCs
• Technical Support Services
• Bandwidth

Contact Numbers:

Terry Williams
Senior Program Director,
Business Continuity Services
Toll Free 1-800-227-9595 Ext: 51195

Mobile:

Brad Brown
Legal Technology Specialist,
Lexis Technology Group
South Central Region
Toll Free 1-800- 368-6955 Ext 5463
(954) 786-3442 Direct
(954) 294-4703 Cell

Source: AALL LawLibAssist Blog

The Digital John Roberts

Here's what I consider to be the two major collections of digital materials pertaining to SCOTUS Chief Justice nominee John Roberts at this time:

• The University of Michigan Law Library has compiled what might be the most comprehensive collection of digital documents.
• The Library of Congress Law Library's John G. Roberts Nomination Collection is a bibliography with links to a substantial number of digital douments.

GPO Extends Comment Period on Authentication White Paper: Now Due by Sept. 16

As part of its ongoing planning efforts, GPO's Information Dissemination (Superintendent of Documents) organization announced the release of a White Paper on Authentication on June 23, 2005, requesting that comments be submitted by August 8, 2005. In response to requests, GPO is extending the deadline for comments to September 16, 2005, and is also providing samples of authenticated documents for review in conjunction with the white paper. The white paper is available for review at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/proceedings/05spring/cdqa/authentication_white_paper.pdf. (Note: Providing sample documents for review during an extended comment period was requested at AALL.)

GPO is currently testing and evaluating signing/validation tools for Authentication. To assist you in formulating comments on this important topic, GPO has prepared a web page showing digitally signed and certified versions of three Information Dissemination (ID) internal operating policy documents, ID 71, ID 72, and ID 73 available at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/authentication/ using one of the applications we are currently testing.

In addition, information on GPO's Authentication efforts is available from the Authentication Briefing Topics from the Depository Library Council Spring Meeting held in Albuquerque in April 2005. The Briefing Topic is a restatement of Council discussions during the Authentication session and includes revised assumptions and a questions and answers section reporting on questions from GPO to the Council, questions from Council to GPO, and questions from the audience addressed both during and after the meetings.

Authentication Briefing Topic: Council Discussion, Questions and Answers from the Spring Meeting, April 17-20, 2005 is available at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/proceedings/05spring/cdqa/authentication.pdf.

All comments should be emailed to:
Judith C. Russell (jrussell@gpo.gov)
Managing Director, Information Dissemination (Superintendent of Documents)
U.S. Government Printing Office

AALL Career Development Program, Private Law Librarians Asked for Input

As many of you know, AALL will convene an Education Summit at the end of September to establish a career development program for AALL. The Private Law Libraries Special Interest Section needs to hear from private law librarians about what they want to see in such a program. It will be extremely helpful if you took the time to answer the following questions:

1. When you hear "continuing education for librarians," what comes to mind?

2. What topics should be covered in such programs? Experienced librarians - what kinds of training and education do you wish had been available over the course of your career, and what do you need at this time? If you supervise a library staff, what do you wish was available for them?

Newer librarians - coming into the profession, do you perceive gaps in your library school education and personal experience that could be filled by AALL?

3. Who should play a role in identifying needs, developing content and delivering career development programs? Local chapters? Special interest sections? Committees? The AALL executive board? AALL staff? Outside parties? Others (please specify)?

Are there opportunities you can think of where AALL could partner with other organizations to provide career development?

4. What kinds of formats would work in these programs? Live presentations (possibly broadcast to remote locations)? Web seminars? E-courses, similar to what is offered by many library schools? Internships or a more formal mentoring program? Articles? Blogs? Other formats (please specify)?

5. What about the costs of such programs? Would your employer be willing to pay a registration or subscription fee? Should vendors be welcome to underwrite some programs? Would you be willing to "invest" personally in meaningful career development programs that could bring you greater job satisfaction and potentially, a higher income?

Thank you very much for participating in this dialogue

Christine Graesser
Legal Information Specialist
Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels
cgraesser@brownrudnick.com

Tax Court Findings Secretly Changed In At Least 5 Cases

Or so says the headline in an article reported on the Chicago Tribune's web site.  The newspaper has been reporting occasionally on their progress in seeking lower level trial judge rulings in Tax Court and comparing them to the decisions rendered by a reviewing judge who issues the final and official decision.

In previous reports (and noted on this blog) the Tribune wrote about the case of the late Chicago attorney Burton Kantor in which the trial judge adopted findings in favor of Kantor's estate, only to be reversed by a reviewing judge even though the reviewing judge stated that he adopted the findings of the lower trial judge.  The Tax Court refused to issue the trial judge's opinion, and the case ultimately went to the Supreme Court which ordered the trial judge's findings released.

The matter is complicated further by the fact that these reports were once made public but by rule change in 1984 became secret.  The Supreme Court ruling essentially forced another rule change making these findings public again.  That goes into effect on September 20th.

The Tribune has been dogging the Tax Court on this issue and of 900 plus cases, the Tax Court Clerk could only find 117 trial judge rulings. Hmmmm.  The Chief Judge ordered these released to the parties but stated that the decisions are final, implying that there was no recourse on appeal.  Of these 117 decisions, the Tribune reports that decisions were secretly changed in 5 of these cases.

Legal commentators cited in the article question the practice by the Tax Court, speculating on a fraud on the Court, or possibly by the Court. Hmmmm, again.  These same commentators question the Chief Judge's implications about appealability of the cases.

The Kantor tax case from the Supreme Court is Ballard v. Commissioner.

Mark Giangrande, DePaul Law Library

CALI Radio Launched

CALI Radio provides insight and tips on mastering areas of the law from the authors of CALI lessons. Read all about it.

Opening: Reference/Outreach Librarian, Florida State Law

Florida State University Law Library seeks an energetic and enthusiastic reference/outreach librarian.

Responsibilities:
Primary duties include staffing the reference desk, consulting with individuals about research needs, providing research services to law faculty, students and the public, teaching legal research, designing library web pages, preparing research guides, library newsletters and other outreach materials. Other duties include planning and coordinating stack maintenance projects.

Required:
ALA-accredited MLS degree. ABA-accredited JD

Preferred:
Preference given to candidates with reference and instructional experience in an academic law library and with good computer skills.

Salary and Benefits:
Salary range $45,000 - $50,000, depending on qualifications and experience.

To Apply:
Apply by September 13, 2005, to Florida State University at https://jobs.fsu.edu for job reference # 2932

Law Libraries Offering Help to Katrina Law Librarians

A number of academic and firm law libraries are offering free ILL/document delivery services, research services, temproary placements, and offers of office space to law librarians displaced by Katrina. The information is being posted on the AALL LawLibAssist blog. Check back frequently.

Here's a sampling of libraries coming to the aid of our colleagues.

D'Angelo Law Library of the University of Chicago

Pace Law School Library

University at Buffalo Law Library

Thompson Coburn LLP Library (St. Louis)

The Biddle Law Library of the University of Pennsylvania

Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione (Chicago)

Cornell Law Library

I'm pleased to announce that my employer, the Marx Law Library at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, is offering free ILL/document delivery services to the Tulane and Loyola-New Orleans law library communities and to Cincinnati Law alumni affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Loyola Law Program at Univ of Houston Open to Tulane Law Students

More good news.

Loyola - New Orleans Law School's satellite program at the University of Houston starting in October will be open to Tulane students as well, so long as they have paid Tulane tuition.

The program will run mostly on weekends, and will present a full first-year curriculum and significant upper-level offerings.

Source: Tulane Law Post-Hurricane Blog

Details about the Loyola program on Loyola-New Orleans Law Post-Hurrican Blog and Law Librarian Blog.

Legal Services Corporation Needs Disaster Recovery Advice

From the Digital Divide Listserv:

The Legal Services Corporation had several offices devastated by Hurricane Katrina.  They are looking for help in preparing a proposal for makeshift offices and temporary communications. Joyce Raby of LSC sent the following message:

"As you may know LSC has programs all across the country - a number of our offices were devastated by Hurricane Katrina and yet our clients will be needing our services more than ever in the aftermath."

"LSC is in the very early planning stages of disaster response to assist our programs in southern Louisiana and southern Mississippi in assembling remote/mobile/makeshift offices and staff - we are
particularly interested in establishing some wireless connectivity (as soon as there is power available) to ensure our programs will have access to case management and document assembly tools as well as email."

"I am looking to you for referrals or any information you can provide me on resources (staff and stuff) to help me put together a proposal and budget that lays our our alternatives - please also direct me to anyone you know that has done this kind of thing before that you think would be willing to talk to me."

If you can help, please contact Joyce at:

rabyj@lsc.gov

Joyce Raby, Legal Services Corporation.

Blog for NOPL Librarians to Reconnect

NOPL Updates & contact info for New Orleans Public Library Staff, past and present, at http://nopl.blogspot.com/

See earlier post for additional resources: Katrina "I'm Safe" Lists.

Loyola-New Orleans Law to Continue Operations at University of Houston Law Center

Good news.

For those wishing to continue at Loyola Law during the fall semester, the Law School will offer the following program based at the campus of the University of Houston Law Center in Texas:

1. A full, comprehensive 1L semester program for civil and common law students. These courses will be taught by regular full-time faculty of Loyola Law School.

2. Many upper-class courses – also taught by regular full-time faculty of Loyola Law School – will include: Evidence, Trusts and Estates, Constitutional Law, Federal Income Tax, Successions, Family Law, Persons, Environmental Law, Secured Transactions, Education Law, Poverty Law, and other courses to be finalized in the next few days. The faculty is also willing to offer self-designed independent study options.Current restrictions on the number of independent study courses will be waived for students who take an independent study option for this fall.

3. The Law School anticipate that classes will be offered both during the regular work week and on the weekends.

4. Although the Law School is not in the position to provide housing for students, University of Houston and its law students are willing to help locate affordable accommodations, which may include limited dormitory space or (on mutual agreement) the sharing of accommodations with Houston Law Center students.

5. The School will be establishing an office for career services at the University of Houston Law Center.

Source: Loyola-New Orleans Law School Post-Hurrican Blog

No word on whether law librarians from New Orleans will help staff Houston's Law Library.

Educational Aid for Katrina Students

David Dillard (Temple) has compiled a list of resources covering IHE offers of low cost or free education and housing for students displaced by Hurrican Katrina. Great job.

More Communications Resources for Tulane

Yahoo Group for Tulane Law Students

Tulane Survivors Database

See earlier post for additional resources: Katrina "I'm Safe" Lists.

Status of Tulane Library

From Lance Query:

Lance Query has received word that the main library at Tulane seems to be okay;  it appears to have escaped the flooding, or at least has only minimal damage.  The library's off-site storage facility seems to have taken in about a foot of water, which will be difficult to clean, but is okay considering how other parts of the city have fared.  Right now the main concern is looting. He expects it will be at least a few weeks before he can return.

Bush Nominates Roberts as Chief Justice

Transcript of Bush and Roberts Statement

CNN Report  | Washington Post Report

The Supreme Court Nomination Blog, among others, is focusing on the issues.