Law Librarian Blog

Opening: Law Library Director, Hamline Univ

56236:    Director of Law Library, School of Law, Hamline University
Employer:	Hamline University
Contact:	Hamline University 1536 Hewitt Ave. St. Paul, MN 55104-1284
Binder/Location:	10 Nonprofit Management and Admin.
Job Category:	Advanced Degree
Education Level:	Juris Doctor Years of previous or related experience
Job Location:	Greater Twin Cities metro area
Job Type:	Jobs at Hamline University
Pay Note:
Needed to Apply:	Cover Letter Resume References
Apply Note:
Date Posted:	June 14, 2007
Job Description:	Hamline University School of Law invites nominations and applications for the position of Director of the Law Library, a tenure-track position with faculty rank. Hamline University, founded in 1854, is the oldest university in Minnesota. The Law School is approved by the ABA and is a member of the AALS. The Hamline faculty includes 40 full-time professors who teach more than 700 students in full-time and part-time programs. The law school publishes three journals, the Hamline Law Review, the Journal of Public Law and Policy and the peer-reviewed Journal of Law and Religion, offers a highly regarded clinical program and has a long-standing record of distinction and success by its moot court teams. The Hamline Dispute Resolution Institute is internationally acclaimed with established programs for American and foreign law students and lawyers in St. Paul, Rome, London and (with Cardozo Law School) Budapest, as well as a program providing ADR training and LL.M. opportunities for lawyers from India. The law school also has a new Health Law Institute which provides educational opportunity for law students, performs community service, and fosters scholarship and debate about pressing national and local health issues. The Hamline Law Library has an energetic, well qualified staff of six librarians (including the director) and five support staff. The library's collection includes a balance of print and electronic resources carefully selected to best support the law school's educational, research, and service programs. Library facilities include approximately 38,000 square feet of attractive space with wireless access throughout, a computer lab and rooms for group study and seminars. The law library enjoys a collaborative relationship with the university library and participates actively in Cooperating Libraries in Consortium (CLIC), a local consortium of private college and university libraries which share an Innovative Interfaces integrated library system and engage in a robust resource sharing program. Responsibilities: The Library Director reports to the Dean of the Law School, serves on the administrative team of the law school, and holds a law faculty appointment on the tenure track. The library?s primary mission is to support the educational and scholarly program of the law school and to meet the needs for legal information of the faculty, students and legal community. As a member of the administrative team, the Director manages and oversees the successful operation of the law library, including personnel management, budget administration, facilities planning, collection development, programmatic initiatives for research, reference, instructional, and technical services, strategic long-term and short-term planning, and technology applications within the library. As a member of the law school faculty, the Director teaches in the law school program, serves on law school and university committees, and must meet institutional requirements for promotion and tenure. Qualifications: Candidates must hold a JD and an MLS (or equivalent) from accredited institutions and should have substantial academic law library administrative experience. Demonstrated leadership and management skills, ability to work successfully in a collegial setting, and interest in scholarship and community service are essential. Teaching experience, a record of scholarly publication, and history of active participation in professional organizations are highly desirable. A demonstrated ability to work with a diverse community and a commitment to inclusive excellence is an important qualification. To Apply: Nominations or letters of application should be sent to Howard J. Vogel, Professor of Law, Hamline University School of Law, 1536 Hewitt Ave., St. Paul, MN. 55104 or by email at lawfacrecruit@hamline.edu. We will accept applications until the position is filled. EOE/AA
Deadline Date:	None Provided

Opening:Faculty Services Librarian, CUNY School of Law

Since the school’s founding in 1983, our focus has been on creating a law school where our students and graduates work towards increasing access to justice and using the law to create a more equitable world. Towards that end, we have committed resources to expand the library’s proactive services to CUNY School of Law’s community, especially in providing additional services to the law faculty. 

We have reopened the search for one enthusiastic, energetic candidate who is willing to be an integral part of the library management team.  This librarian will be primarily responsible for faculty services and taking initiative in the development and implementation of a fully supported Faculty Research Services Support Program.  This librarian will also be responsible for teaching in the first year Legal Research Program along with other members of the Library Faculty.

In addition, Law Librarians are fully engaged in the governance processes of the School of Law, having full faculty status and helping shape the future of the institution. Working with our colleagues outside of the Library, librarians add to the rich diversity of the law school experience by having their own scholarship interests, in addition to supporting those of the other members of the faculty. 

All librarians must have a J.D. and M.L.S. in order to be considered for a Law Library Associate Professor appointment. Salary Range: $49,521 - $79,220.  Further detailed information can be found at: http://portal.cuny.edu/cms/id/cuny/documents/jobposting/020659.htm#P-11_0

We invite applications from candidates who are interested in working with us in the Law School’s unique mission of training lawyers who will work for social justice.

Opening: Reference/Electronic Services Librarian, Nova Southeastern University Law Library

The Reference/Electronic Librarian will work with the Law Center's web site, handle Westlaw/Lexis passwords and other electronic subscriptions, handle Reference Desk duties and serve as a faculty liaison as well as be involved with LSV research and Advanced Legal Research classes.  The position is part of a group of information professionals which includes librarians and technology professionals.
This position will work closely with projects involving Second Life,blogs, wikis, and other Web 2.0 tools.  It reports to the Associate Director for Information Services & Administration. 

For more information and to apply, see https://www.nsujobs.com/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1183070268431 .  Select Search Postings and request Position # 998634.

Professional Reading: A Matter of Direction: The Reagan Administration, the Signing Statement, and Legislative History

Miami University (Ohio) prof Christopher S. Kelly provides a historical backdrop for the current controversy over the intentions and uses of presidential signing statements and then proceeds to examine the Reagan Administration use of one in conjunction with the signing of the Immigration Reform and Control Act in his June 2007 article, A Matter of Direction: The Reagan Administration, the Signing Statement, and Legislative History.

On the history of signing statements, Kelly writes

The signing statement was first utilized in the Monroe administration to protect the president’s commander-in-chief prerogative. The device did not come into regular use, however, until the period following Watergate, where it was used routinely by the Ford and Carter administrations to nullify legislative vetoes, and drawing its first reaction from Congress. In 1978, Congressman Elliot Levitas (D.GA) added language to an appropriations bill that required the attorney general to inform Congress whenever it refused to defend a challenge to a legislative veto. But it was the Reagan administration that developed the signing statement into a strategic weapon, part of a set of "power tools" he could rely upon when needed. Thus, the purpose of this article is to provide a complete and detailed understanding of the decision by the Reagan administration to add the signing statement to the legislative history of bills signed into law.

Here's the SSRN abstract for this well-researched article, one that provides the sort of information that can be very helpful in discussing the use of signing statements when teaching legislative history

In 1986, Attorney General Edwin Meese announced to a gathering at the National Press Club that a deal with the West Publishing Company to have the signing statement published in the United States Code, Congressional and Administrative News. The announcement mostly went unnoticed until November 1986, when the administration used the signing statement to change an important part of the Immigration Reform and Control Act. Following that event, a flurry of articles appeared in law journals assessing whether the signing statement was constitutionally permissible and whether it would influence judicial decisionmaking. Little attention was paid then, as now, regarding what influenced the unusual move in the first place.

In this paper, using information gleaned from interviews with Reagan Justice Department officials as well as documents released December 2005 in preparation for the Alito confirmation hearings, I discuss what external circumstances likely influenced the decision and I dispel the argument that the primary motivation was to influence judges. Instead, the signing statement was designed first to influence executive branch agents. 

Borrowing from Larry Solum, "download it, it's hot!" [JH]

The Presidential Signing Statements Act of 2007

From the press release:

"U.S. Senator Arlen Specter, ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced on Friday legislation to regulate the use of presidential signing statements in the interpretation of an Act of Congress. The Presidential Signing Statements Act of 2007, S. 1747, [Thomas] has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“Presidential signing statements can render the legislative process a virtual nullity, making it completely unpredictable how certain laws will be enforced,” Senator Specter said. “This legislation reinforces the system of checks and balances and separation of powers set out in our Constitution.”

The bill seeks to protect the constitutional system of checks and balances by, first, preventing the President from issuing a signing statement that alters the meaning of a statute by instructing the courts not to rely on signing statements in interpreting an act; and second, granting Congress the power to participate in any case where the construction or constitutionality of an act of Congress is in question and a signing statement was issued when the act was signed."

Click here for a copy of Senator Specter’s floor statement.

Federal Aid to the States: Historical Cause of Government Growth and Bureaucracy

New report from the Cato Institute:

"In recent years, members of Congress have inserted thousands of pork-barrel spending projects into bills to reward interests in their home states. But such parochial pork is only a small part of a broader problem of rising federal spending on traditionally state and local activities.

Federal spending on aid to the states increased from $286 billion in fiscal 2000 to an estimated $449 billion in fiscal 2007 and is the third-largest item in the federal budget after Social Security and national defense. The number of different aid programs for the states soared from 463 in 1990, to 653 in 2000, to 814 by 2006."  [RJ]

"The theory behind aid to the states is that federal policymakers can design and operate programs in the national interest to efficiently solve local problems. In practice, most federal politicians are not inclined to pursue broad, national goals; they are consumed by the competitive scramble to secure subsidies for their states. At the same time, federal aid stimulates overspending by the states, requires large bureaucracies to administer, and comes with a web of complex regulations that limit state flexibility.

At all levels of the aid system, the focus is on spending and regulations, not on delivering quality services. And by involving all levels of government in just about every policy area, the aid system creates a lack of accountability. When every government is responsible for an activity, no government is responsible, as was evident in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina."

Wiki on State Agencies

A gov docs librarian at the Alaska state law library has started the State Agency Databases wiki. Susanna Lears, Electronic Research & Technology Services, Barco Law Library, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, has the details on Barco 2.0 : Law Library Reference. [JH]

White House Security Violations May Be Widespread

From the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform:

"Contrary to the recent claims of White House spokesperson Dana Perino, there is evidence that the White House has repeatedly failed to investigate security violations, take corrective action following breaches, and appropriately protect classified information.

In a letter to White House Counsel Fred Fielding, Chairman Waxman describes evidence that:

• White House security officials have been blocked from inspecting West Wing offices for compliance with procedures for handling classified information.
• The White House regularly ignored security breaches.
• The President’s top political advisor received a renewal of his security clearance despite presidential directives calling for the denial of security clearances for officials who misrepresent their involvement in security leaks.
• The White House has condoned widespread mismanagement at the White House Security Office."    [RJ]

Openings: Collection Development Librarian & International and Foreign Law Reference Librarian, Georgetown

The Georgetown University Law Library is seeking applicants for the position of Collection Development Librarian.

Position Overview: The Collection Development Librarian, in collaboration with the Library Director and the Associate Librarian for International and Foreign Law, oversees collection development activities to ensure that the Law Library’s more than 1 million volume/volume equivalent collections support current and future educational and research activities of the students, faculty, and other patrons affiliated with the Law Center.  The incumbent coordinates the activities of the Williams’ Library’s designated subject specialists and guides them in the application of collection policies and principles.  He or she serves as a principal resource for librarians, faculty, staff and vendors on collection development issues, developing systems to work effectively with all groups.  This position reports to the Library Director and supervises 1 full-time staff member.

Responsibilities:

• Plans library collection development strategy, sets long and short-range goals and objectives, and determines priorities.  Develops, implements, and evaluates projects and assessments to achieve these goals. Authorizes purchases and selects new library materials from within an approximately $3 million materials budget.  With the Library Director, the Associate Librarian for International and Foreign Law and the Associate Librarian for Collection Services, plans and prepares the library’s annual budget submission for collections. Organizes regular review and updating of collection development policies.
• Serves as principal resource on collection development issues.  Interprets the library’s collection development program to the Law Center community.  In consultation with the Director and working with colleagues, represents the library in cooperative collection development efforts, license negotiations with vendors, and resource sharing endeavors among libraries.  Sets up profiles for approval plans and determines. Determines and applies criteria for gift acceptance and dispersal, serving as primary contact for donors.
• Chairs the library’s Collection Development Committee. Coordinates the selection process among the members to ensure that the collections support current and future educational and research activities of the Law Center.  Trains and instructs subject specialists on procedures, use of selection tools and assessment methods.  Assigns responsibility for specific subject areas to at-large members.  Reviews members’ purchase decisions for conformity with policy.  Coordinates de-selection and other special projects. Builds the collection in his or her designated area(s) and selects materials in American law generally.
• Participates in the reference desk rotation. The incumbent may meet individually with students to advise them on research sources and strategies. In addition, she or he may respond to specialized research requests from faculty.  Reference service is provided on evenings and weekends as well as during standard business hours. The Collection Development Librarian also participates in the teaching of basic legal research skills and online searching techniques. As needed, she or he teaches specialized legal research classes.

Required Qualifications:  M.L.S. from an ALA-accredited library school; minimum of three years of professional experience in an academic law library; extensive subject, professional and practical knowledge of law and of librarianship; ability to communicate effectively with those in the library, the Law Center, the donor community, and the publishing world; record of initiative and accomplishments.

Preferred Qualifications:  J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school, knowledge of the legal publishing trade, reference experience, teaching experience.

Additional information:  The Georgetown University Law Library, with a collection of over 1 million volumes and a staff of 74, is one of the country’s premier legal research institutions, supporting an outstanding law school faculty and student body.  It is known for the quality of its collections and services along with its willingness and desire to develop innovative new programs.

This position requires an active participation in professional organizations and in the intellectual life and administrative activities of the Law Center, as well as fulfillment of the responsibilities of the position in a superior manner.

Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications. Application review will begin July 30 and continue until the position is filled.

To apply, send a resume and the names of three references to libraryjobs@law.georgetown.edu or by mail to Margaret A. Fry, Associate Librarian for Administration, Georgetown University Law Library, 111 G Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001.

Georgetown University is an Affirmative Action, Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

The Georgetown University Law Library is seeking applicants for the position of International and Foreign Law Reference Librarian.

The International and Foreign Law Reference Librarian provides extensive reference and instructional services to faculty and students in the unique setting of a branch library for international and foreign law in a new building housing international programs, classrooms, and clinics. The librarian in this position will conduct classes in international and foreign legal research, both in the context of related courses and seminars as well as in the delivery of customized instruction for clinics, journal staff, and international moot court teams.

Additional responsibilities include selection of materials for international and foreign law in all formats, preparation and maintenance of web-based guides and other library publications, and tours of the library for new students and visitors. The librarian will participate in a reference desk rotation. During the academic year, this position serves as early evening reference librarian at the branch location. (Work schedule runs 11:00 am - 7:00pm M-Th. and 9:00am-5:00pm on Friday). Occasional weekend hours are required. The position reports to the Assistant International and Foreign Law Librarian.

The Georgetown University Law Center maintains a large research library collection in the United States with a major emphasis on international law. This position provides an exciting opportunity to deliver reference services in a busy and demanding atmosphere of scholarly activity and professional training. Expected performance includes active participation in the intellectual and administrative life of the law library and the Law Center as well as the fulfillment of the responsibilities of the position in a superior manner, demonstrating increasing knowledge, effectiveness and, where appropriate, scholarship.

Required: The M.L.S. or equivalent degree from an accredited library or information studies program. Professional library experience; knowledge of international and foreign legal resources; familiarity with different legal systems, including that of the United States; and knowledge of at least one foreign language.

Preferred: One to three years of professional experience; J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school; skills in web design.

Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications. To apply for this position, send a letter, resume, and names of three references to Margaret Fry, Associate Librarian for Administration, Georgetown University Law Library, 111 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001 or submit materials by email to libraryjobs@law.georgetown.edu. Review of applications will begin July 2, 2007 and continue until position is filled.

Georgetown University is an EOE/AA employer. Its non-discrimination policy is available at http://data.georgetown.edu/hr/employment_services/policies/gu201.html.

Opening: Legal Reference Librarian, Creighton University Law Library

Creighton University Law Library seeks an energetic, dynamic lawyer-librarian to serve as Legal Reference Librarian.  The person in this position is centrally involved in providing outstanding reference services to the law faculty and students, university community, local bar and the public.  The Legal Reference Librarian also has significant teaching responsibilities.  Legal Research is currently taught as a required, graded, two credit hour, first-year course.  The successful candidate will teach two sections of Legal Research each fall and will also participate in the teaching of Advanced Legal Research, an upper-division elective.  Other duties include coordination of Lexis and Westlaw services, assisting in the development of legal reference services, acting as the library liaison to The Creighton Law Review and participating in professional development opportunities.

Qualifications:  Accredited J.D. and M.L.S. An enthusiasm for teaching and public service; demonstrated writing ability; experience providing reference assistance using both legal and non-legal resources is necessary.  Strong organizational, communication and collaborative skills are required.

For a detailed position description visit:
http://law.creighton.edu/library/legalreference

To apply please submit a cover letter and resume with names, addresses and telephone numbers of three references to:

Professor Kay L. Andrus, Law Library Director
Creighton University Law Library
2500 California Plaza
Omaha, NE  68178
andrus@creighton.edu

Materials may be sent electronically to andrus@creighton.edu or by mail.  The position is also posted at http://careers.creighton.edu under requisition number 20070252

Applications will be reviewed beginning July 12, 2007 but the position will remain open until filled.  Preliminary interviews may be held during the AALL Annual Meeting in New Orleans, July 14-17.

Creighton University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

Opening: Associate Dean for Information Resources, William Mitchell College of Law

William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, is seeking applications and nominations for the position of Associate Dean--Information Resources.   The Associate Dean is a tenure-track/tenured faculty position and has a key role in the college administration on the Dean's Cabinet and the Leadership Council of this century-old, fully accredited independent law school.   For a slide show of the College's environs, go to http://www.wmitchell.edu/tour/.

The College's mission is "We serve the law.  We teach it, study it, practice it, and work to make it just."  To reflect the vital role that the library plays in supporting this mission, the librarians and support staff developed a vision about their roles as 

• information specialists and law school educators, seeking to exceed the accreditation standards for academic law libraries and to reflect best professional practices
• partners in the education of our students, acquiring and organizing the resources needed for their work, preparing teaching materials for them, and educating them at our service desks and in our classrooms
• professionals who support and promote faculty teaching and scholarship by providing content access, strong research assistance, subject and technological expertise, an excellent web site, and an active faculty liaison program
• information specialists who seek to understand our community's information needs, to respond to those needs, and to strive to educate our community members about options and possibilities they may not yet have discovered
• constant learners who seek to be aware of changes in the information environment, in technology, and in the learning behaviors of our students and to respond appropriately to those changes
• librarians who are active contributors to the library profession by participating in professional associations and their scholarship.

We seek a director who will enable the College to implement and refine this vision.

The College recently integrated the information technology department and the library to provide better support for the academic program.  The library staff's goals for the coming year include expanding user education of faculty, students, and--through CLEs--the practicing bar; completing an outcome measurement project; reviewing technologies and their appropriateness to our library operation; promoting professional development that is functional and affordable and will have value to the entire staff; enlarging our bibliographic database to include all electronic full-text access; collaborating with other college units to develop databases that are indexed and easily searchable; and assessing the appropriate mix of electronic and paper resources.  We are looking for strong leadership skills to assist us in reaching these goals, a strong commitment to service, and a desire to embrace change so that we are recognized as a leader in law libraries in the future.

Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled.  Preliminary interviews will begin at the AALL conference in New Orleans in mid-July.  Contact Professor Christina Kunz, Chair of the Appointment Committee for the Associate Dean--Information Resources, William Mitchell College of Law, 875 Summit Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105, or email to christina.kunz@wmitchell.edu. 

William Mitchell is an affirmative action, equal employment opportunity employer.

Opening: Head of Electronic and Information Services, University of Nevada Wiener-Rogers Law Library

The Wiener-Rogers Law Library at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas is currently recruiting for a Head of Electronic and Information Services. The Head of Electronic and Information Services will provide service-oriented electronic research leadership and take the lead in developing and implementing electronic reference, circulation, and web-based service initiatives important to the Law Library and Law School.

Qualifications include: Master’s degree in library science from an ALA-accredited institution a JD from an ABA-accredited institution preferred and a minimum of 2 years of law library experience. Requires extensive knowledge of technology-based resources. Salary is competitive and contingent on labor market. Position is contingent upon funding.

Application details may be obtained by visiting http://hr.unlv.edu/Employment_Svcs. Review of applications will begin immediately. EEO/AA Employer. For assistance with UNLV’s online applicant portal, contact bob Sitts at (702) 895-1655 or bob.sitts@unlv.edu.

Full Listing: http://www.higheredjobs.com/institution/details.cfm?JobCode=175252821

Opening: Reference and Assistant Access Services Librarian, Oklahoma City Univ. Law School

Oklahoma City University is ideally located in a growing metro area with a low cost of living.  The Oklahoma City University Law School provides a dynamic atmosphere and proudly supports the Center on Alternative Dispute Resolution, the Center for the Study of State Constitutional Law and Government, and the Native American Legal Resource Center.  The 15 member library staff works in a collegial, professional environment and provides an ideal job opportunity for a candidate interested in library administration as well as providing legal reference and instruction services.   

Reference duties include providing legal reference services to law students, law faculty and other patrons of the Law Library. This includes answering legal research and general reference questions, assisting law students, law faculty, and other patrons with print and electronic resources. Reference responsibilities also include providing in-depth services to law faculty members through the faculty liaison program.  Participation in collection development is also expected.  Responsibilities in Access Services area include interaction with the systems librarian to ensure proper operation of the Voyager ILS and assistance to the Head of Reference and Access Services in supervision and oversight of the Circulation Department.   

Candidates should have a JD and a Library Science degree. For someone pursuing or completing a Library Science degree (who already possesses a JD degree) previous employment in legal or related fields could be considered.  Prior supervisory experience in a library or other environment is a plus.  The ideal candidate will have experience with Voyager ILS or other Ex Libris systems.  The salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. The position is available immediately and will remain open until filled.

Library faculty will be available to answer your questions at the American Association of Law Libraries Annual Meeting in New Orleans in July 2007.

More information is available in the complete job description at: https://jobs.okcu.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1184076142905

Information about the University and benefits are available at: http://www.okcu.edu/hr/

Professional Reading: The Evolving Nature of Faculty Publications

Jan Ryan Novak, the Assistant Director for Public Services at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Library, and Leslie A. Pardo, Access Services Librarian at the John J. Ross-William C. Blakley Law Library at Arizona State University, have deposited in SSRN The Evolving Nature of Faculty Publications. Here's their abstract for this very interesting paper:

Technology increasingly drives the evolving nature of the library's role in managing faculty publications. Libraries not only create physical archives of faculty scholarship, but take on the active role of facilitating immediate access to content. Trends in legal scholarship, including new formats such as blogs and podcasts and the open access initiatives, compel libraries to develop creative solutions such as enhanced bibliographies, searchable databases, and digital repositories to manage access, preserve, and disseminate faculty writings.

The Top 100 Alternative Search Engines

Alt Search Engines offers up the top 100 "Alternative" search engines.  Check it out!  [RJ]

Law Prof's First Legal Thriller Takes a Serious Look at the Law

As Mike Tresnowski writes in his Findlaw review of Scott Gerber's first work of legal fiction,  The Law Clerk "is not merely a 'fun read'; it's much more ambitious than that." Tresnowski continues

Gerber's novel confronts the reader with two themes that are challenging, if not upsetting. The first is pornography and the not-so-subtle psychological and sexual abuse lingering in its background. The second is the law itself and, more to the point in this novel, the law as seen through the eyes of still-idealistic law clerks.

As the two main characters seek to understand how the law deals - or fails to deal -- with intractable social problems like pornography, they also grapple with another, more personal issue: How can they find careers within the law in which they believe they can be fulfilled? Ultimately, The Law Clerk takes a very serious - yet still entertaining -- look at the law and those who devote their lives to it.

The Law Clerk
by Scott Douglas Gerber

List Price: $29.95
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Kent State University Press (June 2007)
ISBN-10: 0873389034
ISBN-13: 978-0873389037

Book Description: An explosive novel by a former law clerk to a federal judge, The Law Clerk combines the insider feel of today's most exciting fiction with insights into one of the most pressing social issues of the day: the impact of pornography.

Sam Grimes is heartbroken by a law school romance gone bad. Searching for new horizons, he accepts a prestigious clerkship with a federal judge in Providence, Rhode Island. He quickly finds himself both falling in love with a beautiful young woman he meets at the courthouse and working on the case of the decade in New England: the obscenity trial of Joey Mancini, the son of a Mafia boss. And as Sam is about to find out, one thing has everything to do with the other.

Editor's Note: Hat tip to Nancy Armstrong, Director of the Law Library, Ohio Northern University College of Law, for calling this very interesting title to my attention. [JH]

Going to New Orleans? Check out the AALL Second Line Blog

With AALL's New Orleans meeting fast approaching, it's time to remind attendees to check the conference blog frequently. Visit AALL Second Line Blog. The blog is edited by Vicenç Feliú, Foreign Comparative and International Law Librarian, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University. Great job! [JH]

Cornell Law Library's InSITE Website Reviews

Reviews published in the June 18, 2007 issue of InSITE:

• Civil Rights Documentation Project
• Copyright & Fair Use
• National Labor Committee for Worker & Human Rights
• Progress & Freedom Foundation
• RacetotheBottom.org

Civil Rights Documentation Project
The Civil Rights Documentation Project is the product of the Dirksen Congressional Center, a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization that seeks to improve public engagement in politics through better understanding of Congress.  In furtherance of that goal, the Dirksen Center created this project to discuss at length the legislative process involved in the struggle to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  Much has been written about the civil rights movement, but the Dirksen Center found that in depth coverage of the story of the law itself was missing.  This website provides a detailed, month by month timeline of that development, from January 1963 through the law’s enactment in August 1965.  Icons indicate whether a timeline date focuses on the social context or legislative process, and names of key politicians and cites to specific bill numbers are included.  For people interested in the civil rights movement or how major legislation works its way through the political process, this is a very interesting site. [JJ]

Copyright & Fair Use
The Copyright & Fair Use website from Stanford University Libraries is an essential resource for librarians and professors alike.  It provides a thorough overview of copyright and fair use basics, including a FAQ section, answers about what falls into the public domain, when, why, and how to acquire copyright permission, special considerations for academic and educational use of copyrighted materials, and when to use a release.  Resources are provided especially for academic librarians to inform their internal copyright policies.  For those interested in the status and development of copyright law, the site links to primary federal and international law, including a thorough list of U.S. copyright cases.  Additionally, current legislation dealing with copyright law is tracked, with links to bill text, news coverage, and more.  This is a key site for professors grappling with copyright issues for their courses, librarians dealing with digital information management, and anyone looking for a solid starting point to begin copyright research. [JJ]

National Labor Committee for Worker & Human Rights
Founded in 1981, the National Labor Committee (NLC) works to defend the human rights of workers in the global economy, by investigating and exposing human and labor rights abuses committed by U.S. companies producing goods in the developing world.  The NLC is creating a coalition of religious, labor, women's, student, civil rights, solidarity, policy and grassroots groups to catalyze popular campaigns based upon original research. The NLC’s website offers visitors videos, campaign reports, and other educational materials to highlight this research.  Many of the NLC’s materials are available for sale.  A summary of NLC accomplishments and the organization’s mission statement is also available. This site is searchable. [BWK]

Progress & Freedom Foundation
Founded in 1993, the Progress and Freedom Foundation (PFF) is a “market-oriented think tank that studies the digital revolution and its implications for public policy.”  Through research, PFF seeks to educate policymakers on technology from a free-market, limited-government perspective.  PFF studies several major issues, including communications, intellectual property, and e-commerce.  The group’s website provides a platform for distributing information about the group, as well as its published research.  The Issues & Publications section is the centerpiece of the site.  Here, users will find an extensive database of PFF materials.  These materials include amicus briefs, webcasts, testimony, and journal articles.  The database is searchable by keyword, date, author, topic, and publication type, and it covers from 1994 to the present.  Also of note, PFF holds the annual Aspen Summit, which looks at how public policy and business strategy impact the digital future.  The website provides online registration for the summit, as well as some limited information from previous summits. [MM]

RacetotheBottom.org
Also known as proSOXblog, RacetotheBottom.org is a collaborative effort from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.  Professor Jay Brown and students discuss the corporate governance process, the role of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and many other related issues in this active blog.  Comments from the public are allowed and encouraged, and browsing the content of this blog is easy thanks to navigation by subject headings, such as “International Governance,” “Preemption of Delaware Law,” “Shareholder Rights,” and “The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB).”  RacetotheBottom.org has archives going back to January 2007, although it is not easy to browse by date.  This blog is searchable and syndicates its content via multiple subject-specific RSS feeds.  Due to its highly customizable features, this site offers items of interest to a wide audience, including practitioners, students, and law faculty.  Researchers will appreciate the site’s links to outside content, which include a recommended reading list, relevant statutes and regulations, and the academic and government sourced cited by the blog.[BWK]

InSITE contributors: Julie Jones, Research Attorney, Brandy Kreisler, J.D., M.L.S., Matt Morrison, Research Attorney, Jean Pajerek (editor), Head of Technical Services & Information Management, all current or former members of the professional staff at Cornell Law Library.

About InSITE: InSITE highlights selected law-related Web sites in two ways: as an annotated publication issued electronically and in print; and, as a keyword-searchable database. The law librarians at Cornell evaluate potentially useful Web sites, select the most valuable ones, and provide commentary and subject access to them.

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ABA moves to tighten bar passage standards

From the National Law Journal:

"Under pressure from the U.S. Department of Education, the American Bar Association has proposed to tighten bar passage requirements for law schools, a change that is drawing a sharp rebuke from deans and others who claim that it would create an unfair standard for accreditation and result in an administrative mess. "It's just going to be chaos," said New York Law School dean Richard Matasar."  (sub. req) [RJ]

Avvo Class Action

Interesting podcast from Lawyer 2 Lawyer (Coast to Coast):

"The online numerical ranking system of lawyers, Avvo, launched last week with mixed reviews. Many attorneys complained about Avvo's information and some even called it a popularity contest. Two Seattle attorneys have filed a class action lawsuit against Avvo. On Lawyer 2 Lawyer, we discuss thoughts about the product, the class action suit, competition among lawyers and the future of Avvo."  [RJ]