Law Librarian Blog

Ambrogi Reviews 10 Free Sites for U.S. Case Law

Bob Ambrogi reviews the peculiar strengths and weaknesses of the following free case law sites:

1. Fastcase, www.fastcase.com and Casemaker, www.casemaker.us
2. FindACase, www.findacase.com
3. PreCYdent, www.precydent.com
4. The Public Library of Law, www.plol.org
5. AltLaw, www.altlaw.org
6. Justia, www.justia.com
7. FindLaw, www.findlaw.com
8. Public.Resource.Org, http://public.resource.org
9. LexisONE, www.lexisone.com
10. Legal Information Institute, www.law.cornell.edu

[JH]

New Globalex Articles (March/April 2009)

New legal research articles available from GlobaLex:

• The Legal System in Côte d’Ivoire: Where Do We Stand? by Dr. Kouable Clarisse Gueu
• Introduction au Système Juridique et Judiciaire du Bénin par Ahonagnon Noel Gbaguidi et William Kodjoh-Kpakpassou 
• Researching Islamic Law: Malaysian Sources by Shaikh Mohamed Noordin 
• Visiting the Senegalese Legal System and Legal Research: A Human Rights Perspective by Horace Sègnonna Adjolohoun
• Sources of Online Legal Information for African Countries by Jane Williams
• The Austrian Legal System and Laws: a Brief Overview by Johannes Oehlboeck and Immanuel Gerstner 
• An Overview of Malaysian Legal System and Research by Shaikh Mohamed Noordin and Lim Pui Keng 
• Researching the Law of the Vatican City State by Stephen Young & Alison Shea

More articles on international, comparative, and foreign law research at: http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/index.html.  [RJ]

Cornell Law Library's InSITE Website Reviews

Reviews published in the April 20, 2009 issue of InSITE:

• Assemblée nationale
• NTI: Nuclear Threat Initiative
• Supreme Court of India
• Takeovers Panel
  

Assemblée nationale
http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/

Assemblée nationale is the official website of the French Parliament’s lower chamber.  The National Assembly is composed of 577 members and sits in the XVIIIth century Palais Bourbon in Paris.  Apart from the historical introduction, this state-of-the-art website displays official and legal materials.  It covers both the legislative process, with links to bills and enacted legislation, and the working process taking place in the Parliament’s committees.  It is accessible not only in French but also in English, German, Italian and to visually impaired people, although it remains difficult to state with accuracy how many official documents are available in these languages.  Moreover, the website gives the most comprehensive access to debates or “travaux parlementaires” on a given piece of legislation, including all the committee debates and amendments. For every piece of legislation, there is a link to Légifrance, the main official legal website in France (annotated in vol. 4, no. 14 of InSITE).  Légifrance provides access to an electronic version of every Act of Parliament and the case law of the Conseil constitutionnel and other French courts.  There is unique access to the Official Journal of the French Republic, where all the legislation is officially published.  Légifrance and the National Assembly’s website are credited as official sources. The website is geared toward the citizen-at-large but is mostly used by government officials, lawyers and journalists.  It includes an effective search engine and links to the Senate’s website and its law-making process.  Although a specific document may be sometimes tricky to find, the website’s overall organization remains strong.  For instance, the first page displays informative headings with links to chamber and committees’ proceedings.  The remaining headings deal with the Budget, the European Union, Parliamentary documents and International Relations. [AP]

NTI: Nuclear Threat Initiative
http://www.nti.org/

Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) is co-chaired by CNN founder Ted Turner and former U.S. senator Sam Nunn, and governed by a board of influential experts from around the world.  NTI's mission is "to strengthen global security by reducing the risk of use and preventing the spread of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons and to work to build the trust, transparency and security which are preconditions to the ultimate fulfillment of the Non-Proliferation Treaty's goals and ambitions."  This website offers daily news updates as well as in-depth resources about the global threats from nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) weapons and related issues.  The "Research Library" section of the website features several databases, one of which provides analysis of regional and national information related to the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1540 (2004).  UNSCR 1540 requires states to "implement domestic legislation to prevent non-state actors from manufacturing, acquiring, or transporting NBC weapons within or from their territory."  The Research Library's "Country Profiles" section offers overviews and in-depth profiles of more than 20 selected countries' weapons programs and activities.  Recent (within the last month) updates to the country profiles are highlighted in a special section.  Within the "Teacher's Toolkit" section of the website, users can find tutorials, a glossary, and sample syllabi.  The site is keyword-searchable; searches may be targeted to a single specific section of the website, multiple selected sections, or the entire site.  The site is available in both English and Russian. [SYK]

Supreme Court of India
http://www.supremecourtofindia.nic.in/

The Supreme Court of India was established in January 1950, two days after India became a sovereign republic.  The Court plays the pivotal role of a federal court, guardian of the Indian Constitution and the highest court of appeal.  The Court's website covers an extensive range of topics comprising an overview of the Supreme Court, its history, constitution, and operation, and biographical information about sitting and former judges of the Court.  The practice rules and procedures of the court are available, as well as daily orders, cause lists, and status of cases.  The website provides a useful link to the judicial information system that maintains all reported judgments of the Supreme Court and several high courts from 1950 forward.  The site is descriptive and helpful for practitioners as well as clients with a pending case before the Court, and for the general public seeking information on various laws and the legal system in India.  Some portions of the site are best viewed using Internet Explorer. [KP]

Takeovers Panel
http://www.takeovers.govt.nz/

The New Zealand Takeovers Panel was established by the Takeovers Act 1993 to review the law relating to takeovers of specified companies and to make determinations and applications to the New Zealand court.  The Act enacted the Takeovers Code which aims to encourage and facilitate takeover activity and to enable all shareholders to take part in the process on the basis of equal treatment and full disclosure.  The Panel’s website provides useful information to shareholders, companies, lawyers and any other party interested in New Zealand takeovers law.  The “Who we are” section of the website contains a succinct explanation of the Panel’s functions and lists all the names of current Panel members.  The decisions and exemption notices issued by the Panel since 2001 are available in full text HTML.  Interested parties may review the Panel’s annual reports, issues of its newsletter, and practice notes from 2001 onward, in both full text HTML and in PDF.  All of these materials are browseable by the names of the relevant companies and date, and are full-text searchable as well.  The Panel periodically posts major articles and speeches relating to the Act and Code. The Panel’s website is well organized and easily navigated, with a site map and a search engine featuring both simple keyword searching and a more customizable advanced search. The site includes the Panel’s contact details so that anyone with a question regarding takeover issues in New Zealand may directly contact the Panel, its chief executive officer and lawyers via post, telephone, fax, and email. [PCHL]

InSITE contributors: S.Y. Kim, P.C.H. Liao, K. Panjrath, A. Pastorelli, J. Pajerek

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. This information can be accessed via the channels below, in addition to this mailing list:

1. Searchable database or by browsing current and archives issues on the web: InSITE home page   (http://library2.lawschool.cornell.edu/insiteasp/)
2. RSS feed (http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/lawlibrary/insiteasp/public/rss.asp )
3. Print format for the Cornell Law School community.

Note to readers: this special issue of InSITE features annotations written by the LL.M. students in Prof. Leslie Knight’s “Principles of American Legal Writing” class.

Reubinstein on Zeigler's How I Teach

On Adjunct Law Prof Blog, Mitchell Rubinstein (St. John's and New York Law School) reviews Donald Zeigler's (NYLS) How I Teach (2008). Rubinstein writes "when I started teaching, I was not given any reference material. Frankly, I believe that this is because there is not much good material about the art of law school teaching-that is until now. This book can be very helpful to new law professors (both full time and adjunct). More experienced profs can benefits from it as well.  Law Schools should seriously consider providing copies to their faculty." Check out Rubinstein's review.

Perhaps academic law libraries should include copies in their adjunct and new full-time law prof handouts. How I Teach is published by Tribeca Square Press, the publishing arm of New York Law School. Single copy price is $9.95, plus shipping/handling. There’s a 20% discount for sales of 10 copies or more. The book can be purchased by emailing publisher@tribecasquarepress.com. [JH]

Cornell Law Library's InSITE Website Reviews

Reviews published in the April 6, 2009 issue of InSITE:

• Justice for the Poor
• National Commission for Women (India)
• Supreme Court of Japan
• Thailand Law Forum
  

Justice for the Poor
http://go.worldbank.org/SMIKY7M6O0

Justice for the Poor (J4P) is a global research and development program sponsored by the World Bank.  It aims at “informing, designing and supporting pro-poor approaches to justice reform” in a number of African and East Asian countries, where non-state and customary justices systems “are intertwined with, and are embedded in the social, economic and political structures.”  The “Themes” section of the website provides a topical approach to the many reports and briefing notes made available on the site.  Thematic categories include: land and natural resources, conflict, crime and violence, local governance, customary law, gender, labor disputes, and development effectiveness.  Country-specific material can be found in the “Country Programs” section, covering Cambodia, Indonesia, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Timor-Leste, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands.  The “Publications and Reports” section arranges all of the available reports by country or theme for easy access. Most documents are available free of charge as PDFs; some are available in multiple file formats.  Like other branches of the World Bank website, J4P is equipped with an efficient search engine.  It is generally informative to users, but the only available language of the website is English. [YZ]

National Commission for Women (India)
http://ncw.nic.in/

The National Commission for Women (NCW) is a statutory body set up in 1992 by the government of India “to review the constitutional and legal safeguards provided for women; recommend remedial legislative measures; facilitate redressal of grievances; and advise the Government on all policy matters affecting women."  The "Research and Studies Cell" section of the website provides an excellent overview of the studies undertaken by the commission on issues like violence against women, gender bias in judicial decisions and sexual harassment.  All amendments proposed to various women-specific and women-related legislation are available in full text HTML in the "Legal Cell" section.  New bills and laws proposed by the commission are available starting from 2005, and comments are invited on the draft policy documents on current topics.  A brief overview of important court decisions concerning women since 1992 is available on the website.  A key feature of the site is the complaints registration portal, where victims or any person may register complaints pertaining to issues such as domestic violence, gender discrimination, sexual harassment and dowry.  Once filed, the status of the complaint can be checked using a registration number and password.  Statistical summaries of complaints dating back to 1999 are compiled in the "Complaints and Counseling Cell."  NCW’s monthly newsletter, "Rashtra Mahila," is available on the website in both Hindi and English.  It is a useful website for individuals and organizations interested in issues concerning women in India.  [AM]

Supreme Court of Japan
http://www.courts.go.jp/english/

The website of the Supreme Court of Japan provides information about the Supreme Court and the affiliated Legal Training and Research Institute.  The website provides an excellent overview of the judicial system in Japan, as well as a guide to judicial proceedings in Japan.  The important judgments of the Supreme Court since 1950 are available in full text HTML in English and can be searched by the date of the judgment, case number, bench type (i.e., Grand or Petty), key word, and original court.  Biographies of the current justices of the Supreme Court are available with their photos.  The website includes a section about the Legal Training and Research Institute, which is the national agency responsible for "nurturing persons entering the legal profession."  The website is available in both Japanese and English, and is keyword-searchable. [SS]

Thailand Law Forum
http://www.thailawforum.com/

The Thailand Law Forum was created in 1997 by a group of American and Thai law professors to provide a free, neutral and up-to-date source of Thai legal information to the English-speaking public.  The website provides access to the complete run (dating back to 1998) of the semiannual Thailand Law Journal, an English-language online journal containing significant legal scholarship by prominent Thai and international law academics.  A selection of Thai legislation, treaties, and court decisions, primarily trade-related, can be found in the Thailand Law Database section. English language summaries of Thailand Supreme Court opinions from 2005 forward are available in HTML format.  The website also supplies Thai legal news updates which are kept up-to-date, with archives dating back to 1999.  A customized Google search engine allows for keyword searching of the content of the site. [NR]

Note to readers: this special issue of InSITE features annotations written by the LL.M. students in Prof. Leslie Knight’s “Principles of American Legal Writing” class.

InSITE contributors: A. Manohar, N. Rerkpisut, S. Sugino, Y. Zang, J. Pajerek (editor)

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. This information can be accessed via the channels below, in addition to this mailing list:

1. Searchable database or by browsing current and archived issues on the web: InSITE home page (http://library2.lawschool.cornell.edu/insiteasp/)
   
2. RSS feed (http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/lawlibrary/insiteasp/public/rss.asp)
3. Print format for the Cornell Law School community.

Cornell Law Library's InSITE Website Reviews

Reviews published in the March 23, 2009 issue of InSITE:

• International Law Institute

• LitiLaw: Legal Article Research Portal

• Nixontapes.org
  

International Law Institute
http://www.ili.org/

The International Law Institute (ILI) is a private, non-profit organization that assists developing countries in creating practical solutions to legal, economic and financial problems by providing education and training to government officials, legal and business professionals, and scholars.  Located in Washington D.C., ILI describes its global mission as one designed to “raise levels of professional competency and capacity in all nations so that professionals everywhere may achieve practical solutions to common problems in ways that suit their nations’ own needs.”  Originally founded as a part of Georgetown University in 1955, ILI established its independence in 1983 and now has regional centers in Kampala, Uganda, Abuja, Nigeria, Cairo, Egypt, Santiago, Chile, and Hong Kong, SAR.  Since 1971, ILI’s staff of professionals has trained over 14,000 individuals from more than 185 countries.  ILI provides education and training in procurement, privatization, arbitration and mediation, negotiating and implementing trade agreements, legislative drafting, judicial administration, corporate governance, and bank restructuring, among many other topics.  In addition to training,  ILI  provides advice and consultation services for governments and multilateral organizations, while also publishing books on international and transnational commercial law, trade, litigation, commercial dispute resolution, foreign legal systems, U.S. law and many other areas.  ILI’s books are written by both U.S. and non-U.S. authors, and ILI “welcomes publishing proposals from authors who have written, or might be planning to write, monographs, reference works, or practice guides.”  ILI’s website primarily serves as a forum within which to market their various services.  A link to the Publishing Catalogue provides the reader with a topical list of publications available.  For those seeking a specific title, the list may also be viewed alphabetically.  Clicking on the title of a book will provide an abstract of the book, a photo of the book’s cover, and pricing and ordering information.  The books are very current, and there are notices about new items and updated editions that will soon be arriving.  Although little of what ILI has to offer on its website is without cost, it does provide free access to its newsletter, where readers can gain a full appreciation of the depth of their expertise and experience. [AE]

LitiLaw: Legal Article Research Portal
http://litilaw.lexbe.com/

With the advent of new and expanded Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirements for practicing attorneys, there has been a surge in materials generated for CLE conferences and seminars.  Until recently there was no central location in which to collect the tremendous volume of resources created in response to the demand for CLE credit.  Today, LitiLaw provides a free compilation of over 1,000 full-text legal articles that were written by lawyers and published for CLE purposes.  Serving as both a portal and a database, LitiLaw links to copies of materials available on the Internet while also soliciting materials from individual authors to be hosted on LitiLaw’s site.  Articles are available in PDF and PowerPoint format, and are organized by topic into more than 50 substantive and procedural areas of the law for browsing.  Some procedural areas include alternative dispute resolution, appellate practice, ethics, civil trial practice, and evidence; a few substantive areas include antitrust, bankruptcy law, banking and finance, environmental law, trusts and estates, and tax law.  The site provides a rudimentary search engine that performs best for broad search parameters.  Users may need to conduct more than one variation on their search, then sift through the results.  Although this serves as a manageable navigation method for now, LitiLaw would do well to consider upgrading its search engine to a more sophisticated model as the site continues to grow.  Perhaps one that supports basic Boolean searching would be helpful.  Currently, a search for “computer forensics” produces excellent results, but a search for “computer & forensics” produces no results.  In light of these limitations, it is important to note that search results may be sorted by date written, date added, category, or article title.  An online form is available for authors who are interested in providing links to their articles, or who are interested in uploading copies of their articles to be hosted by LitiLaw.  LitiLaw provides clear credit for the articles, including title, author, publication, year published, and number of pages, as well as a description of the material written by the author itself.  Authors are also responsible for including principal keywords for the search engine to retrieve, for selecting the category in which the article will be placed, and for obtaining appropriate permissions.  Visitors to the site may sign up to receive RSS feed, and a periodic newsletter is available via email with features on best practices, tips, selective current articles, and independent software and technology reviews.  Ultimately, the site serves to benefit all users by providing exposure for authors while at the same time providing a significant amount of high quality, topically specific material for readers.  LitiLaw likely has the potential to become a notable resource in the realm of online legal research.  [AE]

Nixontapes.org
http://www.nixontapes.org/

Historians Luke Nichter and Richard Moss have created the nixontapes website to make available, for free, the audio recordings and transcriptions of the many hours of President Nixon’s phone calls and meetings.  Researchers would otherwise have to access this material at the Nixon Library or at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland.  Thus far, the nixontapes collection consists of 2150 hours in more than 6000 audio files.  The site’s creators strive for a very high level of accuracy.  Thus, they listen to the highest possible quality of digital audio and then review each transcript multiple times before posting.  If there is disagreement about what was said on a particular segment of a tape, that segment is marked as “unclear” in the transcript.  The site creators admit that it can be “very difficult to render the natural speech found on the tapes;” they welcome visitors who listen to the audio to provide feedback.  While there are many transcriptions that still need to be posted, the material currently on the site is organized into three groups: conversations based on participant, thematic material, and chronological releases.  When accessing any of these file groups, users will find a chart that specifies the date, time, and participants of the conversation.  The audio for each is an MP3 file, while the transcript for each is in PDF. [MM]

InSITE contributors: A. Emerson, M. Morrison, J. Pajerek (editor)

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. This information can be accessed via the channels below, in addition to this mailing list:

1. Searchable database or by browsing current and archived issues on the web: InSITE home page (http://library2.lawschool.cornell.edu/insiteasp/)
2. RSS feed (http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/lawlibrary/insiteasp/public/rss.asp)
3. Print format for the Cornell Law School community.

Cornell Law Library's InSITE Website Reviews

Reviews published in the March 9, 2009 issue of InSITE:

• ARDA: Association of Religion Data Archives
• Parallel History Project on Cooperative Security (PHP)
• Recovery.gov
• Studies in Scarlet: Marriage & Sexuality in the U.S. and U.K., 1815-1914
  

ARDA: Association of Religion Data Archives
http://www.thearda.com/

The Association of Religious Data Archives (ARDA) is based in the Department of Sociology at The Pennsylvania State University. Its goal is to preserve and provide access to high-quality data on religion in the United States and abroad.  ARDA is not an arm of any religion, but is a resource for those interested in religion.  ARDA itself does not conduct research; it collects data submitted by the foremost religion scholars and research centers in the world and makes them available to the public.  The site can be navigated across the page via topical links for Data Archives, National Profiles, US Congregational Membership, Denominations, Quick Stats, Quick Lists (essentially a site map), Maps, and Learning Center (modules for learning to use the site).  Content is also organized for four groups: Researchers, Congregations, Educators, and the Press.  The page for each group has prominent links to the most relevant resource areas and links to less pertinent resources in a side bar.  For example, the Congregations page summarizes its contents:  “The ARDA provides a religious profile for every county, state, and urban area in the nation, charts the heritage of each denomination, and provides easy access to over 450 surveys.  A "Community Profile Builder"  is available to assist congregation leaders in gaining a more complete overview of their community.  All information is free of charge.”  The main section of the Congregations page showcases US data while the side bar links to country comparisons.  A helpful resource is Related Sites which organizes links by type of researcher.  The Related Sites Research Links, for example, include other data sets, research journals, and scholarly associations.  The ARDA site features interactive maps, a Question Bank (where you store questions from the data that you may put in a survey), colorful and easy to decipher graphs and charts with footnotes to the supporting reports and surveys, and feature that can compares data for up to 8 countries.  It is a very searchable site; the only drawback is that coverage varies since the contents are dependent on date submissions. [JC]

Parallel History Project on Cooperative Security (PHP)
http://www.php.isn.ethz.ch/

The Parallel History Project on Cooperative Security (PHP), sited at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, "provides new scholarly perspectives on contemporary international history by collecting, publishing, and interpreting formerly secret governmental documents," specifically with regard to the history of the Cold War and the parallel security organizations of NATO and the Warsaw Pact.  As military, governmental and intelligence documents have been gradually declassified in both the east and west, the PHP has become a clearinghouse for these documents.  The PHP also hosts conferences, produces a newsletter, and provides links to publications on Cold War history that derived research from the PHP's online collections.  The website is well-designed and provides an expandable menu with such straightforward headings as "News," "Services," "Publications,"  and "Conferences."  The raison d'etre of the site-- the primary documents in the "Collections" section -- are thematically arranged into categories such as "Warsaw Pact Records,"  "Crises," "NATO Records", and "Intelligence." The documents are available as images in their original languages and as modern translations into English.  Many of the larger document sets have "Introductions" by affiliated scholars to give a narrative background.  A search engine is available and the extensive tagging of the PDF documents makes it an effective search tool.  [JPC]

Recovery.gov
http://www.recovery.gov/

An important website that deserves every taxpayer’s attention over the next several months is Recovery.org.  Established by the Obama administration to provide education, transparency, and accountability regarding American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the site provides explanations of the legislation, shows how, when and where the funds are to be spent, and provides a forum in which taxpayers may evaluate the Act’s progress and provide feedback.  In his YouTube video address featured on the homepage, President Obama describes the site as an “online portal” for “publishing information about how the funding secured by the legislation will be spent in a timely, targeted and transparent manner.”  Still in its development stages, the site currently serves to provide projections for the expenditure of the funds and their targeted impact through the use of compendiums, charts, maps, and graphics.  As the legislation progresses into full motion, the site will regularly be updated to reflect how funds are actually being allocated and distributed.  For the immediate future, the site is run by a team of individuals chosen by President Obama from various Federal agencies.  The team will track spending and make reports to the site until the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board (created by the Reinvestment Act) becomes operational, at which point the Board will take over those responsibilities.  In the meantime, there is a fairly extensive list of answers to what are anticipated to be frequently asked questions, such as how the legislation will work, how to make the best use of the site, and how to track the effect of the legislation on one’s own community.  A link to a PDF copy of the full text of the final legislation is available, and there is an announcements tab which will feature, among other things, a weekly address from the White House.  A search engine of moderate quality is available; there are some indications that this will improve as the site is developed.  Visitors to the site may sign up to receive email updates and, in classic Obama Administration fashion, are invited to share their recovery stories. [AE]

Studies in Scarlet: Marriage & Sexuality in the U.S. and U.K., 1815-1914
http://vc.lib.harvard.edu/vc/deliver/home?_collection=scarlet

Studies in Scarlet, a Harvard University Library Virtual Collection, is a rich resource for legal historians, social historians, and the generally curious.  Drawn from Harvard Law Library’s trials collection, Studies in Scarlet offers images of 420 nineteenth and early twentieth-century trials.  The focus of the collection is the stories of love affairs gone wrong or relationships that “did not conform to social standards.”  In addition to the stories of everyday people, famous tales in the collection include the adultery trial of Caroline, Queen Consort of George IV, and the sodomy trial of Oscar Wilde.  Users may search by, or browse the indexes by, title, name, subject, or genre.  Genres include electronic, microform, and print, as well as bibliography, biography, or bookseller’s advertisements.  The subject index is detailed and extensive.  The subject term “transvestites” was an intriguing one that led to the 1871 trial of Boulton and Park in Manchester, England.  The male defendants, who were actors in the theater, were accused of dressing as females and that such dress “was not an occasional frolic or masquerade, but that course of conduct was pursued persistently, and for a widely different purpose.”  Other transcripts are similarly entertaining and informative and make for a fun-to-use collection. [MM]

InSITE contributors: J. Callihan, J.P. Cusker, A. Emerson, M. Morrison, J. Pajerek (editor)

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. This information can be accessed via the channels below, in addition to this mailing list:

1. Searchable database or by browsing current and archived issues on the web: InSITE home page (http://library2.lawschool.cornell.edu/insiteasp/)
2. RSS feed (http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/lawlibrary/insiteasp/public/rss.asp)
3. Print format for the Cornell Law School community.

New on LLRX.com

From LLRX:

• Guide to International Refugee Law Resources on the Web
  This updated research guide by Elisa Mason directs readers to some of the key texts and resources available on the Web that can help shed light on, and provide a context for, many of the issues currently being deliberated in the refugee law arena. The guide covers international and regional instruments, human rights and humanitarian law, international bodies (especially the UNHCR), national legislation, case law, and periodicals.
• Criminal Law Resources: Social Networking Online and Criminal Justice
  The activities of users and the information being posted on social networking sites are having wide ranging effects on the administration of justice, law enforcement investigation, prosecution and defense. Ken Strutin's guide provides a snapshot of many of the novel and varied uses of social networking evidence in the field of criminal justice.
• Knowledge Discovery Resources 2009: An Internet MiniGuide Annotated Link Compilation
  Marcus P. Zillman's compilation is dedicated to the latest and most reliable resources for knowledge discovery available through the Internet. This wide ranging selection of resources provides specialized tools, applications and sources relevant to researchers from many disciplines
  

Cornell Law Library's InSITE Website Reviews

Reviews published in the February 23, 2009 issue of InSITE:

• Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln
• Researching Forced Migration: a Guide to Reference and Information Sources
• Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts Project: RULAC  [RJ]

Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/l/lincoln/

The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln is an eight-volume set first published in 1953.  The set contains correspondence, speeches, and other of Lincoln’s writings, and these were transcribed and annotated over a number of years.  The Abraham Lincoln Association is now making the set available electronically.  The contents, which are available as text files, can be searched or browsed.  Simple Boolean and proximity searching are supported and these searches may be done specifically on texts by Lincoln, editorial notes, endorsements, letters, speeches, proclamations, and memoranda.  Field restrictions include author, citation, and title.  The Word Index allows users to browse words of interest or significance, determine the number of occurrences, and directly access the relevant documents.  Browsing the collection is an enjoyable way to peruse the many and varied materials available, including debates with Stephen Douglas, letters to various historical figures, and a first draft of the Gettysburg Address. [MM]

Researching Forced Migration: a Guide to Reference and Information Sources http://forcedmigrationguide.pbwiki.com/

Forced migration is a largely undefined academic field of study that is rapidly producing significant quantities of literature in need of organization.  Designed and maintained by Elisa Mason, the Forced Migration Guide does an excellent job of sorting, arranging and providing access to extensive materials pertaining to refugees and displaced persons throughout the world.  The Guide is funded through a Carnegie-Whitney grant from the American Library Association and is directed at a wide range of individuals seeking reliable and extensive sources of information for reference and research purposes.  Drawing on her experience as an independent information specialist with a background that includes working for both the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Washington, DC and Geneva and for the Refugee Studies Centre in Oxford, she highlights multiple types of materials for her readers, including online sources, books, journal articles and other print materials, thereby providing multiple options for retrieving full-text sources.  The guide is organized in two major parts.  The first part provides a starting point for those seeking an understanding of forced migration, including an introduction to the various aspects of the concept of forced migration.  The second part provides a helpful research structure by discussing research concepts and principles, identifying starting points, and discussing ways to expand and support one’s research.  A well-functioning search feature is also available on the site.  In selecting which materials to include in her guide, Ms. Mason uses the following definition of forced migration from the International Association for the Study of Forced Migration (IASFM):  “‘Forced migration’ is a general term that refers to the movements of refugees and internally displaced people (those displaced by conflicts) as well as people displaced by natural or environmental disasters, chemical or nuclear disasters, famine, or development projects.”  With credit to the Refugee Studies Centre, she further clarifies that “those who study this phenomenon tend to focus on ‘the causes and consequences of forced migration with an emphasis on understanding the experiences of those affected’ … the ‘affected’ can include refugees, asylum-seekers, conflict-displaced, development-displaced, and disaster-displaced persons; and trafficked people.”  Her guide does not attempt to delineate academic boundaries within which resources must fall, but rather, on a selected basis, allows for natural overlap with other fields of study that impact or are impacted by forced migration.  A small sampling of the types of resources that are identified in the guide include bibliographies, books, journal databases, encyclopedias, and people.  Only two significant criteria limit her selection of individual titles: date (titles extend from 1990 to the present) and language (English is the only language, although other language versions are noted in the annotations when available, and she also provides a language index to facilitate retrieval of non-English resources).  The guide is well maintained through new additions and monthly checks to verify the functioning of URLs.  Researchers may also create an account to participate in the wiki and contribute comments.  [AE]

Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts Project: RULAC
http://www.adh-geneva.ch/RULAC/

The Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts Project(RULAC) is an emergent website designed to "support the application and implementation of international law in armed conflict.”  Its ultimate goal is to build a database that includes reports on the legal norms of every state and disputed territory in the world, together with an overview of the extent to which those norms are paid deference by relevant parties.  An initiative of the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, the RULAC Project seeks to maintain an independent and apolitical position and explicitly disclaims any implications or apparent expressions of opinion regarding the legal status of the various states and territories contained in its database. Current selection of states includes those that are able to formally adhere to United Nations treaties; as of September, 2008, there were a total of 195.  In furtherance of its goal, RULAC’s home page features an extensive drop-down menu of databases organized by state or territory.  There, detailed reports are provided regarding the rule of law in armed conflict for each state or territory, together with a list of relevant legal developments in that country that have occurred in the past two years, with links to PDF versions of judicial decisions, legislation, ratified treaties, and other documents.  A static column located on the left side of the home page provides links to summaries of the applicable categories of law including international humanitarian law, international human rights law, international criminal law, and international refugee law.  Throughout the text of those summaries, several terms and phrases have been hyperlinked to PDF copies of the laws and to other relevant websites.  At the end of each summary appear supporting footnotes and a list of materials for further reading, some of which are again directly linked to PDFs.  Also provided in the column are links to “Key Issues” identified by RULAC, including qualification of armed conflicts, and interaction between humanitarian law and human rights in armed conflicts.  Each issue is thoroughly examined with definitions of relevant terms, objective synopses of the current state of the law, extensive footnotes, and links to PDF copies of the relevant documents when possible.  Readers will want to watch for summaries of the following additional issues coming soon to the website:  application of international law to non-state actors, application of humanitarian and human rights law to international organizations, and derogation from human rights treaties in situations of emergency.  An additional link entitled “Key Documents” provides a separate list of links to PDF documents, a sampling of which include “List of Customary Rules of International Humanitarian Law,” “UN Security Council Resolution on Rape as a Weapon of War,” “Key Terms Relating to Treaty Adherence,” and “Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions of 1949.”  A Legal Development Archive is in the process of being developed, and we look forward to this new feature being added to the site.  A well-functioning Google search box is available for those seeking quick access to documents on a particular subject, and for those seeking additional outside information, the site features an extensive list of well-functioning links to other relevant websites such as the UN Security Council, the International Court of Justice, and NATO, among many others.  A disclaimer makes note that the links are for informational purposes only and do not represent endorsements on the part of RULAC or the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.  The website and its contents are available for free. [AE]

InSITE contributors: A. Emerson, M. Morrison, J. Pajerek (editor)

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. This information can be accessed via the channels below, in addition to this mailing list:

1. Searchable database or by browsing current and archived issues on the web: InSITE home page (http://library2.lawschool.cornell.edu/insiteasp/)
2. RSS feed (http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/lawlibrary/insiteasp/public/rss.asp)
3. Print format for the Cornell Law School community.

Cornell Law Library's InSITE Website Reviews

Reviews published in the February 9, 2009 issue of InSITE:

• Defence for Children International
• English Reports
• Personal Democracy Forum
• WikiPatents: Community Patent Review    [RJ]
  
  
  
  

Defence for Children International
Established in 1979, Defence for Children International (DCI) is a nonprofit international organization that works to protect children’s rights.  Through its national sections and associated members, DCI is active in over 40 countries, addressing issues of child labor, juvenile justice, trafficking, and children in armed conflict.  Based in Geneva, Switzerland, DCI’s International Secretariat (IS) serves as the hub of the organization by providing representation, technical assistance, support, and capacity-building expertise to DCI’s national sections and associated members on both international and regional levels.  DCI’s website encourages advocates of children’s rights to become involved in their mission through donations, internships, employment, or by becoming national sections or associate members, and provides the necessary information and forms to do so.  The site is current with relevant news updates, the most recent of which document the death toll of children in Gaza.  Although the most recent press release posted to the site was dated February, 2007, DCI’s two ongoing newsletters, the Juvenile Justice Newsletter and the DCI Newsletter, are still regularly published on a bi-monthly basis and are available for free in PDF format in English, French and Spanish.  Free archives of a previous newsletter, the Child Labour Newsletter, are available as well.  The site also provides free access to DCI’s Position Statements, which appear to be published on an as-needed basis.  Various other DCI publications include Fact Sheets (available for free in PDF format) and other more in-depth documents that may be ordered through the site for a small fee plus postage.  Most significantly, the site hosts an online database in which a self-described “vast” collection of over 17,000 individually indexed, multilingual publications on children’s rights issues are assembled.  The publications include articles, case studies and reports from journals and serial publications, monographs, magazines, newsletters, newspaper clippings, books and official UN and individual government documents.  Sexual exploitation, child soldiers, child labor, street children, children in conflict with the law, child maltreatment and juvenile justice are a few of the issues addressed.  Unfortunately the site does not currently provide public access to the database, but materials may be accessed by email request through the site, or in person at DCI’s
office in Geneva, Switzerland.   DCI also  provides reports on the United Nations sessions on the Rights of the Child with a Juvenile Justice Focus.  Full reports are available in PDF for free in English and occasionally in French and Spanish.  The most recent report is from October 2008.  Finally, the site also provides links to regional DCI websites around the world, some of which offer an English language option for viewing their content.  These sites are of varying sophistication and currency, but often provide, at a minimum, their organization’s newsletters, and frequently, more substantial publications regarding the rights of children.  Regrettably, each one shares in painting a grim picture of the reality of children’s rights in the world today. [AE]

English Reports
English Reports is a narrow but comprehensive database containing 124,882 English court decisions from the year 1220 through June 26, 1873.  The database is administered by the Commonwealth Legal Information Institute (CommonLII), a nonprofit initiative that seeks to provide “a common technical platform” on which all Commonwealth countries may provide free access to their laws, thereby contributing to the transparency of each country’s legal system.  The CommonLII is a participant in the Free Access to Law Movement through the World Legal Information Institute (WorldLII, reviewed in vol. 8, no. 7 of InSITE, http://library2.lawschool.cornell.edu/insiteasp/archive/insite153.html),
a collaborative project which seeks to further the goal of maximizing free access to public legal information.  Data contained in the English Reports database is provided by the independent publisher Justis.  Last updated on November 29, 2008, court decisions are provided for free in PDF.  Decisions are accessible through several methods - the most readily apparent is by year.  Within each year, decisions are further organized by month.  Within each month, it is clear that an effort has been made to organize the decisions alphabetically by name; however, not all decisions have been alphabetically incorporated into the list, and users would therefore do well to scroll through the relevant month to be certain the decision sought is not overlooked.  Decisions are also accessible through a hyperlinked alphabet through which users may look up decisions using the first letter of the first name of the decision, which will in turn lead to an alphabetical list of decisions whose names begin with that particular letter.  A third option is provided through a link to a list of “recent” decisions, again organized by year, but this is not an efficient way to locate decisions as the list is very extensive and takes a long time to load.  Finally, there are database and name search options, although both functions appear to take the user to the same search page.  Searchers have the option of searching only the English Reports database, or of searching all CommonLII databases, WorldLII databases, Google, and other broad categories.  The search feature is ultimately rather rudimentary; a simple search by name produces hundreds of results through which to sift.  Although results may be sorted by database, date, relevance, or title, each does little to channel the search.  Ideally, searchers should initially enter the full name of the decision to produce manageable results.  As a result, the site’s best use is clearly for retrieval purposes ­ that is, to enter it with a specific case in mind, then either search for that case by its full name, or look it up directly by date.  According to CommonLII’s Copyright Policy, “subject to permissions being obtained from the holders of copyright in the actual material presented,” users may reproduce up to 30 pages from the CommonLII site "for a noncommercial and reasonable purpose." [AE]

Personal Democracy Forum
Personal Democracy Forum was founded by Andrew Rasiej and is billed as “an annual conference and community website about the intersection of politics and technology.”  Rasiej has a background in Democratic politics, having worked for Tom Daschle, Hillary Clinton, and Dick Gephardt, and for Democratic Campaign Committees.  In 2004, he was chairman of the Howard Dean Technology Advisory Council.  The Forum includes others with backgrounds in politics and publishing.  The Forum Manifesto sounds a theme that the Internet has revolutionized broadcast politics by dramatically reducing barriers to entry and encouraging participation.  The Forum seeks to be an integral part of this revolution.  The site features a blog devoted to politics.  Recent postings have covered the American transition in government:  the inauguration, the new Obama administration, and technology’s role in the new administration.  The News and Features section provides expanded content, including a news aggregator, a features section with longer pieces on the relationship between technology and politics, and the Politech Column, written by various contributors.  Of practical interest are the website reviews — sites are judged on six criteria — and the software company reviews.  Also, the Forum offers an e-mail newsletter, which users may get for free by registering. [MM]

WikiPatents: Community Patent Review
WikiPatents is a community patent review site that provides a forum within which the public may evaluate US patents and pending patent applications.  Established in part by Kevin Hermansen of Salt Lake City, Utah, WikiPatents’ purpose is to improve overall patent quality by creating a "crossroads" at which interested individuals such as inventors, engineers, scientists, patent owners, competitors, litigants, IP attorneys, patent examiners, and the general public may engage in a dialog that is relevant and valuable to both furthering its purpose and to serving the user’s own individual  needs.   Specifically, individuals may search  millions of patents, vote on the relevancy of original and use-added references, add prior art references, comment on the relevance of prior art, and vote on the various market and technical merits of patents and patent applications.  Prior art is defined by the site as “the collective knowledge written or practiced by the public previous to a patented invention.”  WikiPatents’
database currently contains HTML text and PDF images of over 7,200,000 US patents.  Published patent applications from recent years, selected Great Britain patents, and selected Canadian patents are also included.  Visitors to the site who are interested in participating may register for free by providing only an email address to establish a username and password.  For those interested, the site further provides a means by which independent inventors may list their patents for license or sale at a complimentary rate or for a flat rate fee depending upon the extent of exposure they are seeking and the length of time the listing will run.  No commission is charged by the site.  WikiPatents’ home page is organized into broad categories including patents available for license or sale, newly issued patents (current to the present week), and groups of patents that have been reviewed or voted upon, including the most reviewed, most popular, most amusing, and most historic, among others.  The site provides a basic search feature that allows searching by patent number, and an advanced search feature that allows searching by multiples terms and in multiple fields at once.  PDF documents are provided for free by simply clicking on the “PDF” link on the floating navigation toolbar of any patent page.  The site also includes a useful "resources" link to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, various other patent agencies throughout the world, top patent law firms and patent attorneys, other general information sites about patents, and do-it-yourself patent tools.  Although the site includes a link to a WikiPatents Blog page, it should be noted that the blog has not been updated since April, 2008, and the additional links provided on the blog page are not currently functioning.  Ultimately, all visitors to the WikiPatents site must remember that anyone can contribute to its contents, and therefore all information should be verified before being relied upon.  WikiPatents is unaffiliated with Wikipedia or the Wikimedia Foundation. [AE]

InSITE contributors: A. Emerson, M. Morrison, J. Pajerek (editor)

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. This information can be accessed via the channels below, in addition to this mailing list:

1. Searchable database or by browsing current and archived issues on the web: InSITE home page (http://library2.lawschool.cornell.edu/insiteasp/)
2. RSS feed (http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/lawlibrary/insiteasp/public/rss.asp)
3. Print format for the Cornell Law School community.

Cornell Law Library's InSITE Website Reviews

Reviews published in the January 12, 2009 issue of InSITE:

• Center for the Study of the Presidency
• Copyright
• Global Land Tool Network
• Stanford IP Litigation Clearinghouse
  
  

Center for the Study of the Presidency
http://www.thepresidency.org/

The Center for the Study of the Presidency, founded in 1965, is a non-partisan non-profit “that systematically examines past successes and failures of the Presidency.”  The Center takes their findings and applies them to today’s challenges, offering insights into successfully dealing with those challenges.  The Center pays special attention to promoting leadership in the Presidency and Congress, preserving the history of the Presidency, addressing the problem of compartmentalization in the federal government, and inspiring the next generation of leaders to be more civil and inclusive.  The website provides details of the Center’s agenda and activities, while also providing an outlet for its publications.  The Center pursues work in the areas of homeland security, geo-politics, and energy and the environment — these are all described on the site.  A significant number of reports and studies can be downloaded from the site.  Report topics fall into categories of presidential studies, presidential transition studies, post 9/11 studies, and leadership and civility.  Overall, the site is worth a visit as we witness the transition to the next presidency. [MM]

Copyright
http://www.copyright.gov/

The United States Copyright Office serves to promote creativity in our society, and its website plays a significant role in accomplishing this purpose.  It is a very active place that provides the domestic and international copyright communities, the three governmental branches, and the general public with considerable information and services.  Publications including circulars, brochures, forms, factsheets, reports and studies, historical documents, and even a copy of the manual of Copyright Offices practices and procedures are readily available for free.  The site also provides links to pertinent statutes, federal register notices, regulations, current pending legislation, cases, rulemaking proceedings, Congressional testimony, and more.  Individuals may search records of books, music, art and periodicals registered after January 1, 1978, for free through the site.  A tutorial is available through PowerPoint, html or PDF to instruct individuals in the use of the search engine.  Individuals may also choose to submit an online request to have the Copyright Office perform a search on their behalf for a fee of $150 per hour (or fraction thereof), for which the Copyright Office will also provide a factual, non-interpretive report.  Works registered prior to January 1, 1978 are not available online, but rather must be searched in person at the Library of Congress or, again, may be searched by the Copyright Office for a fee.  The site further serves as a venue for copyright claim registration for the fee of $35 per registration, which is $10 less than the fee to register in paper.  Works may not be recorded online, but rather must be submitted on paper, via mail, in order to meet authentication requirements.  Those who are interested in gaining information about copyrights in general, rather than utilizing the site for practical claim purposes, should visit the left toolbar of the homepage where, under the headings Hot Topics, What’s New, and About Us, there is a large volume of well organized information about the current legal and political worlds of copyright.  New visitors to the site will find the basic and advanced search features offered at the top of each page to be very helpful.  Those with a continuing interest may subscribe to NewsNet to receive a free electronic newsletter pertaining the following topic areas:  What’s New at the Copyright Office, Licensing, and Legislative Developments.  NewsNet also provides an RSS feed, and is available as an archive.  One may also elect to receive email updates of current events. [AE]

Global Land Tool Network
http://www.gltn.net/

The Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) is a project that was initiated in 2006 by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), together with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the World Bank.  Its purpose is to “contribute to poverty alleviation and the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) through land reform, improved land management and security of tenure.”  GLTN’s network of registered partners now includes 36 key global partners, 58 member organizations, and 626 individual members.  The primary method by which GLTN and its partners advance their goals is through the creation and development of tools that allow for the implementation of large scale changes in land policy.  In addition to tool development, GLTN provides global and country-level support; conducts documentation and research, and hosts various events including Internet forums, expert group meetings, and training.  The most recent E-Forum dealt with gender-responsive land tools and included a lively discussion.  Although the information provided in the forum is available to anyone, one must register to reply and post new topics.  Text appears in English, but one may comment in Spanish and it will be translated.  Interested individuals who register to become members may also access newsletters.  Another valuable service provided by the website is its E-Library where one will find various materials pertaining to GLTN and tool development.  Publications are available for free in PDF format, and are broadly organized into multiple categories such as Gender, Land Information/Management, and Land Use Planning.  One may conduct a search for articles using a simple word search or through a more useful advanced method in which the search is narrowed by choosing from helpful lists provided in menu format.   The advanced method allows the searcher to narrow searches to specific cross-issues, by country, and by language.  Information provided by the site is current, including an itinerary of events occurring globally in 2009, which may either be viewed as a list or in calendar format.  One may also view an archive of events, news articles featuring GLTN in the news, press kits on key events and publications, and photos from previous events.  More limited portions of the site are available in French, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic and Portuguese.  The site provides a site map, a basic overall search feature, and an RSS feed that allows the user to keep up with news, E-Library publications and events. [AE]

Stanford IP Litigation Clearinghouse
http://lexmachina.stanford.edu/

On December 8, 2008, the Law, Science & Technology Program at Stanford Law School, together with several commercial and philanthropic partners, launched the Stanford Intellectual Property Litigation Clearinghouse (IPLC).  A free online database, the site is being released to the public in phases, with the patent portion currently offering real-time comprehensive data regarding patent infringement litigation in the United States.  Non-patent matters, including copyright, trademark, trade secret and antitrust currently offer only intermittent data while “pending additional fundraising.”  The site provides a well-functioning full text advanced search engine by which one may narrow a search by case type and court, and which provides access to patent cases filed since 2000.  Case information includes detailed docket entries and, occasionally, PDF copies of filed court documents. Also available are results, including outcomes and opinions.  The most unique feature of the site is that it provides data summaries and trend analysis, so that lawyers, judges, scholars and policymakers may make informed decisions while proceeding to litigation, negotiating settlement, and conducting empirical studies.  The site requires only that the user complete a brief one-time registration by entering first and last name, the name of the professional organization with which one is affiliated, email address, and proposed username and password.  Users should take care to note the Terms of Use.  Thus far, the site appears to be a fount of information for those dealing in patent matters, and promises the same for non-patent matters in the future. [AE]

InSITE contributors: A. Emerson, M. Morrison, J. Pajerek (editor)

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. This information can be accessed via the channels below, in addition to this mailing list:

1. Searchable database or by browsing current and archived issues on the web: InSITE home page (http://library2.lawschool.cornell.edu/insiteasp/)
2. RSS feed (http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/lawlibrary/insiteasp/public/rss.asp)
3. Print format for the Cornell Law School community.

New on LLRX.com for January 2009

New on LLRX.com:

FOIA Facts: New FOIA Provisions Take Effect
Scott A. Hodes discusses two sections (Section 6 and 7) of the OPEN Government Act of 2007 that just went into effect, and the problems that will be encountered by a requester trying to use them to their advantage.

The Upside of the Downturn – Time to Work on Your Know How
Knowhow expert Gretta Rusanow highlights content as the focus for law firm knowledge management plans this year.

Metadata - What Is It and What Are My Ethical Duties?
Jim Calloway explains why every lawyer needs to understand a few basic things about metadata. He contends that the legal ethics implications of metadata "mining" are no longer just of interest to the lawyers processing electronic discovery, or the ethics mavens.

[RJ]

Cornell Law Library's InSITE Website Reviews

Reviews published in the December 15, 2008 issue of InSITE:

• 2008-2009 Presidential Transition Resources
• Change.gov: the Office of the President-elect
• PrunesOnline: a Guide to Presidential Appointments
• White House Transition Project
  
  

2008-2009 Presidential Transition Resources

The Presidential Transition Resources website was created under the authority of the Presidential Transition Act of 2000, which empowers the General Services Administration (GSA) to develop a transition directory with the support of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).  The site provides, in accordance with the terms of the Act, “a compilation of Federal publications and materials with supplementary materials developed by the Administrator that provides information on the officers, organization, and statutory and administrative authorities, functions, duties, responsibilities, and mission of each department and agency.”  Its purpose is to assist the new Administration in dealing with the significant responsibilities that accompany their service to the United States by organizing the tremendous volume of material that is available to it.  Adobe Reader is necessary to view many of the resources available, and a link is therefore provided to download the latest version.  A portion of the material is organized according to the three branches of government and is taken from the latest edition of the U.S. Government Manual located on the GPO Access website, where one may obtain text or PDF copies of various documents that provide comprehensive information on the structure of each branch.  Another portion of the material is organized according to the developmental stages of Federal leadership positions in the Administration, including potential positions, nominees and appointees.  Those interested in potential positions are referred to three specific publications: the Plum Book, the Prune Book, and Who’s Who in the Federal Government - a website published by the University of Memphis.  Separate links exist for nominees who have been asked to serve as Federal officials but not yet appointed, and for those whose appointments have been confirmed.  Resources provided range from the very simple - an organizational chart of the Government of the United States and a list of commonly used abbreviations and acronyms, to the very complex – financial disclosure guidance, standards of ethical conduct, recordkeeping guidance, national security requirements that must be met, and freedom of information laws.  Other notable resources provided by the site include links to inauguration information, the Federal Register, www.usa.gov, various political newspapers and journals, and other relevant websites.  The site provides fast, easy access to considerable sources of free material, thereby helping not only the new Administration, but also the people of the nation make the transition from election campaign to a new period of governance. [AE]

Change.gov: the Office of the President-elect

Change.gov is the official site for the Office of the President-elect and Office of the Vice President-elect It is part of the support offered to the President-Elect under the Presidential Transition Act of 1963.  The site is quite remarkable in its use of interactive web applications and for the transparency it provides to the transition process.  The home page presents such traditional offerings as press releases, coming events, links to administration agenda items, and links to information about in-coming officials, including the President-Elect Obama and Vice-President Elect Biden. But the site ventures into Web 2.0 territory by offering multiple opportunities for public participation via the following links: “Join the Discussion,” solicits public feedback on questions posed by the team.  “How Would You Fix…?” seeks volunteers to host community discussions on a specific issues. “Inside the Transition Team” tracks team meetings with interest groups, links to documents provided by the groups, and encourages public comments.  The interest groups are searchable by keyword.  “An American Moment” and “American Visions” allow citizens to share their experiences and ideas on improving the US with the incoming administration.  A recently added link is “Open for Questions” where policy questions submitted by individuals are posted and popular vote determines what question is answered.  Comments on 24 specific agenda items of the administration are solicited. For example, the “Revitalizing the Economy” page has a distinctive box entitled “Of the People, By the People” for public comments on the plan.  Finally, two additional features allow people to receive notice of volunteer service opportunities and submit job applications.  Change.gov is an active site with changing themes, changing photographs, video links, and a blog.  The home page requires scrolling to see all the options, but each option is well defined and key options are accessible via two links in different areas of the page.  Finally, there is a calendar counting down the days to the inauguration (interested citizens are referred to site of the Presidential Inaugural Committee for details.)  The site is directed to all citizens, not just campaign supporters.  It provides an easy-to-follow outline of Obama’s strategy and insight into using the Web to harness a national conversation. [JC]

PrunesOnline: a Guide to Presidential Appointments

PrunesOnline, provided by the Council for Excellence in Government, is a thorough, interactive resource designed to provide guidance to everyone involved on all sides of the Presidential appointment process.  The two primary resources provided by the site are the Prune Book and the Plum Book.  The Plum Book serves as the official version of the list of presidentially appointed positions and is rarely referred to by its formal name – United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions.  It is published alternatively after each presidential election by the U.S Senate’s Committee on Governmental Affairs and the U.S. House Committee on Government Reform, with data provided by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.  It lists more than 7,000 noncompetitive national appointments, and includes information about agency heads, their immediate subordinates, policy executives, and their advisors, together with the aides who report to these positions.  Originally geared toward the incoming presidential administration, the Prune Book series was initially developed in 1988 to profile the “toughest management jobs in government” and offer insight into the staffing process. Its audience has broadened over the years and the 2008 version is the first to be published entirely online in html as a self-described “Prunes 2.0.”  Updated to reflect the changing governmental priorities, such as homeland security and financial regulation, the current Prune Book provides links to the Office of Personnel Management, the Office of Government Ethics, Congress, and a wealth of other resources.  The Prune name originally developed in response to the notion that political appointments are “plum jobs.”  According to the Council, Prunes are “plums hardened by experience.”  The site also includes an updated, electronic version of A Survivor’s Guide for Presidential Nominees, a popular book developed as a collaboration between The Presidential Appointee Initiative, the Brookings Institution (funded by Pew Charitable Trust), and the Council for Excellence in Government.  The new version of the Guide includes an interactive Presidential Appointee Roadmap, which offers a thorough explanation of the difference between a political appointment and a career position in the Federal Government, then provides a four step process through which one may learn about the types of jobs and the requirements of each; assess the likelihood of being considered for a position; navigate the application and interview process, and gain an understanding of the nomination and confirmations processes.  The site is searchable and a site map is available.   PruneOnline also provides an interesting link to a video in which Martha Kumar, current Director of the White House Transition Project, provides a first-hand account of the current Presidential Transition process. [AE]

White House Transition Project

The White House Transition Project is a non-partisan effort established in 1997 by a consortium of public and private universities, together with other research organizations, with funding provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.  Its purpose is to create a venue within which to capture “institutional memory” in order to prevent the loss of acquired knowledge and experience from one Presidential administration to the next, thereby “smoothing the transition of power in the American Presidency.”  Resources are generally organized into three report series, including the Institutional Memory Series, the Past Transitions Series, and the Institutional Anatomy Series.  The Institutional Memory Series provides information regarding the organizational structure, operations, policies and routines of various White House offices, much of which was obtained through interviews with current and past practitioners with an eye toward passing advice to the new Administration about what was successful and what was not.  The Past Transitions Series reviews historical challenges encountered by previous presidential transitions while also discussing the transition process in general.  It is authored by various scholars and past presidential advisors.  The Institutional Anatomy Series is new for the 2009 transition and focuses on issues and resources identified through discussions with past White House staff, while making use of not just old databases, but also new databases developed since the 2004 transition preparations.  The site also includes a current news section with articles tracking the latest developments in the 2009 transition process; archived news articles are provided as well.  The site does a reasonable job of maintaining its non-partisan position in order to provide each new presidential administration with the opportunity to begin its tenure without having to reinvent the wheel. [AE]

InSITE contributors: A. Emerson, J. Callihan, J. Pajerek (editor)

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. This information can be accessed via the channels below, in addition to this mailing list:

1. Searchable database or by browsing current and archived issues on the web: InSITE home page     ( http://library2.lawschool.cornell.edu/insiteasp/ )
2. RSS feed ( http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/lawlibrary/insiteasp/public/rss.asp )
3. Print format for the Cornell Law School community.

Cornell Law Library's InSITE Website Reviews

Reviews published in the December 1, 2008 issue of InSITE:

• Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania
• Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.
• Federal Evidence Blog
  
• UNPO: Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization

Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania

Founded in 1993, the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) at the University of Pennsylvania bills itself as “the premier communication policy center in the country.”  APPC scholars consider the role of communication in shaping politics, civics, adolescent behavior, and other areas.  The Center has played a role in various policy debates, including debates over Internet privacy, campaign finance, and tobacco advertising.  The website provides details of APPC’s five major research areas: political communication, information and society, media and children, health communication, and adolescent risk.  For each area, the site links to relevant news, while featuring related publications.  The Library section of the site provides access to reports and other materials, but of great interest are the datasets.  The sets are organized according to the five major research areas and brief descriptions of the sets are provided.  Examples of datasets include election surveys and national health behavior surveys.  To access the datasets, users must register with the site. [MM]

Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.

The Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) was established as a nonprofit organization in 1988 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to provide legal and non-legal immigration support services to its member agencies, of which there are now 173.  Most of the member agencies are Catholic diocesan immigration programs, serving “low-income immigrants seeking family reunification, citizenship, and protection from persecution and violence.”  CLINIC now has 260 field offices in 48 states, and employs approximately 1,200 attorneys who serve 400,000 immigrants each year.  CLINIC’s member services are performed through divisions, including the Division of National Programs, the Division of Legalization, the Division of Advocacy, the Division of Religious Immigration Services, the Division of Administration and Development, and the Division of Training and Technical Support.  The site is loosely structured around these divisions, each of which may be accessed through a tab located in the page heading.  The site is kept very current and is extremely dense with important and relevant information which unfortunately is not well organized; however, the website does provide a basic search engine which functions well.  From the home page, a good publications link provides access to practitioner guides and handbooks, immigration reports, articles by CLINIC, and newsletters from CLINIC.  Most these publications are available in PDF format, although some are available in html.  There are fees ranging from $25 to $199 to access some of the handbooks, and readers must subscribe to view the newsletter.  Most of the reports, written by “some of the nation’s leading experts,” were not readily available, although this seemed to be a technical glitch rather than a service issue.  Also on the home page, a news link provides access to substantial news coverage of CLINIC from various news sources and CLINIC’s own press releases.  The site additionally provides links to US government office websites that deal with immigration issues, such as US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  The intended audience of CLINIC’s site is clearly their member agencies, but there is some information to be obtained by others in the field of nonprofit immigration work who are willing dig for it, and in some circumstances, pay for it. [AE]

Federal Evidence Blog

The Federal Evidence Blog is a free component of the Federal Evidence Review, a fee-based electronic legal journal.  The blog focuses specifically on recent cases and issues involving the Federal Rules of Evidence, together with various other cutting edge matters in evidence.  Geared toward legal practitioners, each blog entry highlights one case daily by providing an in-depth summary and thorough review of the procedural history, facts, issues, applicable rules, and outcomes of each case.  The blog is current to the day, and entries are organized in descending order from most recent to last.  In addition to a well-functioning basic search tool, the site provides a topical list of evidence issues cited in the blog, a list of rules recently cited within the blog, and a monthly archive extending back to June, 2008.  One of the blog’s best features is that it provides not only cites to the cases being reviewed, but also hyperlinks to pdf copies of the cases and to html copies of the federal rules of evidence at issue within the cases.  Occasionally other words in the article are hyperlinked as well to transport the reader to previous relevant blog articles or websites such as PACER.  Another helpful feature is a list provided at the end of every article that serves to link the reader to previous articles about related issues. Readers may sign up for the “Evidence Alert!” service which provides free periodic emails with updates on blog postings and developments in evidence.  In typical fashion, readers may also post comments or forward articles by email to other readers.  Overall the blog provides the busy litigator with an excellent resource with which to stay current on developments in the rules of evidence. [AE]

UNPO: Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization

The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) is a democratic, international membership organization comprised of indigenous peoples, occupied nations, minorities, and independent states or territories who have joined together to protect their human and cultural rights, preserve their environments, and to find non-violent solutions to conflicts which affect them. Members share the one condition of not being represented in major international fora, such as the United Nations, which results in limited representation in the areas of human rights and related arenas.  Visitors to the UNPO website may browse for territories and groups that are UNPO members.  Each entry covers facts regarding that group, tribe or territory such as population density, language, culture, and religion.  Historic backgrounds are often provided, as well as fact-finding reports.  The UNPO also provides information about its activities with the UN, including with the UN Commission on Human Rights, the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations, and the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.[BWK,JPC]

InSITE contributors: J.P. Cusker, A. Emerson, B.W. Kreisler, M. Morrison, J. Pajerek (editor)

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. This information can be accessed via the channels below, in addition to this mailing list:

1. Searchable database or by browsing current and archived issues on the web: InSITE home page (http://library2.lawschool.cornell.edu/insiteasp/)
2. RSS feed (http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/lawlibrary/insiteasp/public/rss.asp)
3. Print format for the Cornell Law School community.

New Book Reviews Via AALL Spectum Blog

Recent titles include:

• Intellectual Property Culture, Oxford University Press
• Now What Makes Juries Listen, Thomson West
• Honor & Respect, Protocol School of Washington
• Electronic Discovery and Records Management Guide, Thomson West

Cornell Law Library's InSITE Website Reviews

Reviews published in the November 17th, 2008 issue of InSITE:

• Audiovisual Library of International Law
• FARAdb: Foreign Agent Registration Act Database
• Nuremberg Trials and Their Legacy
• Women's Environment & Development Organization

The UN Audiovisual Library of International Law (ALIL) serves primarily to facilitate the teaching, study, and appreciation of international law across the globe.  It is a unique multimedia resource that combines still images, documentation, video clips, and audio recordings to illustrate and explain issues of international law generally, and within specific subject areas.  The site is organized into three primary areas.  First, the Historic Archives provide materials and documentation evidencing the negotiation and adoption of major UN legal instruments since 1945.  Second, the Lecture Series features video lectures on a wide range of international subjects by leading scholars from different countries and legal systems.  Third and finally, the Research Library contains extensive, well organized, links to free, reputable, and authoritative international law sites with jurisprudence, treaties, publications and documents, and scholarly works and research guides.  While ALIL can surely be used to provide supplemental teaching materials, it also serves as an excellent international law research resource in its own right. [JJ]

The Foreign Agent Registration Act database (FARAdb) is a project of the Sunlight Foundation.  The Foundation “supports, develops and deploys new Internet technologies to make information about Congress and the federal government more accessible to the American people.”  With the FARAdb, Sunlight Foundation seeks to make available to the public information about lobbying done on behalf of foreign governments.  The Act requires that lobbyists file biannual reports detailing which members of Congress were contacted, the country represented by the lobbyist, and the specific issues discussed during the contact.  The database, dubbed “an experiment and a work in progress,” contains lobbyist filings from 2006 and 2007 representing fifteen foreign countries.  While this is a fraction of the data available, Sunlight Foundation strives for geographical diversity in the database.  Users may search the database by legislator, client, lobbying firm, or contact issue.  Each record provides details of each contact made, including date of contact, lobbyist, lobbying firm, country represented, method of contact, legislator contacted, and the issues discussed during the contact.  While the database is new, it is one to watch. [MM]

The Nuremberg Trials and Their Legacy is an online exhibition of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) and offers descriptions of various aspects of the trials including the laws and principles at stake, the profiles of the defendants and participants, the decisions reached and the long-term legacy of the trials.  Most of these are links to relevant sections of the overarching "Holocaust Encyclopedia" maintained by the USHMM and with additional contextual links to "Testimony," "Artifacts" and "Programs" (listings of relevant upcoming events at the museum).  The "Testimony" section is particularly compelling, presenting videos and accompanying transcriptions of the recollections of some of those involved in the prosecution of the Nuremberg trials.  A good search engine is available on the site, but again this serves as an index for the overall Holocaust Encyclopedia, not the Nuremberg Trials online exhibit specifically. [JPC]

The Women’s Environment & Development Organization (WEDO), founded in 1991 by Bella Abzug and Mim Kelber, is a global human rights organization that advocates on behalf of women with an emphasis on social, economic, health and political issues.  Working primarily within forums such as the United Nations, WEDO performs its advocacy through four specific programs: Economic and Social Justice, Gender and Governance, Sustainable Development, and U.S. Global Policy.  A notable element of the website includes an effort to educate the reader about women’s issues through the “WEDO Library.”  The WEDO Library provides links to free downloadable articles, governmental reports and declarations, and organizational newsletters.  These resources are broadly organized by topic and most are available in either MS Word or Adobe PDF. There is no further organization of the articles beyond the primary topics under which they are grouped, and although there initially appears to be a fair selection of resources, there is some redundancy as several resources are listed under more than one topic.  WEDO’s most recent newsletter dates back to July 2008; however the “Press Room” section does offer several current downloadable press releases including one as recent as November 10, 2008.  The site is well organized and easily navigable with a consistent tool bar provided at the top and side of every page, but the most efficient way to find a particular author or topic is to use the basic search engine powered by Google. A user may sign up to receive news from WEDO by email, and may even designate the topics about which he or she would like to receive emails, and whether those emails should be delivered only in text.  This is a simple website with a narrow focus on content, ultimately providing the reader with a full understanding of the organization’s purpose and the issues underlying that purpose. [AE]

InSITE contributors: J.P. Cusker, A. Emerson, J.Jones, M. Morrison, J. Pajerek (editor)

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. This information can be accessed via the channels below, in addition to this mailing list:

1. Searchable database or by browsing current and archived issues on the web: InSITE home page (http://library2.lawschool.cornell.edu/insiteasp/)
2. RSS feed (http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/lawlibrary/insiteasp/public/rss.asp)
3. Print format for the Cornell Law School community.

Cornell Law Library's InSITE Website Reviews

Reviews published in the November 3rd, 2008 issue of InSITE:

• ATS: Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty
• Institute for Women's Policy Research
• UNPAN: United Nations Online Network in Public Administration and Finance
• WashingtonWatch.com

ATS: Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty

The Antarctic Treaty was created on December 1, 1959 by the twelve nations active in Antarctica at the time.  Designed "in the interest of all mankind that Antarctica shall continue for ever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord," thirty-four additional countries have since acceded to the Treaty.  The treaty operated without an institution until 2004, when the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat (ATS) was established in Buenos Aires.  This resultant website provides a space to both make their information publicly available, and aid the work of the members, committees, and consultants of the treaty. The Resources section provides access to the bulk of materials on the website.  The Antarctic Treaty database is a major gateway into the publications of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, with nuanced search limitations by date, category, topic, and keyword.  The Final Reports from all meetings are also available in PDF format. The Documentation Centre is the searchable and browseable ATS online library catalog. Other publications available through the website include the CEP (Committee on Environmental Protection) Handbook, visitor guidelines for tour operators, and the ATS newsletter.  Links to related websites and online resources are nicely organized and extensive.  Environmental protection is a major area of cooperation between the treaty parties and a substantial portion of the ATS website is devoted to making related documentation easily accessible. On the website, information is heavily cross-linked, making navigation somewhat confusing at first.  The site map provides a clearer picture of available content. [JJ]

Institute for Women's Policy Research

The Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) "conducts rigorous research and disseminates its findings to address the needs of women, promote public dialogue, and strengthen families, communities, and societies." Specifically, IWPR focuses on five program areas: poverty, welfare, and income security; work and family;  employment, education, and economic change; health and safety;  and democracy and society.  The reports and documents on offer are categorized both into these five subject areas land also into various "Resources" sections on special topics including "Women and Social Security" and "The Status of Women in the States." Most of the reports are available for free as PDFs but also for purchase in hard copy.  The subject area tabs include listings of both academic research reports and speeches -- many available in audio format -- given by Institute-affiliated scholars.  The site has a Google-based search engine of limited usefulness, but the organization of the reports and other documents into subject areas or by format or year of publication provides a better means for locating relevant publications. [JPC]

UNPAN: United Nations Online Network in Public Administration and Finance

The United Nations Public Administration Network (UNPAN) a unique portal that promotes better public administration by the exchange of expertise and sharing of experiences and lessons learned at local, national, and international levels. UNPAN's purpose is to support the development of efficient and effective public administration systems and competent civil services, especially in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. UNPAN's website is well organized, brimming with information pertaining to seven global regions.  Some of the resources that may be of interest to researchers are public administration news, documents, publications, websites, and directories.  The Library section contains Major Publications, Documents, Technical Project Highlights, and Thematic Websites. A sophisticated search feature allows researchers to find documents by country, language, date (back to 1947), keyword, content type, contributor and author. There are many types of content to choose from, including training, conference papers, best practices, manuals/tools/guidelines, analytical reports, and case studies. The document collection can also be browsed by topic. The list of contributors is a bit daunting because nearly all of the organizations go by initials or other abbreviations. The 11 Thematic Websites such as Innovation in Public Administration in the Euro-Mediterranean Region are quite specialized and are not likely to be familiar to the general researcher, but each site is briefly summarized.  The Directory resources are grouped into a searchable bibliography, journals, schools, training institutions, and UN research institutions. An interesting feature of UNPAN resources is the integration of Web 2.0 by allowing users to attach ratings, comments, bookmarks, and tags to the materials. UNPAN makes links to 10 tagging services prominent so it is a simple matter for registered users to add the site to de.lic.ous or Digg.  A content management system extends Web 2.0 collaboration by allowing registered partner organizations to add to the site. Finally, UNPAN's 16 online training courses on topics such as e-government, strategic planning, and knowledge management are available to anyone with Internet access and are provided free of charge. [JC]

WashingtonWatch.com

WashingtonWatch.com is brought to the web as a public service by Jim Harper, the Director of Information Policy Studies at the Cato Institute.  The site tracks bills in Congress with specific consideration of the fiscal impact the legislation would have by looking at predicted changes in spending, taxes, or regulation costs.  From these predictions, a "net present value" is calculated, which is then divided by the population to arrive at figures that "convey the significance to average Americans — in dollars and cents — of proposed changes to the nation's policies."  From the main page, users may identify bills according to greatest cost or greatest savings.  For each of the bills listed, a cost per family is stated.  However, the site provides more than dollar figures.  Bringing Web 2.0 to bill tracking, the site provides a blog, a wiki, and lets users comment on and vote for or against each bill.  There is a wiki entry explaining each bill, and users with a free account may edit the wiki entries.  The blog covers the gamut of Congressional matters, with recent posts on the U.S. financial crisis.  Blog categories include bureaucracy, defense, energy, and health care. [MM]

InSITE contributors:  J. Callihan, J.P. Cusker, J. Jones, M. Morrison, J. Pajerek (editor)

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. This information can be accessed via the channels below, in addition to this mailing list:

1. Searchable database or by browsing current and archived issues on the web: InSITE home page ( http://library2.lawschool.cornell.edu/insiteasp/ )
2. RSS feed ( http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/lawlibrary/insiteasp/public/rss.asp )
3. Print format for the Cornell Law School community.

Cornell Law Library's InSITE Website Reviews

Reviews published in the October 20th, 2008 issue of InSITE:

• Civil Rights Digital Library
• Internet Law Treatise (beta)
• NationMaster.com
• Project Vote Smart: the Voter's Self-Defense System

Civil Rights Digital Library
The Civil Rights Digital Library (CRDL) is a collaborative venture by Georgia libraries, educational and humanities institutions, and the University of Georgia media archives to make primary material about the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s available on the Web.  The CRDL has three components: 1) a digital video archive; 2) a portal connecting to related digital collections from 76 content partners; and 3) resources for educators.  Researchers can either search or browse the collections. The default search is a basic keyword search.  Sophisticated searches can be undertaken using an advanced search that features Boolean operators, field restrictions, and parameters restricting searches to a specific institution, specific collection, date range, or media type. Although the Help link is not prominently displayed, it provides easy-to-understand explanations on how to use both search types (although Basic Search tips are found under “Search Types” and not listed as a separate item like “Advanced Search.”)  The Browse feature covers the site content in a host of helpful ways by dividing browsing into:“Events,” “Place,” “People,” “Topics,” “Educator Resources,” “Media Types,” “Contributing Institutions,” and “Collections A-Z.”  “Events”is organized by individual years spanning 1954-1968 and researchers can drill down to specific occurrences. Each “Event” page provides Background, Archival Collections and Reference Resources, and Educator Resources. “Place”browsing uses a graphical interface of a US map with pinpoints to areas of interest in each state.  “Topics” is divided into “people and communities” (such as community organizing, culture of the movement, white resistance) and “Tactics for Justice” (such as boycotts, mass protests, and voting rights.) Each “Topics” selection provides an extensive list of a variety of archival and reference resources, ranging from TV footage and photos to oral histories. The resources under “Media Types” reflect the impressive scope of the CRDL. Sound recordings, documents, books, newsletters, flyers, government records, legal documents, diaries, photos, cartoons are just some of the media in the library. Historical works, biographies, interviews, oral histories, and debates are some of the genres. The CRDL is a treasure trove of primary sources that highlights the many facets of this important social movement; the site is so well-organized that retrieving pieces of history is a simple process.[JC]

Internet Law Treatise (beta)
The Internet Law Treatise (beta) is an open access project to create a collaborative treatise on Internet Law.  With the help of attorneys, law students, and other participant editors, it is based upon the Perkins Coie publication, Electronic Media and Privacy Law Handbook.  This work-in-progress is a Wikipedia-like e-book, with ongoing edits. Chapters cover Internet law as applied to defamation, content and speech regulation, copyright, trademark, misappropriation, electronic contracts, privacy and data collection, marketing issues, and jurisdiction.  It is browsable by a detailed table of contents, and keyword searchable.  Links are provided to statutory and case law citations where possible for one-click access to referenced primary sources.  The Internet Law Treatise is a good starting point for legal researchers needing background and analysis of this subject.[JJ]

NationMaster.com
NationMaster combines the power of CIA FactBook, UN statistics, Wikipedia, OECD, and more to create a comprehensive source for comparative statistical data and country information.  Statistics can be searched by subject or source, with graphed results where available providing side by side country comparisons.  Country profiles bring together CIA FactBook and Wikipedia articles, linking to national statistics.  The Encyclopedia is Wikipedia piped into the NationMaster interface.  The site also provides images of every country’s flag, and assorted maps of each country, organized alphabetically and geographically.  Forums provide a space for users to ask questions and discuss topics with a global focus.  Overall, it is a great resource for country information and statistics.  Google ads in the top banner and on the left side of the screen can be distracting, though ignorable.  The site is a product of Rapid Intelligence, an Australian web tech company, and Luke Metcalfe, with the stated purpose to “promote education and understanding about the world.” [JJ]

Project Vote Smart: the Voter's Self-Defense System
Project Vote Smart was born out of the frustrations experienced by Richard Kimball during his failed 1986 bid for the U.S.Senate.  Kimball’s handlers wanted him to attack his opponent, John McCain, but Kimball refused.  Instead, he resolved to provide a source for accurate information about those in office and those running for office.  The Project, operating from Montana, is staffed by interns and volunteers who work to provide an antidote to the “mudslinging tactics” of today’s political campaigns.  The Project receives no funding from corporations, PACs, or any entity that takes a position on candidates or issues.  The website provides extensive information on both elected and unelected officials.  Users will find biographical information, as well as issue positions, interest group ratings, and campaign finance data—the data is courtesy of the OpenSecrets site (annotated in v. 8, no. 9 of InSITE).  The centerpiece of the site is the issue position information.  The Project administers the Political Courage Test, which asks candidates what they will support, not what they will oppose.  Candidates are queried about numerous specific items that are categorized into several subjects from abortion to employment to welfare.  Candidates are also asked to identify their top two or three legislative priorities.  With its wealth of data, users can learn a great deal about both federal and state government officials. [MM]

InSITE contributors:  J. Callihan, J. Jones, M. Morrison, J. Pajerek (editor)

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. This information can be accessed via the channels below, in addition to this mailing list:

   1. Searchable database or by browsing current and archived issues on the web: InSITE home page   
   2. RSS feed
   3. Print format for the Cornell Law School community.

Cornell Law Library's InSITE Website Reviews

Reviews published in the October 6th, 2008 issue of InSITE:

• FOIAnet: Freedom of Information Advocates Network
• Revolving Door
• Tax Fraud Alerts
• Worldwatch Institute

FOIAnet: Freedom of Information Advocates Network

FOIAnet--the Freedom of Information Advocates Network--is an international organization dedicated to the principle that the "right of access to information is an important human right, necessary for the enjoyment of other human rights," and that the "right to information is essential for transparent and accountable government." For U.S. researchers, FOIAnet provides an international perspective on a right in most cases taken for granted in the United States. The site is clearly intended for activists (i.e., an "Experts" tab exists solely to invite submissions of new information on how to acquire government-held information in different countries) and its greatest potential usefulness for researchers and citizens lies in the "Members" tab, which lists constituent NGOs in different countries around the world, and under "Resources" where are listed procedural guides to laws in various countries regarding citizens' right to obtain government information. Regrettably, the "News" tab does not seem to function and the "Projects" page only lists activities for the annual Right to Know Day, held on September 28 each year. No search engine is available but the site is, at present, quite limited in scope. [JPC]

Revolving Door

The Center for Responsive Politics is a nonpartisan, donor-supported research group dedicated to tracking money in U.S. politics and its effect on elections and public policy.  Revolving Door is a new addition to the Center's revamped OpenSecrets.org website (annotated in vol. 8, no. 9 of InSITE).  Named for the "revolving door that shuffles former federal employees into jobs as lobbyists, consultants and strategists just as the door pulls former hired guns into government careers," Revolving Door aims to "reveal the relationships between those who represent special interests and those in government who regulate those interests."  Revolving Door provides links to information about members of Congress, federal agencies, Congressional committees, lobbying firms and organizations with a strong presence in DC.  The site's database is searchable by name or keyword identifying the government position or employer, and by employment.  The "search by name" feature includes a separate drop down menu for former members of Congress.  The employment search allows researchers to see where administration, agency, congressional, and committee staffers have come and gone. Data is available for staffers from the Ford administration to the current Bush administration. Each individual's information includes a graphic employment timeline and an employment history reflecting time in lobbying firm, private sector, federal government, or state/local government.  The site also lists industries represented and the person's expertise and interests. Revolving Door is a successful effort to provide transparency to the workings of the federal government. [JC]

Tax Fraud Alerts

The Internal Revenue Service has a website to alert citizens to the growing problem of income tax evasion and fraud.  The site's "Tax Fraud Alerts" section covers topics such as Corporate Fraud, Money Laundering, Nonfiler Enforcement, Abusive Tax Schemes, and various other scams.  These detailed alerts summarize the issue and provide related statutes and penalties from the U.S. Code when applicable, as well as statistical data dating back to fiscal year 2005.  A useful resource for reference librarians is the PDF publication "The Truth About Frivolous Tax Arguments," which debunks at length some of the leading tax-evasion arguments, such as "Payment of tax/filing of a tax return is voluntary."  The site is generally well-organized and designed to appeal to laypeople; however, the only available search engine is the one which covers the entire IRS website.  Searchers are simply advised to include the term "fraud" if they want to find a particular topic page. [BWK/JPC]

Worldwatch Institute

Worldwatch Institute (WI), founded in 1974, is an independent research organization that seeks to provide resources "that empower decision makers to create an environmentally sustainable society that meets human needs."  The Institute's priorities focus on climate change, resource degradation, population growth, and poverty.  To confront these challenges, WI publishes data and strategies in 100-plus countries via the Internet and news media.  The website offers information on WI's publications, programs, and partnerships.  Publications include State of the World, WI's flagship annual, and World Watch Magazine.  Reports and papers cover topics from fish farming to the global meat industry to Chinese development.  Summaries from these publications are available online, but full-text must be purchased.  The site also provides description of WI's priority programs.  These programs include building a low-carbon energy system, creating a healthy future for agriculture, and developing a sustainable global economy.  The Global Partners section provides details of WI's 150 partners.  These partners include NGOs and United Nations organizations, as well as various groups that publish with WI.  A clickable map is available to users who want more information about these partners. [MM]

InSITE contributors:  J. Callihan, J.P. Cusker, B. Kreisler, M. Morrison, J. Pajerek (editor)

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. This information can be accessed via the channels below, in addition to this mailing list:

   1. Searchable database or by browsing current and archived issues on the web: InSITE home page   
   2. RSS feed
   3. Print format for the Cornell Law School community.

Cornell Law Library's InSITE Website Reviews

Reviews published in the September 22nd, 2008 issue of InSITE:

• Earmark Watch
• International Alert
• Lehman Collections: Lehman Special Correspondence Files
• Speechology
• Taxpayers for Common Sense

Earmark Watch

Earmark Watch is a project of Sunlight Foundation and Taxpayers for Common Sense, non-partisan organizations dedicated to increasing public awareness of government activities.  Earmark Watch contains a database of spending appropriations (earmarks) which House Resolution 6 and the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 require Senate and House members to disclose; this covers earmarks contained in three bills:  the House and Senate versions of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bills, and the House version of the Defense appropriations bill.  Users can search a database of these earmarks by state, sponsor, description, or recipient.  When users search by one of the four criteria, the search engine returns the text of relevant earmarks.  Users cannot refine their searches beyond the selected criteria, and cannot search multiple criteria at the same time.  Generally, the search results do not provide much information beyond the text of the earmarks matching the selected criteria.  Earmark Watch’s content may improve in the future; it is based on a Wikipedia-like model which allows registered users to contribute information about and comment on specific earmarks. [LB]

International Alert

International Alert is "an independent peace building organization that works to lay the foundations for lasting peace and security in communities affected by violent conflict."  International Alert works all over the globe with governments and victims of conflict to help achieve peace.  Regions where International Alert is active include Asia, Latin America, and Africa.  Users can use a drop-down menu to select either the region they are interested in or they can use the same menu to select a particular country to learn about the efforts of International Alert in that country.  The information posted includes when the work began and what its focus is.  For instance in the Philippines, Alert’s current focus is on "Peace Process Support," "Peace Advocates/Constituency-Building," "Peace-Related Politics Advocacy," and "Key Peace Issues."  By clicking on the link to each of the subcategories, users can access more specific information on those projects.  The "Thematic Work" drop-down menu on the homepage allows users to access resources by choosing from among five spheres of activity: "Aid effectiveness," "Climate change," "Gender," "Peace and Economy," and "Security." In the "Publications" section (under "Resources"), the user is able to search International Alert's collection of (mostly freely available) documents by keyword, or select them by theme or region. Users can sign up to receive email updates on the organization’s activities.  The entire site is keyword-searchable. [SA]

Lehman Collections: Lehman Special Correspondence Files

The Lehman Special Correspondence Files of the Herbert Lehman Collections at Columbia University Libraries contain correspondence and other documentation between and involving Herbert H. Lehman and nearly 1,000 individuals from 1864 through 1982.  Herbert Lehman had an extensive public service career which included serving as governor of, and later, U.S. senator to, New York State.  He was known for his unwavering dedication to public service and liberal causes.  The strength of collection lies in materials on himself, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, New York State, the Democratic Party, McCarthyism, immigration, refugees, philanthropy, the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA), and the Allied Military Government during World War II.  Materials concerning civil rights, African American history, and working women in New York State are also well represented.  The Lehman Special Correspondence Files are a digitized and searchable subset of the larger Lehman collections.  Users can search the Files by correspondent, keyword, date, document type, or document id number.  For researchers interested in this segment of US history, this could be a valuable source for primary archival materials. [JJ]

Speechology

Speechology was launched by Matthew Burton and Dan Phiffer, acquaintances from NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program, and is supported in part by a grant from the Sunlight Foundation.  Bringing Web 2.0 to presidential politics, the site archives video of political debates, speeches, and campaign ads.  Burton and Phiffer want to provide a space where users can find what politicians have been saying: "If a candidate or elected representative said it on TV, we want you to be able to find it on here."  The other goal of the site is to provide verification for the factual claims made by candidates and other politicians.  For each video, users may contribute comments with the idea that the commenter can confirm or refute claims made by offering their own independent research.  This feature of the site is still developing, but does show promise.  Otherwise, the video collection is the reason to visit the site.  Videos may be browsed by politician, including George W. Bush, John McCain, and Barack Obama, or they may be browsed by video set.  These sets cover Democratic and Republican debates; McCain, Obama, and Clinton ads; and PAC ads.  The site tracks which videos are viewed most, as well as the highest and lowest rated. [MM]

Taxpayers for Common Sense

Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS) is an independent, nonpartisan, non-profit organization (with an affiliate 501(c)(4) lobbying arm, TCS Action), dedicated to cutting wasteful government spending and subsidies in order to achieve a responsible and efficient government that lives within its means.  The TCS website offers resources arranged by broad subject categories such as "Energy", "Agriculture," "National Security," "Government Contracts," and "Water Resources".  These main project areas are covered by detailed reports, articles, white papers, and other TCS publications.  Within these broad categories, each publication listed is assigned one or more subject tags, to help users locate related information on the site. The extensive list of tags is available for browsing, as well. Other features of the website that are accessible from the homepage include a keyword search box, a link to the TCS "Resource Center & Archives," and a link to the downloadable "TCS database of FY '08 earmarks." [JPC/BWK]

InSITE contributors:  S. Allen, L. Buechner, J.P. Cusker, J. Jones, B. Kreisler, M. Morrison, J. Pajerek (editor)

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. This information can be accessed via the channels below, in addition to this mailing list:

1. Searchable database or by browsing current and archived issues on the web: InSITE home page   
2. RSS feed
3. Print format for the Cornell Law School community.