Legal Research Engine

From my cozy spot near the Reference Desk, I've noticed that paper writing research and challenging source gathering assignments are taking up lots of law student time these days. This is a good time for a reminder about Legal Research Engine, one of my favorite online resources that can provide quick help. Developed by Cornell University Law Library, Legal Research Engine searches through a select group of web sites that are sources of authoritative research guides. It comes up with a focused list of guides with direct links to the web sites you need for that specialized and unfamiliar paper topic, or even for tracking down that elusive foreign law. The next time you don't know where to start, or need trustworthy online resources for an unfamiliar topic, check out Legal Research Engine.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Finding articles online

The Reference Librarians have sent me prowling for journal articles online. Accessing articles from a great number of journals requires a subscription. So what to you do if you get asked for login information?

First, see if Hofstra subscribes. Especially if it is a non-legal journal, to find out if Hofstra subscribes, check Journal Finder . Remember to type in the journal name, not the article name. Journal Finder will also let you know if your article can be found in HeinOnline .

If your journal is available through one of Hofstra's many subscriptions, you will get links to it from the Journal Finder results page.

As always, do not hesitate to ask a Reference Librarian.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

The Morgan Library

If you plan to go sightseeing in the city one of these days, you might want to check out the Morgan Library and Museum. The library has some interesting exhibits on display including illuminated manuscripts from the Netherlands (through May 2, 2010) and an exhibit on the life of Jane Austen (through March 14, 2010)

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Deep Web Research 2010

Deep Web Research 2010 is an updated guide on how to find information on the deep or invisible web. These are sites that current search engines cannot find or have trouble accessing. The guide is divided into the following sections:

Articles, papers, forums, audio and videos
Presentations
Cross Database articles
Resources - Deep Web Research
Cross Database Search Services
Resources - Semantic Web Research
Cross Database Search Tools
BOT Research, Resources and Sites
Peer to Peer, File Sharing, Grid/Matrix search engines
Subject Tracer Information blogs

There is even more on the web than you find with casual searching. Go for it!



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Westlaw Points for Haiti

On Jan. 17, we pointed out that students can donate Lexis points to the Red Cross to assist with the relief effort in Haiti. Well, this can also be done with Westlaw points--donating to the Red Cross is an option in the Westlaw Rewards catalog.



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Migration Policy Institute

Interested in immigration law and policy? Whether the information you need is for a course assignment, a clinic, or a research paper, the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) is a great free web source. The MPI web site reflects the scope and resources of "an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank devoted to the movement of people worldwide." While covering such topics as European migration and asylum seekers, the MPI site also features some very useful sections with resources on United States legislation, policy, and statistical data, including the National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, the Immigration Data Hub, and the Immigration: Data Matters resource guide to finding and using immigration data.



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Recent Criticism of the U.S. Supreme Court

Some currently sitting Supreme Court justices are taking the unusual step of replying to critics of the court, whether during speaking engagements or via body language. See, for instance, Clarence Thomas’s recent remarks to an audience at the University of Florida’s school of law, and the account of Samuel Alito’s head-shaking during the President’s State of the Union address.

What do you think? Is such criticism of the court appropriate or inappropriate? Should the court respond?

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Snow, Snow, Snow

We have been lucky so far with the big snow storms hitting over the weekends. However, it seems that we should expect 6-12 or 12+ inches of snow (depends on location) tomorrow. If there is snow tomorrow morning, it is a good idea to discover whether the University is open.

Call the Hofstra Snow line: (516) 463-SNOW; or
Hofstra University's website: http://www.hofstra.edu/home/index.html and click on Campus Alerts
Check your email as the University/Law School may send out an email announcing a closing.
Listen to the radio and watch public television, but be aware that radio and TV may not be accurate.

If the University is closed, the Law Library is closed.

Be safe and check status before you leave home.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

National Criminal Justice Reference Service

NCJRS is a federally funded resource offering justice and substance abuse information to support research, policy, and program development worldwide. The NCJRS Library contains all the materials summarized in the NCJRS Abstracts Database. The database includes Federal, state, and local government reports, books, research reports, journal articles, and unpublished research.





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New Westlaw and Lexis Platforms

Both Westlaw and Lexis plan to unveil new platforms this year (Westlaw's will appear first). Both have been designed to be easier to use. This marks a big change for both systems, and it is partially a response to newer competitors like Fastcase and Bloomberg. This ABA Journal article does a good job of explaining this situation.

Hopefully the new Westlaw and Lexis platforms will not be much more expensive to use than the current systems.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat