Supreme Court Rules on Telecommunications Act

Every mobile phone user will be interested in reading about the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling on the Telecommunications Act and the power to build cellular phone towers. Read more (including a link to the decision) here.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Smithsonian’s Museums of Asian Art Releases Collections Online.

On Jan. 1, 2015, the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the Smithsonian’s museums of Asian art, released their entire collections online.  This collection provides  access to one of the world’s most important holdings of Asian and American art.

The museum’s masterpieces range in time from the Neolithic to the present day, featuring especially fine groupings of Chinese jades and bronzes, Islamic art, Chinese paintings and masterworks from ancient Persia. Currently, the collection boasts 1,806 American art objects, 1,176 ancient Egyptian objects, 2,076 ancient Near Eastern objects, 10,424 Chinese objects, 2,683 Islamic objects, 1,213 South and Southeast Asian objects and smaller groupings of Korean, Armenian, Byzantine, Greek and Roman works. In addition, the Freer Study Collection—more than 10,000 objects used by scholars around the world for scientific research and reference—will be viewable for the first time.”
Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

New York Lawz: One-Stop Access to Free New York Resources

New York Lawz is brand new website, developed by a New York court librarian, that aims to bring as many free New York legal resources as possible together in one place.  It provides links to primary sources, including statutes, case law, regulations, and ethics opinions, as well as forms, journal articles, court information, free and low cost CLE listings, and current attorney job listings. As the website states: "Our mission is to provide ease of use to New York State and New York City legal information and documents at no cost to users.  Although there are many such sources of information, they are scattered across the Internet.  New York Lawz provides one stop access." Created by Gene Preudhomme, Director of the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department Law Library, New York Lawz should be a great resource for law students and for new and seasoned attorneys. The site also wants to hear your recommendations and suggestions. 
 

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

New York State Library - Selected Law Resources

The New York State Library - Selected Law Resources links to external websites of value and interest to a New York lawyer.  The websites have been vetted by NYSL.  There are links to courts in New York both state and federal; bar associations; codes - federal, state & local; other comprehensive legal research portals; and much more.

This is a good entry to free and reliable legal resource sources on the web.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

United States Supreme Court 2014 Review

The U.S. Supreme Court in 2014 faced several key issues and published some interesting decisions.  The ABA Journal recently published an article entitled "The 5 most important stories about the Supreme Court in 2014" by Erwin Chemerinsky.  The article explores the most important stories of 2014 with an emphasis on the law and society as well as what to look forward to from the Supreme Court in 2015.  Click here for the entire article.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

We're Back!!!

And welcome back to all.  I hope you joined me in having a restful, enjoyable break.  I, for one, am ready to get back on the prowl.  

The Library has resumed our normal hours as have the Reference librarians.  Please check the links since there have been some changes since last semester.  Also, we will be open abbreviated hours (10a-6p) for Martin Luther King day.

Have fun in your Spring classes!

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Save A Word Today!

Because some words have fallen into desuetude undeservedly, Wayne State University’s Word Warriors is soliciting nominations of words in our language that readers feel should be in wider use.

To submit a word that merits survival (or revival), and whose “more frequent appearance would enliven the state of contemporary English”, use this form.

I am considering nominating the word ailurophile.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

New on LLRX.com: New Economy Resources 2015

Marcus P. Zillman provides access to new economy resources:

"New Economy Resources 2015 represents the latest world wide web resources for discovering new knowledge and understanding the latest happenings with regards to the New Economy. The world is rapidly changing as transparency, big data and the ability to access data from new and now accessible databases becomes a reality!

Understanding the required new economy analytics, resources and alerts will give you the necessary tools to maintain your current position, improve your position and or discover the new knowledge required to be the leader in your profession."

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Celebrating THOMAS

This week begins a new semester and a new U.S. Congress (the 114th). THOMAS, the popular Library of Congress web site named for Thomas Jefferson and providing free online legislative research and other factual information about Congress and its work, is also celebrating its 20th anniversary this week.  Launched January 5, 1995, and soon to be replaced by the new federal public information site, Congress.gov, THOMAS has seen many changes reflecting the dramatic growth and progress of online information delivery in the past two decades. Check out "Twenty Years of Thomas," a fascinating retrospective of this pioneering site, posted yesterday on In Custodia Legis, the blog of the law librarians of Congress. 

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

HeinOnline Author Profile Enhancement

HeinOnline recently released author profile which will showcase author articles and uses the ScholarCheck tool to determine author rank in HeinOnline.  The profile pages also have the options for author photo, biography, and optional links to organization websites.  To access the author profile page, search for that author using the quick search bar on the Law Journal Library homepage.  From the search results, click the author's name for the profile page and a list of articles written by the author. To learn more about this feature click here.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat