Academic Law Libraries Research Articles

Some Musings on the Aberdeen Woods Conference and Law Library Cooperation

Taking as her starting point the ideas presented at a recent conference on cooperative collection development, Ms. Hinchcliff discusses their applicability to the academic law library world. The issues under scrutiny are some of those most under consideration today, topics like new initiatives in scholarly publishing, cooperative purchasing of electronic resources, and preservation. Many of these ideas are examined in light of recent proposals made by the American Association of Law Libraries.

Teaching Legal Research

ABSTRACT Questions about the importance and viability of legal research and writing as a part of the law school curriculum are not novel. Confronting these questions head-on, however, is a responsibility that should be handled by law librarians. This article addresses the issue of teaching legal research in an academic law library setting. The reasons why the author has pursued an aggressive approach when dealing with legal research instruction are explored. The methods employed to carry out that legal research instruction mandate are examined. creased as legal research and writing are more and more frequently combined and taught by writing faculty.1 At the same time, the research skills of law students are on a downward spiral. Howland and Lewis document this plunge in an informative survey.2 Law librarian Donald Dunn substantiates this decline and attributes it, in part, to “the increased emphasis in law schools on legal writing,”3 in consequence of which, while “legal writing entered the expressway; legal research took the off-ramp.”4 Further, law librarians and legal research have even been pummeled by one of America's most popular authors.5 In this environment, it may seem unwise to continue to advance the argument that academic law librarians should teach legal research. Notwithstanding the obstacles that face such instruction, law librarians have an obligation to press forward in this important work.6 Legal writing instructors have not demonstrated that they have the expertise to provide this instruc-tion.7 Likewise, law faculty have demonstrated that they do not have the interest in tackling the task.8 Say two authorities on the subject: “Regular faculty members generally do not teach a research course, and when they do decide to teach one, the results are invariably disastrous. Most law faculty members cannot teach legal research because they do not understand it themselves. If compelled to teach the course, they rebel.”9 Perhaps it is time for law schools to cede the stewardship for legal research instruction to those information professionals who have been trained and are qualified to teach legal research instruction -law librarians.10 And it is time for any reticent law librarians to accept the obligation to take a more proactive approach toward teaching legal research.11

Teaching Legal Research in a Government Library

ABSTRACT Law libraries that serve the public have diverse clientele, types of reference and research requirements, and opportunities for contact that firm and academic law libraries seldom experience. This article explores these opportunities, which the authors take advantage of for providing a “teachable moment.” opportunity to teach something. The specific subjects are diverse: the legislative process, summary dissolution, arbitration rules, or how to use a keyboard's mouse. Our constant goal is to teach or show that libraries and librarians are still an integral part of today's commercial and legal arenas, and to demonstrate that a government agency can actually be a beneficial tax-supported institution.

User Fees in Academic Law Libraries

Summary Fees for services in 58 academic law libraries are reviewed using results from a national questionnaire and interviews with law library staff. Five fee-based services were investigated: printing, document delivery, reference services, unaftiliatcd borrowing, and library access. The primary factors intluencing tees include: the reason for the fee, the type of services, geographic location, and whether the law school is private or public. Additional factors include the receptiveness of the student body to the fees and the impact the fee may have on fund-raising. Libraries should consider reevaluating fee policies based on the data presented.

Creating and Using Web Resources to Train Attorneys

Summary The experience of producing a web-based CLE program is shared by two academic law librarians who teamed with a practicing attorney to deliver the training. The focus is on teaching lawyers to effectively find and use materials on the Internet using a hands-on web-based CLE. The insights gained from taking web-based legal instruction “on the road” are explored along with the challenges presented by well-intentioned administrators and those wishing to profit from CLEs who may thwart good planning and organization. Dependable technical support and control of the process and environment are not only desirable but necessary. Selected web site URLs used in training are included and future directions for this type of training are examined.

Evaluating Electronic Instruction Services

ABSTRACT This article describes a review of the electronic instruction services offered at the Northern Kentucky University College of Law Library. As part of that study, the author sent a survey to 15 regional academic law libraries to measure the level and types of electronic services offered in those libraries. The survey results provide fascinating insights into the current state of electronic instruction in academic law libraries.

SPTL/BIALL Academic Law Library Survey 1999/2000

The following report outlines the activities and funding of academic law libraries in the UK and Ireland in the academic year I 99912000.The figures have been taken from the results of a postal questionnaire undertaken by Information Services staff at Cardiff University on behalf of the Society of Public Teachers of Law (SPTL).

Information Resource Management: Transitions and Trends in an Academic Law Library

SUMMARY Over the last three years, there have been changes in management, organization, staffing, and services at the Pritzker Legal Research Center (PLRC) of Northwestern University School of Law. The methods for acquiring and cataloging information resources have been redesigned. These changes coincided with new management, a change in the name of the technical services department, a migration to a new library management system, and a new name for the law library. The bibliographic services organization and workflow before and after the migration are described. The cataloging and bibliographic services activities will continue to be reevaluated. The goal of the bibliographic services department is to align with the 21st century mission of the PLRC to be an integral component in supporting the scholarly, teaching and learning needs of faculty and students as the law school becomes the law school for a changing world.

Introducing Students to Legal Practice Materials: Helping Fill a Law School Void

Law schools do an excellent job teaching substantive law, but they often neglect the day-to-day skills young lawyers need to know. This neglect has created a void in legal education. Materials exist in nearly every academic law library that can assist students in developing practice skills. Most of these materials are never mentioned in law school courses. Because law librarians know their collections, they are in an ideal position to bring these materials to the attention of students and to promote their use. There are numerous ways to introduce students to legal practice materials. This paper offers some suggestions. It also outlines the major categories of materials students should be aware of before entering law practice

Love It or Leave It

The benefits of participating in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) have recently been called into question by academic law librarians. This article discusses the arguments given by law librarians in support of remaining in the FDLP and the reasons given by librarians who have considered dropping out of the FDLP. It also outlines the process of withdrawing from the depository program. Alternatives to withdrawal are discussed, as well as some suggestions on regaining both faith in the usefulness of the depository program and a sense of perspective about what participating in the FDLP means day-by-day and shipment-by-shipment.

Factors Affecting the Development of Academic Law Libraries in Nigeria

This study highlights some factors that have influenced the development of academic law libraries in Nigeria. Inadequacy of local production of legal texts, exorbitant cost of the available texts, and scarcity of foreign exchange, were identified as major constraints. On the other hand, factors which have promoted the development of academic law libraries in Nigeria include the existence and use of published standards for law libraries, accreditation requirement for law faculties, book gifts and loans. Moreover, Nigeria's typical history of political instability and proliferation of states has paradoxically not been a hindrance but a catalyst for the emergence of numerous social and educational institutions including universities and academic law libraries.

Addressing the Problems of Performing Online Legal Research as a Fee-Based Service

This article discusses some of the problems of implementing and offering online legal research as a fee-based service in a law library. Strategies for dealing effectively with some patron types that may be encountered are considered, along with approaches to common problems that arise in atempting to satisfy patrons' requests for online information. The article also discusses logistical problems such as which librarians will search, what services will be offered, setting up a price structure and problems of billing. The Appendix to this article includes sample forms. Although the problems discussed are addressed from the standpoint of a public law library, many of the suggestions could be implemented in subscription libraries, bar libraries, academic law libraries that offer online legal research as a fee-based service or in firm libraries where the librarians perform searches for attorneys. As background for this article, the author contacted other librarians who perform fee-based online legal research a...

Motivating Law Students to Develop Competent Legal Research Skills

The results of a recent survey indicate that most law students do not consider learning legal research skills important. This article addresses ways in which academic law librarians can help counter negative attitudes toward legal research. The article also contains suggestions for helping motivate law students to develop competent legal research skills. The author encourages academic law librarians to assert their role in legal education by reevaluating legal research programs and, where appropriate, implementing positive change.

Library-Specific Uses of the Dialog Databases Through Westlaw Academic Passwords

Academic law libraries now have access to many Dialog databases through the transparent interface of Westlaw. This is available at a moderate charge under the academic contract with West. Many of these databases are of special interest to librarians, and are being underutilized. This paper surveys some available databases with special library uses, and notes special aspects of searching the Dialog databases through the Westlaw interface.

A Primer Concerning the Imposition of Fees for Reference and Other Services in Academic Law Libraries

This article provides an overview of the basic tenninology and issues surrounding the imposition of fees on patrons in the academic law library setting. It offers a concise discussion of major issues while providing a framework for law libraries considering establishing fees to defray costs.

The twenty-first century; technology's impact on academic research and law libraries

The twenty-first century; technology's impact on academic research and law libraries

AALS Law Books Recommended

The years following World War I1 witnessed the creation of many new law schools. Standards were needed for all aspects of both law school and law library administration. The AALS, under the presidency of Professor Walter Gellhorn, sponsored the creation of a major list of titles recommended for acquisitions by academic law libraries. The list, Law Boob Recommended for Libraries, was compiled under the direction of Miles 0. Price and Harry Bitner. The author interviews Professors Gellhorn and Bitner to create an oral history of the AALS bibliography.

Circulation Management, Desk Attendants and Limited Resources

Explores management techniques aimed at making the most efficient use of student desk attendants in the reader services operation of a typical academic law library. Offers a concise history of the problem along with practical suggestions drawn from the authors' own experience at the Gonzaga University Law Library. Includes notes on training and supervision.

OfLizards, Intersubjective Zap, and Trashing:

Critical Legal Studies presents numerous challenges to reference librarians. Among them are the difficulty of identifying and collecting materials written by Critical Legal Studies scholars, the problem of locating and acquiring materials about the Critical Legal Studies movement, and the use by Critical Legal Studies scholars of materials, vocabulary, and a style of scholarship not traditionally found in law schools. Librarians, particularly reference librarians, should be able to anticipate trends in the legal community. The Critical Legal Studies movement has existed for ten years, and yet the academic law library community has only recently responded to its existence by collecting matertals relevant to Critical Legal Studies scholars and by making those materials accessible through subject headings, bibliographies, and computerized legal research sources.

NEXIS for Academic Law Librarians

No abstract available for this article.