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W&L Law Library Newsletter, Vol. 3, Iss. 2 (Apr. 2024), The Law Library At Washington And Lee University School Of Law

W&L Law Library Newsletter

W&L Law Library Newsletter, Volume 3, Issue 2 (April 2024).

Generative Ai Large Language Models And Researching The Law, Paul D. Callister

Faculty Works

The article discusses the transformative impact of generative AI large language models (LLMs) on legal research. Callister explores how these AI models, despite their current imperfections, are poised to shift the cognitive (or trusted) authority within the legal profession. He attributes this shift to the ease with which AI processes vast amounts of legal information and the anthropomorphic design of LLMs, which fosters trust among users. Callister introduces the concept of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), explaining how AI platforms integrate legal texts into their responses, enhancing their reliability over purely generative models. Through various examples, he demonstrates the strengths and limitations …

Law Library Blog (April 2024): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Searching Govinfo.Gov/, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

This U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) database provides access to information legal, legislative, and regulatory information produced on multiple subjects by the U.S. Government. Content includes congressional bills, congressional committee hearings and prints (studies), reports on legislation, the text of laws, regulations, and executive orders and multiple U.S. Government information resources covering subjects from accounting to zoology.

Judicial Libraries As Predictors For Effective Administration Of Justice In Nigeria, Emmanuel Owushi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study examined judicial libraries as predictors for effective administration of justice in Nigeria. The population involved all legal practitioners and legal educators in Nigeria. 4000 respondents were sampled. Due to unavailability of the population at the time of the study, the adopted convenience sampling technique to sample 4000 respondents across legal professional bodies in Nigeria. A structured questionnaire titled ‘Use of Judicial Library and Administration of Justice Scale’ was used for data collection. The questionnaire was structured with the 4-point Likert scale response style, designed on Google form and distributed to the respondents via various social media platforms. A …

Law Library Blog (February 2024): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Legal Research And The Declining Usefulness Of Google Search, Olivia Smith Schlinck

Library Staff Online Writings

A new year-long study on internet search engine results has rocked the librarian and information worlds: yes, Google really is getting worse.

Beyond The Stacks: The Modern Evolution Of Law Libraries, James Wier

About the Buildings

There is a certain timelessness to the sensory experience of the Reading Room: the scratching and shuffling of paperwork, the muffled thump of a closing book, the dull hum of fans in the warmer months. But in recent years, something decidedly more modern has joined in the chorus: the quiet staccato of laptop keyboards.

The emergence of computers and the internet has reshaped nearly every aspect of how libraries operate. At the same time, trends in legal education and the profession have led to changes in collections management, research-based curriculum, scholarship, the student experience, and other aspects of how law …

A Bibliography Of University Of Nebraska College Of Law Faculty Scholarship 2019-2023, Stefanie S. Pearlman, Genesis M. Agosto

Marvin and Virginia Schmid Law Library: Faculty Publications

This bibliography lists faculty scholarship from 2019-2023. It updates "A Bibliography of University of Nebraska College of Law Faculty Scholarship 1892–2013" and "A Bibliography of University of Nebraska College of Law Faculty Scholarship 2014-2018." This bibliography includes publications from law, law library, and law clinical faculty. It also includes assistant deans, directors, faculty with courtesy appointments at the College of Law, and visiting faculty teaching at the College of Law for three or more years. Although we did not include the scholarship of faculty who visited for less than three years or adjunct faculty, we did include a list of …

Book Review: Connecticut Legal Research [2nd] By Anne Rajotte & Jessica Rubin, Joshua Levine

Library Staff Online Writings

Connecticut Legal Research is part of a series of guides for legal researchers in individual states. The second edition of the series’ Connecticut volume is completely revised from the first edition and has different authors. The authors have the goal of explaining the sources of Connecticut law and the process of conducting legal research effectively, not only in the context of Connecticut, but more generally with federal and national resources. They succeed in that goal, giving detailed information about Connecticut law and resources for research, as well as extensive discussion of the legal research process overall.

Book Review: Hawai‘I Legal Research By Victoria Szymczak, Cory Lenz, And Roberta Woods, Joshua Levine

Library Staff Online Writings

As a former independent kingdom that became a state in the United States, Hawai‘i has a unique legal history and culture. Research into Hawaiian law requires an awareness of the legal research issues that are common to every U.S. state, as well as issues specific to Hawai‘i. This first edition of Hawai‘i Legal Research meets the needs of researchers who are new to Hawaiian law, whether they are law students researching for the first time or more experienced practitioners. In addition to covering Hawai‘i state legal research, the authors discuss more general strategies that are useful for any researcher, including …

Recruiting The Right Candidate, Cynthia Bassett

Faculty Publications

The market for hiring a law librarian has changed significantly over the last few years. Those on both sides of the equation are a little uncertain about the whole process, wondering when the job search should start, how much to expect in pay, and what aspects of a position are up for discussion. The challenge of a limited pipeline of law librarians requires new approaches to recruiting.

The Persistent Treatise, Dana Neacsu, Paul Douglas Callister

Law Faculty Publications

The legal treatise remains a pillar of the American legal system and the rule of law, despite claims it might be dying and variations in quantitative citations to treatises over time. Indeed, several treatises evidence increased citation in U.S. Supreme Court opinions during the last several decades. Surprisingly, the U.S. Supreme Court, including the Robert’s Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, increasingly sees fit to rely on proto-treatises, such as Bracton, Coke, and Blackstone. This article provides empirical data and qualitative analysis to support this claim, highlighting the sometimes declining but nevertheless significant presence of treatises in …

Law Library Blog (January 2024): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

The Short And Troubled History Of The Printed State Administrative Codes And Why They Should Be Preserved, Kurt X. Metzmeier

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

This article makes a case for the historical importance of early state administrative codes and urges that law libraries preserve them for future researchers of state administrative law and policy.

W&L Law Library Newsletter, Vol. 3, Iss. 1 (Dec. 2023), The Law Library At Washington And Lee University School Of Law

W&L Law Library Newsletter

W&L Law Library Newsletter, Volume 3, Issue 1 (December 2023).

Law Library Blog (December 2023): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

‘Tis The Season For Finals & Study Aids, Olivia Smith Schlinck

Library Staff Online Writings

We’re in November, and finals are just around the corner. That means busier libraries, stressed students, and, for many, study aids. Can your students get these materials through your institution, or must they look elsewhere?

Law Library Blog (November 2023): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

The 80/20 Rule For Legal Research, Olivia Smith Schlinck

Library Staff Online Writings

A few semesters ago I was discussing the value of secondary sources with a student when they paused to think, then described secondary sources as “kind of like the 80/20 Rule, but different.” I’d never heard of the 80/20 Rule, but I jotted it down onto a Post-It note to look into later. Fast-forward to today and I now introduce my students to what I’ve dubbed “the 80/20 Rule for Legal Research” in all classes about secondary sources.

Law Library Blog (October 2023): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

The Role Of U.S. Government Regulatioms, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Provides detailed coverage of information resources on U.S. Government information resources for federal regulations. Features historical background on these regulations, details on the Federal Register and Code of Federal Regulations, includes information on individuals can participate in the federal regulatory process by commenting on proposed agency regulations via https://regulations.gov/, describes the role of presidential executive orders, refers to recent and upcoming U.S. Supreme Court cases involving federal regulations, and describes current congressional legislation seeking to give Congress greater involvement in the federal regulatory process.

Roger Williams University School Of Law Library Researchfest 8-30-2023, Roger Williams University School Of Law

School of Law Conferences, Lectures & Events

No abstract provided.

Book Bans, Academic Freedom, And The Academic Law Library: Reflections On An Aall Discussion Den, Olivia Smith Schlinck

Library Staff Online Writings

Discussion Dens are consistently among my favorite programs at the AALL Annual Meeting, and Leslie Street’s Book Bans, Academic Freedom, and the Academic Law Library discussion was truly a highlight of AALL 2023. Street approached this difficult and ever-evolving issue with expertise, passion, and open-mindedness, guiding the group to consider: what can law librarians do to support our colleagues in states facing books bans on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) bases?

W&L Law Library Annual Report 2022-2023, The Law Library At Washington And Lee University School Of Law

Law Library Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

Law Library Blog (August 2023): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Dcli Annual Report 2022-2023, Duquesne University

Miscellaneous Pamphlets

No abstract provided.

A Collaborative Model: The Villanova Law Library, Amy A. Emerson

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Attaining Academic Tenure, Amy A. Emerson, Charlotte Schneider

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Law Librarians, Let’S Talk About Book Banning, Olivia Smith Schlinck

Library Staff Online Writings

As seems to be the new normal, there is a lot happening in the news (*gestures vaguely around*). It’s easy to focus on a few issues at the expense of others or to get overwhelmed and check out entirely. But there is one issue that keeping tabs on feels like a professional obligation: book banning.