Criminal Law Library Blog

The following e-mail was received from Richard Zorza, Access to Justice:

As many of your have heard, in September 2008, the Self-Represented Litigation Network will be launching its leadership package entitled: Court Leadership and Self-Represented Litigation Solutions for Access, Effectiveness, and Efficiency.

Following the model of last years successful judicial conference at Harvard, the launch, to be held at the Court Solutions Conference sponsored by the National Center for State Courts, held in Baltimore on September 8-10 will provide an opportunity for groups of leaders to come together and learn about, and practice the use of leadership tools for innovation for the self-represented.

Attendees will leave the Launch Gathering with a leadership and educational package customizable for training throughout their state or in their courts, and with experience in using that package. The Package will include the customizable tools and resources for self-assessing courts, and for supporting the multi-disciplinary teams that can then implement the specific innovations that will improve access for the self-represented.

Attendees will be expected to prepare "learning by doing" activities, in which they will practice with their peers the use of elements of the package to foster leadership and the implementation of specific solutions. It is the philosophy of the project that attention to the specifics of solutions in the context of an overall vision, will provide the most effective and convincing tools and leadership for innovation.

The Conference is open to the court and access to justice communities. State court Chief Justices and State Court Administrators have already been invited to send teams, but attendance is not limited to these groups.

This gathering provides an ideal opportunity for state and court leaders to hone their vision, focus their strategy, and obtain and become skilled in the use of leadership materials for implementation.

The modules to be presented and launched are:

? Court Self-Diagnosis and Strategies for Getting a Court Moving (Including Funding Issues)
? Establishing and Operating Self Help Centers
? Designing and Modifying Physical Space for Access
? Establishing Justice Corps and Volunteer Programs
? Training and Supporting Clerks for Access
? Developing and Deploying Forms and Instructions
? Deploying Automated Forms for Access
? Setting Up Case Management for the Self-Represented
? Working with Judicial Leadership
? Courtroom Staffing and Services for Access
? The Court Role in Establishing and Supporting Discrete Task Representation
? Supporting and Integrating Law Library Services
? Distance Service Technology
? The Limited English Proficiency Challenge
? Developing Systems to Facilitate and Ensure Compliance with Court Orders

For additional information, a general description and one page flyer have been posted on www.selfhelpsupport.org at http://www.selfhelpsupport.org/library/folder.194209-2008_Court_Leadership_Package_Launch.
For answers to specific questions, contact Richard Zorza, richard@zorza.net, 202-549-1128.

To register, go to www.courtsolutions.org

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An Introduction*

How trustworthy are state-level primary legal resources on the Web? The American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) published the State-by-State Report on Authentication of Online Legal Resources (Authentication Report) that answers this very important and timely question. The comprehensive report examines and draws conclusions from the results of a state survey that investigated whether government-hosted legal resources on the Web are official and capable of being considered authentic. The survey was conducted by the Access to Legal Information Committee of AALL. For a quick overview, the Authentication Report's Executive Summary provides an excellent introduction to some of the underlying issues and facts surrounding the pressing and timely issue of the authenticity of state primary digital legal materials.

The Authentication Report follows the publication in 2003 of AALL's State-by-State Report on Permanent Public Access to Electronic Government Information that researched and reported what, if anything, state governments were doing to meet the enormous challenges of ensuring permanency and public accessibility of government information on the Web. The Permanent Public Access Report raised national awareness and encouraged states to take steps to ensure permanent public access to electronic state government information. As a result, several states have enacted legislation requiring permanent public access.

The trustworthiness of online legal resources is fundamental to permanent public access and is inherently a matter of great concern to the legal community. Thus, AALL undertook its investigation of the authenticity of online legal resources in 2006-2007 as an important follow-up and corollary to the Permanent Public Access Report.

The Authentication Report presents the findings of a survey that targeted six sources of law: state administrative codes and registers, state statutes and session laws, and state high and intermediate appellate court opinions. The summary answer to the question of the trustworthiness of these online legal resources is that a significant number of state online resources are official but none are authenticated or afford ready authentication by standard methods. State online primary legal resource are, therefore, not sufficiently trustworthy.

AALL's Authentication Report raises concerns that must be addressed by the states, both as high-level policy decisions and practical matters. AALL believes that the Authentication Report will serve as a guide for states to correct smaller-scale deficiencies in their current dissemination of online legal resources and to initiate long-term progress toward the all-digital legal information environment that will enhance each state's fundamental interaction with its citizens.

The Authentication Survey's findings indicate that while some states are beginning to address issues discussed in the AALL Authentication Report, the government publishers of electronic legal information have not been sufficiently deliberate in their policies and practices to ensure that information obtained from their websites can be relied upon because they can be verified to be complete and unaltered when compared with the version approved or published by the content originator. Such verification is an essential prerequisite if digital legal resources are to be trustworthy and truly merit both official and authentic status.

Achieving an acceptable level of authenticity and trustworthiness requires appropriate authentication procedures. Standard methods of authentication may include encryption, digital signatures and public infrastructure but other methods to adopt best practices are also possible. Certification and other types of formal endorsement of legal resources are a vital link in the "chain of custody" involved in dissemination, maintenance, and long-term preservation of digital legal information. That chain may contain a link to computer technologies that guarantee the very copy delivered to one's computer screen is uncorrupted and complete or it may be part of other archival methods.

The authentication survey and report are not the only steps AALL has taken to address this issue. It convened a National Summit on Authentication of Digital Legal Information near Chicago where approximately fifty delegates from the judiciary, the legal community, state governments, and interested organizations, all of whom share AALL's concern about ensureing the authenticity of digital legal information, participated in discussions about the Authentication Report findings and explored legal and technological solutions to ensure that state online legal resources are authenticated and trustworthy.

As mentioned earlier, the state survey upon which the findings in the Authentication Report are based, was conducted by the Access to Legal information Committee of AALL. That Committee is continuing to help address these issues and concerns in a variety of ways, including developing guidelines for ensuring greater authenticity of information on government websites and continuing to monitor the progress of state-by-state efforts related to address issues and concerns noted in the Authentication Report. To further these efforts AALL and its members would like to build alliances with states to help overcome legislative and technical obstacles to providing residents of each state with permanent access to reliable official legal information on the web.
________________________________
* This Introduction was written by David Badertscher on behalf of the AALL Access to Electronic Legal Information Committee (AELIC). Members of AELIC for 2007-2008 are: Joan Shear (Chair), Pauline S. Afuso, David G. Badertscher, Thomas R. Boone, Jane Edwards, Emily M. Janoski-Haehlen, Ann H. Jeter, William D. Rees, Karen W. Silber, Steven P. Anderson (Board Liaison) and Mary Alice Baish (Staff Liason). Special thanks to Karen Silber for reviewing a draft of the above material and offering editorial suggestions which have been incorporated into this posting.

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Newsletter No. 5 of 2008

2008-2009 LGRMIF Grant Applications:

I know that many of you are wondering about the status of your 2008-2009 grant application. Here is where we are now: The first step in the review process, the formal evaluation by outside reviewers and staff members, was recently completed. All reviewers had to evaluate and score each proposal assigned to them and return it to the State Archives by April 18th. This information is now being compiled and shared with the other Members of each panel. Those panels, which are organized by grant category, meet on May 14th to make final recommendations on funding to be forwarded to the Commissioner of Education, who by state law authorizes all grant awards.

Applicants whose proposals were not funded will be notified in early June so, if you do not receive one of these letters, you know that your proposal will receive at least some funding, but not how much. Final award letters are due to be sent out by the end of June, if the awards have also been approved by the Division of the Budget and the Office of the State Comptroller. As many of you know from past experience, these additional approvals sometimes require more
time. Although time-consuming, our process goes to great lengths to be fair, impartial and to make the best possible use of available grant funds.

Workshops:

(Please note that workshops have been scheduled beginning March 2008 through July 2008. While the post-April workshops are listed here for your information, please hold off sending in your registrations because our newly-updated registration module can only accept registrations through June)

"All workshops are open to all who are interested in attending. To register, go to and click on "Workshops" on the left. Send Miki Torres an e-mail with your name, affiliation, phone number, and email address with the title and date of the workshop. We will contact you to confirm and complete the registration. Directions will be sent in the mail within a week of the workshop date. Contact <ARCHTRAIN@mail.nysed.gov> if you have questions about our workshops. Stay tuned for the full spring workshop schedule coming to our website in March 2008."

Disaster Planning & Response for Records Management Wednesday, May 21, 2008 from 9 AM to 1PM at 55 Hanson Place, 1st Floor Conference Room,
Brooklyn, NY. Disasters are all too common in New York State. Each year, records are damaged and information is lost as a result of floods, arson, fires, collapsed roofs, or computer viruses. This workshop will focus on:

• How to analyze your organization’s risk of experiencing a disaster
• How to reduce the chances that a disaster will destroy your records
• How to prepare your organization for a disaster
• How to respond to a disaster safely and effectively

Conducting a Needs Assessment or Business Process Analysis Thursday, June 19, 2008 from 9 AM to 1 PM at 55 Hanson Place, Room 346, Brooklyn, NY. A successful records management program functions under the well-founded belief that strong controls, if thoughtfully designed, can save money and time. One of the essential controls is careful planning of any system prior to implementation. This workshop will focus on the necessary steps to establish any new records management system, from inactive storage facilities to complex electronic recordkeeping systems. Issues to be examined include:

• The difference between a needs assessment and a business process analysis (BPA)
• How to decide whether to do a needs assessment or a BPA, and when
• The essential principles behind both needs assessments and BPA’s
• Steps to follow when conducting a needs assessment or BPA
• Steps to follow to implement the changes recommended by a needs assessment or BPA

Managing Maps & Plans Wednesday, July 16, from 9 AM to 1 PM at MTA: Office of the Inspector General, 111 West 40th Street, 5th Floor Conference Room
Manhattan, NY. Many organizations have difficulty dealing with large-format records, such as maps and architectural plans. The storage and retrieval of these records can be very difficult, yet many of them have long retention periods and are essential to the management of the organization. This workshop will focus on:

• Analysis of issues involving the management of maps and plans
• Solutions to common problems associated with these records
• Storage techniques; ways to improve access and retrieval; and preservation

11th Annual NYC FOIL Session: Robert Freeman, Executive Director of the Committee on Open Government, New York State Department of State, and well-known Freedom of Information Legislation (FOIL) expert, will conduct the session on Monday, June 23rd, from 1 to 4 PM at the conference room of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, 110 William Street, 4th floor, Manhattan.

I highly recommend that Records Management Officers and FOIL Officers attend the FOIL sessions because FOIL and records management issues are frequently very closely related. Response to FOIL requests requires efficient access to the records requested. Further, New York State FOIL legislation requires that agencies maintain a “FOIL listing” of records; the records retention and disposition schedules that the Records Management Officer is required to work with can easily serve this requirement.

News from the State Archives:
State Archives Supports 2008 MayDay Initiative: The New York State Archives supports the preservation community’s MayDay Call to Action. In 2006 the Society of American Archivists established this annual event to help remind institutions – and individuals – to develop and update our emergency preparedness plans.
We urge families to:
• Begin developing an emergency plan. Your family may not be together should disaster strike, so plan how you would contact one another.

• Conduct a drill to ensure that everyone understands the plan.
• Make sure that there are sufficient supplies on hand for emergencies: food, water, bedding; batteries, self-powered lights and radios; spare batteries.
For your personal family collections:
• Consider which items have the greatest value, either monetary or sentimental.
• Which of these may have been stored in a basement vulnerable to seasonal flooding, or in a rented storage unit? Are there alternatives available?
• Consider storing your precious items in boxes, a simple step which can provide a good measure of protection.
Many additional measures are suggested at SAA’s web site www.archivists.org/mayday/. And for the Council of State Archivists’ excellent manual entitled “Rescuing Family Records: A Disaster Planning Guide”, see this website http://www.statearchivists.org/prepare/families.htm
After Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma, and Rita and our own recent regional flooding and ice storms, we know we must be ready for the unexpected. Please join the State Archives in taking just one or two steps to better protect ourselves and our personal collections.

New York City Records Management Conference
New York City Records Managers Brown Bag Lunches: In keeping with the city-wide philosophy that directs the work currently managed by Fred Grevin at the New York City Department of Records, I am very pleased to announce a related project. You are all invited to Brown Bag Lunches to be held at 31 Chambers Street, Room 209 on a monthly basis. You bring your own lunch and we will either focus on a specific topic (such as the current draft e-mail guidelines the State Archives is developing) or any other topic or speaker. This is a wide-open opportunity to bring your ideas, experiences, questions, etc. to a welcoming forum where we all share dialogue.

Miki will send out the first notices – hopefully within the next few weeks – to invite you to the first session. Anyone with questions, ideas, etc., etc., and so forth (as the Yul Brenner used to say in that wonderful film, The King & I) please do not hesitate to contact Brenda or Miki.

Preserving the American Historical Record needs your help! The Partnership for the American Historical Record Task Force is seeking calls and letters to members of the House of Representatives to urge them to sign on to the “Preserving the American Historical
Record” legislation, which will be introduced soon by Congressman
Maurice Hinchey (D-NY, 22nd district). The Congressman would like to
have as many co-sponsors as possible before introducing the bill.
Current sponsors are: Jerrold Nadler (D-NY 8th), John McHugh (R- NY
23rd), Sanford Bishop (D-GA 2nd), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY 14th), and
Edolphus Towns (D-NY 10th).

This legislation is essential to the continued funding of the many cultural and historical programs that enrich our cultural heritage.

It is critical that we work now to enlist as many Members of Congress
as possible to sign on to the bill - and that the co-sponsors represent
a diversity of states and both parties. (The current list of sponsors
is heavily weighted to the East Coast and the Democratic party.)

It is essential that House members know that this bill is of concern to
their constituents so that they WILL sign on. Your efforts will ensure
that your Congressperson has this bill on his or her “radar.”

Here’s how you can help:

Contact the members of Congress who represent your region and tell them
how important this bill will be to your state. Please encourage others
to do so as well. Genealogists, local government officials, researchers
of all kinds, teachers, veterans, and even your favorite aunt can make
the case.

To facilitate this, we have posted a number of items on the Web at www.archivists.org/pahr

Resources
NEDCC ANNOUNCES PRESERVATION 101 - THE NEW ONLINE PRESERVATION COURSE: THE NORTHEAST DOCUMENT CONSERVATION CENTER (NEDCC) is proud to offer
PRESERVATION 101, a free, comprehensive, self-paced online course on
The preservation of paper collections and related formats.

THE COURSE IS ACCESSIBLE FREE OF CHARGE at www.preservation101.org, and is intended to benefit professionals who are responsible for the preservation of library and archival materials. Participants will learn how to put preservation basics to work in the context of small and moderately- sized collections - how to identify deteriorated materials, how to care for collections, and how to set priorities for preservation.

THE NORTHEAST DOCUMENT CONSERVATION CENTER is a nonprofit, regional conservation center specializing in the preservation and conservation of paper-based materials for libraries, archives, museums, and other collections-holding institutions.

For more information about NEDCC and its extensive online resources on
preservation, visit: www.nedcc.org

Professional Organizations

Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York: April meeting not yet listed. For information go to http://www.nycarchivists.org

ARMA, NYC Metro Chapter ARMA, NYC Metro Chapter’s next meeting will be on Wednesday, May 14th, from 5:30 to 8 PM at the Harvard Club, 35 West 44th Street, Manhattan. The speaker, Don Oppenheimer, will trace of evolution of records management from the days of “hard copy” through today’s collaborative workspace. You will take away a better understanding of the value of Wiki’s, Blogs, and Web 2.0 technology. For more information contact Frank LaSorsa at flasorsa@kelleydrye.com

News for Educators
Curate Your Own Exhibition at The New York Public Library, July 22 – July 25, 2008:

Learning at the Library, K-12 education outreach at the New York Public Library, will be offering $1,000 stipends to eight New York City area K-12 teachers to curate online exhibitions this summer, using materials from the NYPL Digital Gallery. Working with NYPL staff, educators will select images and research and create their own exhibitions. Participants will use a web-based publishing system to mount their exhibitions.

This work will unfold over the course of a week-long residency from July 22 – July 25, 2008. A portion of this time will be devoted to curator talks, collection visits and hands-on training for

teachers on conducting research in the Library. During the remainder of the time, participants will have the free use of our computer classrooms. Library staff will be available for consultation during this time for research assistance. Participants are also welcome to conduct research at any one of the four Research Libraries – The Humanities and Social Sciences Library, the Library for the Performing Arts, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and the Sciences, Industry and Business Library. The week will culminate with a presentation of individual exhibitions on Friday.

The guidelines for the exhibition are as follows. The show must:
Incorporate at least forty items, each with museum labels of approximately two hundred words,
Contextualize the forty items with museum or chat labels of at least five hundred words,
Be supported with at least three pages (one thousand words) of support our guide copy, and
Support some aspect of the New York State Learning Standards.

We also hope that this seminar will be a starting point for participants’ future research; that participating teachers will continue to use our collections and these projects to spawn new work, and that participants will continue to call upon the Library and our staff throughout their teaching career.

To apply, please send an informal, one-page proposal including your contact information, position, school and topic by Friday, May 30 at 5:00 PM to Samantha Seeley, Education Outreach Assistant, The Research Libraries, Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, New York, NY 10018. (212) 930-0086

Stay tooned!

Anyone wishing further information – you know where to find us!

718-923-4300 bparnes@mail.nysed.gov for Brenda
718-923-4301 mtorres@mail.nysed.gov For Miki

New York State Archives Web Site: http://www.archives.nysed.gov
Archives Partnership Trust Web Site: http://www.nysarchives.org

Download Your Free Screensaver from the Archives: Enjoy historic images from the Archives’ outstanding collection of photographs. Go to: http://www.nysarchives.org/g/screensaver/index.shtml

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ABA Section on Business Law

Specialized Cyberspace and Technology Programming
Sponsored by: Committee on Cyberspace Law

Web 2.0: Wikis, Blogs, Mash-Ups and Avatars; or, The Explosion of User Generated Content and the Legal Challenges That Arise -

Data Security Breach Incidents: The Law in the E.U., U.S. and Globally and How Businesses Should Prepare for the Crisis -

Committee Forum: The Internet Governance Forum of the United Nations - Implications for Business and the Future of the Internet -

For more information click on Conference Website

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Take the Lead:
AALL Leadership Academy
October 3-4, 2008
Hyatt Lodge
2815 Jorie Blvd
Oak Brook, Illinois 60523

REGISTER ONLINE NOW!

Registration Deadline: June 30, 2008

Law librarians in the early stages of their careers can get ahead in the profession by attending the first AALL Leadership Academy, October 3-4, 2008.

Train for leadership roles by acquiring both the self-awareness and strategies you need to merge as a leader within your organization and the profession. Academy participants will use self assessment tools, group exercises, case studies, and skill practice to develop eight key signatures of leadership. You Will Gain Key Leadership Strategies:

Identify and capitalize on your unique strengths while understanding how they may differ from others on your team.

Frame productive questions to understand your role in your workplace and the profession.

Expand your capacity for strategic thinking and decision mapping.

Increase your visibility, using meetings, speeches, and memos to show the value you bring to your organization.

Learn to work effectively with varied personalities and bridge generations.

Grow your capacity for creativity, innovation, and fresh ideas.

Build trust by translating your values into a vision for your leadership and organization.

Enhance your ability to embrace change.

Faculty:

The program will feature speaker Dr. Barbara Mackoff, leadership educator and widely-acclaimed expert in understanding the way leaders think. She is the author of five books, has been featured on "The Today Show" and "All Things Considered," as well as in The New York Times, USA Today, and the Washington Post, and was a keynote speaker for the Special Libraries Association.

Application and Selection

The academy application process is open to AALL members. Applications are accepted May 1-June 30, and 35 fellows will be selected and notified by mid-August. Applications will be accepted online and a link to the application will be available on this page beginning May 1. Interested applicants will be asked to outline professional experience, explain career/professional goals and give detail about participation and service to the profession.

Interested applicants should seek to obtain two professional recommendations (at least one from someone in a supervisory or managerial role). Please request your recommendations be sent to AALL Education Manager Celeste R. Smith at csmith@aall.org.

Selected fellows will participate in pre-engagement exercises, have an opportunity to obtain a mentor, and receive ongoing leadership development opportunities.

The cost of attendance will be $150.00. It will cover two nights of hotel, meals and academy materials. Fellows are responsible for covering transportation.

We would like to thank BNA for its sponsorship of the AALL Leadership Academy.

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Accounting Briefings - May

FAS 161 and FAS 133: Where Are We Now and Where Are We Going? : May 6

Corporate and Securities:

Say-on-Pay: Solution or Bigger Problem? : May 22

ETFs — Changes in the Regulatory Landscape : May 28

Corporate Compliance - May

PLI/Ethisphere Compliance Series: Global Perspectives on FCPA: South America : May 21

Employment Briefings - May

Sarbanes-Oxley Whistleblower Law: Significant Developments and Analysis of Trends : May 19

Green Law Briefings - May

Trading Carbon Credits in the EU: What U.S. Companies Need to Know : May 20


Privacy Briefings - May

Testing the Privacy Impact of Marketing Initiatives Before Going Live : May 12

For additional information regarding course descriptions and registration, click here.

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The Organisation of South African Law Libraries (OSALL) is one of the sponssors and will be participating in this Conference:

NINTH Southern African Online Information Meeting
Tuesday 3rd of June to Thursday 5th of June 2008
CSIR Conference Centre
Meiring Naude Road, Pretoria
Organised by Southern African Online User Group
Together with SLIS and OSALL

The 9th SAOIM once again expands over three days in 2008 to include a pre-conference workshop. The meeting provides a forum for the exchange of information on current developments, applications and opportunities in the expanding field of online information in the broadest sense. The aim is to provide an insight into the extent of growth and activity taking place in the information industry. Coverage will include not only the traditional online systems and services, but will extend to some of the newest areas of information transfer and exchange. SLIS and OSALL will also be contributing to this event in 2008.

Keynote speakers already confirmed include:

Derek Law - Head of the Information Resources Directorate, University of Strathclyde.
Derek has worked in several British universities and published almost 200 book chapters, articles and conference papers. Most of his work has been to do with the development of networked resources in higher education and with the creation of national information policy. Recently he has worked on the use of wireless technology in developing new methods of teaching and learning. This has been combined with an active professional life in organisations related to librarianship and computing.

Geoff Hoy - Geoff has been associated with UCT libraries for many years, and is now involved with TENET, the tertiary education network which is used by all tertiary academic institutions in South Africa. From his unique perspective gained on both sides of the computer screen, Geoff will be addressing strategies on how to bridge the communication gap between the librarian and library systems on the one hand, and the computer technicians' understanding and implementation of programs on the other.

Christof Appel - Christof has presented in the UK, USA, Dubai and South Africa. He has wowed audiences with his entertaining and thought provoking business presentations. As a naturally gifted communicator he has proved an ability to connect with audiences ranging from high school students in Soweto to Fortune 500 CEO’s. His business career started at the age 19 when he launched a media and marketing company. After selling the business and its flagship youth magazine he joined Business Day and Financial Mail. During his corporate career he started consulting to companies on their ability to attract, develop and retain top young talent. His new company is assisting organizations in an economy where the business rules have changed considerably.

More details can be found at http://www.saoug.org.za/conferencenote.htm

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Under Pressure: How Do We Keep the Courts Fair and Impartial?

Tuesday, April 15, 2008
9:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Presented by the Coalition for Justice
Hosted by the American University Washington College of Law
Washington, DC

This National Issues Forum will include a lively discussion on the Separation of Powers:

- Understand the Role of the Judiciary
- Making the Judicial System Work Better
- Making the Judiciary Less Political

The Forum is free.

Contact Gilda Fairley at fairleyg@staff.abanet.org with questions.

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Call for Participation

Deadline Extended to April 22, 2008

A Reference Renaissance: Current and Future Trends August 4-5, 2008 Denver, CO Conference website: http://www.bcr.org/referencerenaissance

Sponsored by BCR (Bibliographical Center for Research) and RUSA (Reference and User Services Association), an ALA Division

Rumors of the "death of reference" have been greatly exaggerated! Reference and information service now encompasses not just traditional forms such as in-person point-of-service, telephone, and e-mail, but also Instant Messaging, Text Messaging (SMS), blogs, wikis, library pages on MySpace and

Facebook, and virtual reference desks in Second Life.

A Reference Renaissance: Current and Future Trends conference will explore all aspects of reference service in a broad range of contexts, including libraries and information centers, in academic, public, school, corporate, and other special library environments. This two-day conference will incorporate the multitude of established, emerging, and merging types of reference service including both traditional and virtual reference. It presents an opportunity for all reference practitioners and scholars to explore the rapid growth and changing nature of reference, as an escalating array of information technologies blend with traditional reference service to create vibrant hybrids.

Our theme of a "Reference Renaissance" was taken from an editorial by Diane Zabel, in a recent issue of Reference and User Services Quarterly (winter 2007). Zabel wrote of a "resurgence of interest in reference" and that "reference is experiencing a regeneration, a reference renaissance."

Submissions of papers, panels, and workshop proposals are welcomed that analyze issues, identify best practices, advance organizational and technological systems, propose standards, and/or suggest innovative approaches that will reveal as well as invent the future of reference in this exciting and unfolding landscape. The conference will be organized around the following interest tracks. Please note that the sub-bullets are intended to be suggested topics, not to be a comprehensive listing.

. Virtual Reference (including e-mail, chat, IM, SMS, Second Life, etc.)

o Interpersonal aspects of reference service across different types of service

o Comparison of VR modes . Innovative Service Models (including face-to-face, outreach, and Web 2.0)

o Comparison of different modes (locations, configurations, etc.) of service delivery

o Social networking applications (such as blogs, wikis, Facebook, MySpace, etc.)

o Case studies in virtual outreach

o Satellite (or outpost) reference, roving reference . Managing Reference Services

o Assessment/Evaluation (including guidelines and best

practices, benchmarking performance, service quality, accuracy, effectiveness, and efficiency)

o Hiring, training and motivating staff in an era of rapid change (including performance issues)

o Marketing initiatives . Approaches, Values, & Philosophy of Reference Services

o Reference as teaching

o How much help to give (e.g., homework, course assignments) . Wild Card (including, but not limited to, controversial issues, comparisons, other innovative topics - be creative!)

o Sustainability and budgeting issues

o Reference consortia issues

o Software and hardware development . Vendor (including demonstrations and workshops)

o Vendor software and hardware development

TYPES OF SUBMISSIONS:

1. Papers (500 word abstracts): include reports and research studies on

any aspect of reference, user studies, evaluation projects, innovative practical applications, theme papers, or theoretical developments. In addition, works in progress and student papers are invited. Submissions should include: 1) a cover sheet with the paper title, author(s), contact information and affiliations(s) for each author, conference track(s) and 2) a second page consisting of a 500 word abstract that summarizes the paper but does NOT show your name or any contact information. Papers will be refereed by the program committee.

2. Panels: include proposals for 1.5 hour long sessions on topics such

as reference innovations, implementation of new technology, evaluation projects, reports by practitioners on current initiatives, theme panels, and contrasting viewpoints on controversial or hot issues. Innovative formats are sought, especially those that encourage audience participation, such as:

roundtable discussions, debates, forums, or case studies. Submissions should

include: panel title, names, affiliations, and contact information for all participants (moderators, panelists, respondents, etc.), conference track(s), and a brief overview (250 words) of the issues, projects or viewpoints to be discussed. Panels will be refereed by the program committee.

3. Workshops, Demonstrations, and Reports from the Field: include

proposals for 30 minute sessions on working projects, new services, new approaches to reference instruction, or to developments-in-progress. These can be educational in nature. Submissions should include workshop of demonstration title, names and affiliations of all participants, contact information, conference track(s), and brief overview (250 words) of the session.

DEADLINES:

April 22, 2008 Deadline for All Submissions (Deadline extended!)

May 15, 2008 Notification of Acceptance to Speakers

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

Submissions should be sent in electronic format (as an e-mail attachment as a Word document or pdf) to Program Chair Marie L. Radford

(mradford@scils.rutgers.edu).

Information on conference registration and hotel reservations will be forthcoming on the conference website at: www.bcr.org/referencerenaissance

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Every month I look forward to receiving the ABA Criminal Justice Section E-News. True to form, the April 2008 issue just received is filled with information to those involved with criminal justice issues. Here are some exampled highlighted in the April 2008 issue:

Weekly Criminal Justice News Roundup.

Legislative Update

Upcoming Events

April 3-6
Criminal Justice Section 2008 Spring Meeting, Charleston, SC (Francis Marion Hotel)

Superior Direct and Cross Examination (CLE, April 4)

April 11
Protecting Attorney-Client Privilege in 2008, Philadelphia, PA

May 9-10
The Comparison of Jury Trials and the Mystery of Art Theft, Bilbao, Spain

May 14-16
Health Care Fraud, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

May 21-23
Federal Sentencing Guidelines, Orlando, FL

June 11-13
Civil False Claims Act and Qui Tam Enforcement, Washington, DC

June 18-20
CyberLaw: Expanding the Horizons, Washington, DC

Aug. 7-12
ABA Annual Meeting (and CJ Section Programs and Meetings), New York, NY

Oct. 19-21
ABA/ABA Money Laundering Enforcement Conference, Washington, DC

New Publications

New from the ABA Commission on Effective Criminal Sanctions

Second Chances in the Criminal Justice System: Alternatives to Incarceration and Recovery Strategies
"This compendium of the American Bar Association's Commission on Effective Criminal Sanctions and the Justice Kennedy Commission focuses on the fairness and proportionality of punishment and on ways in which criminal offenders may avoid or escape the permanent legal disabilities and stigma of a criminal record."

U.S. Supreme Court Cases

MEDELLIN v. TEXAS

By a 6-3 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court held that President Bush overstepped his authority when he ordered a Texas court to reopen the case of Jose Ernesto Medellin, a Mexican citizen whom police prevented from consulting with Mexican diplomats, as provided by international treaty. Medellin was arrested a few days after the killings of Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16, in June 1993. He was told he had a right to remain silent and have a lawyer present, but the police did not tell him that he could request assistance from the Mexican consulate. Medellin was convicted of murder in the course of a sexual assault, a capital offense in Texas. A judge sentenced him to death in October 1994.

Texas acknowledged that Medellin was not told he could ask for help from Mexican diplomats, but argued that he forfeited the right because he never raised the issue at trial or sentencing. In any case, the state said, the diplomats' intercession would not have made any difference in the outcome of the case. State and federal courts rejected Medellin's claim when he raised it on appeal.

Then, in 2003, Mexico sued the United States in the International Court of Justice in The Hague on behalf of Medellin and 50 other Mexicans on death row in the U.S. who also had been denied access to their country's diplomats following their arrests. An international court ruled in 2004 that the convictions of Medellin and 50 other Mexicans on death row around the United States violated the 1963 Vienna Convention, which provides that people arrested abroad should have access to their home country's consular officials. The International Court of Justice, also known as the world court, said the Mexican prisoners should have new court hearings to determine whether the violation affected their cases.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, disagreed. Roberts said the international court decision cannot be forced upon the states. The president may not "establish binding rules of decision that pre-empt contrary state law," Roberts said. Neither does the treaty, by itself, require individual states to take action.

Click on the link below to access the full opinion. If you cannot click on the link, copy and paste it into your browser. http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/07pdf/06-984.pdf

Snyder v. Louisiana

By a 7-2 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court found that prosecutor Jim Williams improperly excluded blacks from the jury that convicted Allen Snyder of killing his estranged wife's companion. Snyder is black and the jurors were white. Justice Alito, writing for the majority, said the trial judge should have blocked Williams from striking a black juror. Justices Thomas and Scalia dissented. Thomas said he would not "second-guess" the judge. In a 4-3 decision, the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled that race had no part in the state's decisions involving black potential jurors.

During jury selection in the trial, Williams disqualified all five blacks in the pool of prospective jurors. The Supreme Court ruled in 1986 that prosecutors may not exclude people from a jury solely because of their race. The court already had sent Snyder's case back to the Louisiana courts following a ruling in 2005 that bolstered the prohibition on race bias in jury selection.

The prosecutor's explanation for striking a prospective black juror was "suspicious," said Alito. The prospective juror's supervisor said he did not think a schedule conflict between the upcoming trial and the prospective juror's work would be a problem. In contrast, the prosecutor accepted white jurors who disclosed conflicting obligations "that appear to have been at least as serious as" the prospective black juror who was excused, Alito wrote.

Stephen Bright, Snyder's Atlanta-based lawyer, said the ruling shows there is broad agreement among the justices that courts must closely examine the reasons given for excusing potential jurors when racial motives might be present but not acknowledged. "The disturbing thing is that courts in Louisiana and elsewhere were just deferring to trial judges, no matter the reasons," Bright said. Snyder will get a new trial as a result of the ruling.

Click on the link below to access the full opinion. If you cannot click on the link, copy and paste it into your browser. http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/07pdf/06-10119.pdf

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Welcome to the one annual Conference that IP lawyers cannot afford to miss. Now in its 23rd year, the Annual Intellectual Property Law Conference of the ABA Section of Intellectual Property Law provides a gathering of the foremost authorities on the state of intellectual property law, including judges, goverment officials, in-house counsel, academics, and private practitioners.

The conference is recognized for its national and international scope and preeminent programming. It attracts IP practitioners from across the nation and around the world..

The past year has seen critical developments in IP law. Its practitioners face new issues, new areas of practice, and a growing globalism, which places more demands than ever on their knowledge and skills.

Our most ambitious conference to-date meets your needs. It is comprehensive two and one-half day program featuring prominent speakers from across the IP law spectrum.

As in past years, the ABA Section of Science & Technology Law joins as a co-sponsor of the conference. A special session on new media and royalty issues will also be co-sponsored with the ABA Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries.

Special sessions on Corporate Counsel Issues, Ethics Issues, and Litigation Skills Training will also be offered.

In addition to the collaborative efforts above, a special reception will be held at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

For details and registration click here

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As you may know, the 2008 Equal Justice Conference will be held the first full week of May in Minneapolis. The Conference will include a special pre-conference dedicated to the Self-Represented Litigant Issues as well as a number of general conference sessions that relate to the topic. Here is some additional information on the Pre Conference.

The Tuesday May 6 all day pre-conference will focus on self-represented litigation issues, and particularly the experience of the Hennepin County Self-Represented Services Program, which is generally recognized as one of the national leaders in the field. The day will include an introduction by the Coordinator of the Self-Represented Litigation Network, describing recent national developments, including the rapid adoption of judicial training programs, the planned development and launch of the Court leadership and education materials, and research into cost effectiveness of innovation. There will be a detailed tour and review of the operations and insights of the Hennepin program, and afternoon panels on Discrete Task Representation (Unbundling), Funding Approaches, Law Library Services, and Statewide and Distance Services. This program is highly recommended for all interested in the launch and enhancement of programs for the self-represented.

The Pre-conference fee of $65 will include food. Participants will walk from the conference hotel to the courthouse. Transportation available if needed. Registration for the main conference is required (See link at bottom).

The detailed Agenda for the Pre-Conference is as follows:

8:00-8:15 Welcome and introductions at Conference Hotel (Susan Ledray)

8:15-8:45 Update on Self-Represented Litigant Innovation and SRLN Working Group Activities (Richard Zorza)

8:45-9:15 Walk to Hennepin County District Court SHC: (Car available if needed)

9:15-11:15 Tour one Self Help Center and the Housing Court Project, then go to a conference room for Q&A with SHC staff and partners and a judge

11:15-12:15 Return to Hotel and eat lunch (provided in meeting room)

12:15-1:15 Law Library Programs for SRLs (lead: Sara Galligan)

1:15-2:15 Unbundling (lead: Sue Talia)

2:15-2:30 BREAK

2:30-3:30 Satewide and Diststance Services/Technology for SRLs (lead: Katrina Zabinski)

3:30-4:30 Funding Approaches and Issues (lead: Bonnie Hough and Susan Ledray)

Registration
For registration go to:
http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/ejc/home.html.

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