Criminal Law Library Blog

Oregon County Law Libraries Planning Grant, Request for Proposals

"Summary: The Oregon Council of County Law Libraries (OCCLL), representing 36 county law libraries throughout the state, received a planning grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the LSTA, administered by the Oregon State Library. The OCCLL has administrative responsibility for implementing the grant project. The grant project team seeks the services of a professional library consultant who will guide the OCCLL through the planning process. The general duty of the consultant is to facilitate the accomplishment of project goals and activities".

Oregon Law Libraries RFP Rev4_1

For more information, contact:

Laura J. Orr

Law Librarian

Washington County Law Library

111 NE Lincoln St

Hillsboro, OR 97124

Phone: 503-846-8880

Email: lawlibrary@co.washington.or.us
URL: http://www.co.washington.or.us/lawlibrary
Oregon Legal Research Blog: http://oregonlegalresearch.blogspot.com/

OCLC's QuestionPoint and Mosio's Text a Librarian announce virtual reference collaboration
Project to offer text messaging reference options to QuestionPoint users. Here is the Press Release :

DUBLIN, Ohio, January 15, 2010-OCLC and Mosio are working together to enable seamless integration of Mosio's Text a Librarian text messaging reference software with OCLC's QuestionPoint reference management service to provide a comprehensive virtual reference solution for libraries.

OCLC and Mosio are exploring solutions to the demands of a mobile world and the need for libraries to be able to communicate with their patrons online and on-the-go.
"Library reference services need to be accessible where and when users need them, in the form they want," said Jay Jordan, OCLC President and CEO. "Users are increasingly relying on mobile technologies, and QuestionPoint is committed to providing libraries with the tools they need. Text a Librarian is a leader in texting services for libraries in the U.S. Working together, we believe we can deliver an efficient and cost-effective solution for libraries."

QuestionPoint's reference management suite that includes email, online chat and chat widgets combined with Mosio's Web-based Text a Librarian service for text messaging would offer patrons more virtual reference options and provide libraries increased efficiencies in managing patron inquiries in a single place.

"Mobile reference services are an exciting opportunity for libraries," said Noel Chandler, Mosio CEO and Co-Founder. "This collaboration combines our expertise in mobile reference technology with OCLC's experience as the leader in virtual reference management software to provide libraries a full digital reference services package."

The integration of Text a Librarian with QuestionPoint services will begin with libraries based in the United States.

For more information, visit www.textalibrarian.com or www.oclc.org/questionpoint.

About OCLC
Founded in 1967, OCLC is a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to the world's information and reducing library costs. More than 72,000 libraries in 112 countries have used OCLC services to locate, acquire, catalog, lend, preserve and manage library materials. Researchers, students, faculty, scholars, professional librarians and other information seekers use OCLC services to obtain bibliographic, abstract and full-text information when and where they need it. OCLC and its member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the world's largest online database for discovery of library resources. Search WorldCat on the Web at www.worldcat.org. For more information, visit www.oclc.org.

About Mosio's Text a Librarian
Text a Librarian is a mobile reference service technology developed specifically for libraries. Built on Mosio's award-winning mobile questions and answers platform, Text a Librarian enables libraries to reach more patrons on the go through their mobile phones. For more information regarding Text a Librarian, please visit www.textalibrarian.com

Robert C. Richard, Editor in Chief of Vox PopoLII reports thatSarah Rhodes has just published a terrific new overview of digital legal preservation, entitled "Preserving Born-Digital Legal Materials…Where to Start?" on Cornell's VoxPopuLII blog. The post addresses core concerns, as well as emerging issues, and provides a thorough and accessible view of the field. He thinks it will prove a very rewarding resource for novices and experienced preservation professionals alike.

Since first hearing about the planned closure of of six of the fifteen courthouse libraries in Connecticut I have contacted I have heard from a number of people (both librarians and non-librarians) from throughout that state. By all accounts the announced closures will prevent attorneys, judges and members of the public from accessing the up-to-date legal materials they need. They will especially hurt disadvantaged citizens and pro se litigants, who are especially vulnerable and may be unable to access official legal resources and will be required to struggle to travel to far-away courthouses. While the dire budgetary circumstances are the state currently faces are understandable, it is essential that Connecticut’s public law libraries and courthouses remain open. They are irreplaceable.

To help spread the word, the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) has been working closely with the Southern New England Librarians Association (SNELLA) to oppose the announced closures . Kate Hagan the AALL Executive Director has distibuted an e-mail (see below) which details that effort. It includes some useful links for those who want to become active in saving Connecticut court libraries.

People are also urged to search the directory of state legislators and government employees at the of Connecticut Website for other contacts that could be helpful in this effort. This web site includes a directory of state employees, a directory of state legislators, and a directory of federal legislators serving Connecticut, all with links for e-mail contact information.

Additionally I have included a link at the end of this post to enable you to download the November 18, 2009 written testimony of Judge Barbara Quinn, Chief Court Administrator at an Appropriations Committee public hearing on Deficiencies. In this statement she includes a section on "Closing law libraries".

Please help spread the word about the importance of saving Connecticut courthouse libraries.

David Badertscher

AALL has been working closely with the Southern New England Law Librarians Association (SNELLA), to oppose the announced closure of six of the 15 courthouse libraries in Connecticut. They are jointly sponsoring online petitions to save the courthouse libraries in Bridgeport, Hartford, Litchfield, Milford, and Norwich. The sixth library, at the Willimantic Courthouse, is not staffed and its small collection will likely be moved to the local public university. Each petition includes a compelling statement by a leader of the local bar association, whose members stand ready to join forces with us. Attorneys and pro se litigants will be deprived of local access to current and historic legal materials, as well as the knowledge and expertise of professional librarians, if we do not stop these proposed closures.

The petitions are open to all residents of Connecticut, so please help spread the word so that our efforts are successful in quickly getting as many signatures as possible to keep these public law libraries open and staffed.

In addition to the petitions, on December 23, AALL and SNELLA sent joint letters to Connecticut's Governor Rell and to the leadership of the Appropriations Committee strongly opposing the decision, which was announced by Judge Barbara M. Quinn, chief court administrator. The closures became necessary, according to Quinn, after the executive branch cut $12.9 million from the budget for the judicial branch.

Kate Hagan
Executive Director
American Association of Law Libraries
Suite 3300

105 W. Adams Street
Chicago, IL 60603

Written Testimony of Judge Barbara M. Quinn, Chief Administrative Judge of Connecticut to the Appropriations Committee Public Hearing on Deficiencies, November 18, 2009

THOMAS was launched on January 5, 1995, at the inception of the 104th Congress. The leadership of the 104th Congress directed the Library of Congress to make federal legislative information freely available to the public. Since that time THOMAS has expanded the scope of its offerings to include many features and content including those listed below.:

Bills, Resolutions
Activity in Congress
Congressional Record
Schedules, Calendars
Committee Information
Presidential Nominations

Now, fifteen years later in response to user feedback and in celebration of its fifteenth
anniversary, THOMAS has been updated for the second session of the 111th
Congress.

As reported by Emily Carr of the Public Services Division at the Law Library of Congress, the new items include a bookmarking and sharing toolbar, top five bills of the week, a new RSS feed, highlighting how to contact Members of Congress, a tip of the week, enhanced visibility of bill PDFs, and an increased timeout interval.

The bookmarking and sharing toolbar, found near the top of most THOMAS pages, allows users to save or share a permanent link via bookmarks,email, or social networking sites such as Twitter or Facebook. The toolbar also includes quick links to subscribe to THOMAS RSS feeds and to print.

The five most-searched-for bills from the past week will be listed in the center box on the right side of the homepage. Hovering the mouse over the bill number will display the title of the bill.

The new Bills Presented to the President RSS feed and email update lists bills that have passed both the House and Senate and have been sent to the White House for the President's signature.

It's now easier to contact your Members of Congress. A link to this page of tips about how to contact your Representative or Senator is included on the homepage.

Each week, a new tip about using THOMAS will be displayed on the right-hand side of the THOMAS homepage, below the “Top Five” list.

Based on user feedback, links to the bill PDF are more visible and accessible. Clicking on a PDF link will bring you to the Government Printing Office (GPO) PDF for a specific version of a bill.

Search results within THOMAS are displayed on temporary pages. The timeout interval has been increased from 5 minutes to 20 minutes..

THOMAS can be accessed at http://thomas.loc.gov.

BY: David Badertscher*

I have been following with great interest recent discussion on listservs and in the literature regarding a perception that libraries are becoming less relevant in a technologically-oriented society that relies increasingly on “instant gratification”(achieved largely through online searching and related techniques).

Technology is wonderful, and I think should it should be embraced, but not at the expense of alternative tools and methods that produce better results and may be more cost effective. If they are to accomplish their mission and remain relevant over time to their parent organizations, libraries must always be prepared to use a variety or mixture of techniques and materials, both technical and non-technical, to achieve results that are accurate, timely, efficient, cost effective, and deemed by patrons and managers to be trustworthy. The alternative is to increase the risk of libraries being perceived as no longer capable of meeting growing expectations and thereby becoming possible candidates for eventual closure.

How can libraries hope to escape this dilemma and continue to thrive in the highly competitive and dynamic environment where we live and work?

The discussions mentioned earlier include many excellent observations and recommendations which I think should be adopted. I agree that law libraries (and perhaps all libraries) need ready access to the services of a public relations department with the capability of responding quickly and professionally to articles denigrating libraries**. Discussions regarding these matters should be extended outside the library to include a broader population served by libraries, and more should be done by way of educating people “who work with librarians as to the value added elements a well-trained library staff adds to”*** the utility of both the library and its parent organization.

These and other excellent recommendations and suggestions being discussed are both necessary and useful, but are not by themselves sufficient to address the overall dilemma mentioned above. They need to be presented within a broader context which includes both core competencies of librarians such as the ones currently being revised by the American Association of Law Libraries for law librarians and a separate list of characteristics essential for libraries and library systems to maintain their relevance and effectiveness over the long term. If properly constructed, such a list should go far in helping libraries and library systems to be perceived as being essential components of our society due to their leadership role in both identifying and responding to information needs in a thoroughly professional manner. While much work continues to be done regarding the competencies of librarians, it appears that insufficient attention is being devoted to the complementary but distinct effort in identifying those overall characteristics or attributes of libraries, library personnel, and library systems essential for their assuming and maintaining a leading role in our increasingly dynamic and competitive world. Although other work has probably already been done in this area, I am not aware of it.

The following is my effort to compile such a list based on my own observations and conversations with colleagues. Hopefully it will stimulate both thought and further action. With that in mind the list of characteristics can be used as a point of departure for further development. A second equally important objective is to convey to the reader reviewing the list a sense of the vital, irreplaceable role libraries and librarians can play in meeting the information requirements of an increasingly dynamic and competitive environment. Thirdly, I would hope to convey my basic optimism regarding the future of libraries and library systems, provided that measures such as those discussed above are implemented and maintained consistently over time.

Some of the characteristics listed below apply primarily to librarians as a group. Others also include additional components of libraries such as the physical space, records, etc. Characteristics listed are assumed to incorporate a willingness to take actions and assume appropriate risks associated with those actions in the areas concerned. While all of the characteristics are considered important (even essential) to the relevance of libraries and library systems over the long term, some will be perceived as being more significant than others in particular situations and circumstances. Therefore, since the focus of this article is long term, no attempt is made in the following list to rank characteristics in terms of relative importance or significance. In my view they all play vital roles in the long term relevance and ultimate success of libraries. In addition to the characteristics (upper case and bold type) the following list includes some definitions and other illustrative material. Since the illustrative material is not intended to be all inclusive I have added the notation “Other, as appropriate” at the end of each grouping to underscore that fact.

The List:

ACCESSIBILITY
Ability, right, or permission to approach, enter, speak with, or use; obtainable; approachability.
Accessibility of library directors, managers, department heads, and others as appropriate to decision makers and to meetings and other forums where policies and procedures related to libraries and library systems are being discussed and deliberated.
Accessibility of library collections in all formats, including digital, to library users.
Other, as appropriate

ANALYTICAL:
Skill, aptitude, and motivation in the identification and detailed examination of components of systems, procedures, documents, organizations, or other entities and to infer meaning and communicate conclusions based on such examination..
Reports.
Studies
Evaluations (including evaluations of library collections)
Compilations (including bibliographies, development and continuing maintenance of library catalogues, indices)
Financial evaluation and analysis (includes financial planning - budgets)
Analysis related to strategic planning
Systems Analysis related to library applications and services
Other, as appropriate.

CREATIVITY::
The ability to transcend traditional ideas, techniques, rules, approaches
Originality
Develop new, improved approaches to resolving challenges
Exploration of new and emerging developments as to their possible application to library applications and services.
Other, as appropriate

CURIOSITY::
Desire, and drive, to learn and understand
Inquisitiveness
Urge and motivation to become more aware of ways to adapt libraries and librarianship to competitive, dynamic environments
Other, as appropriate

EMPATHY:
Ability to vicariously experience experiences, feelings, thoughts, attitudes of others
Sharing
Collaboration
Outreach
Caring about and relating to other people
Other, as appropriate

FLEXIBILITY:
Willing to adapt and adjust
Accepts and is reasonably comfortable with change
Willing to yield when appropriate
An important attribute in a rapidly changing library environment
Other, as appropriate.

LEADERSHIP:
Ability to make things happen
Provide direction
Take initiative and assume risk
Strategic planning
Ability to ensure that quality of organization and service are maintained at a high level
Ability to persuade and articulate at a high level
Take lead in encouraging coordination, collaboration, and sharing as considered appropriate
Take lead in introducing new technologies as appropriate
Ability to say “no” when situation warrants
Other, as appropriate

PERSEVERANCE:
Ability to stay the course and be steadfast in working toward objectives of the library, especially in difficult, challenging situations
Other, as appropriate

STABILITY:
Includes all areas related to maintaining the integrirty of library records, including bibliographic records as well as financial and business records associated with the library
Cataloging, indexing, issues related to authentication of digital records and materials over time Preservation of materials and records over time
Maintain consistent and steady relationships with parent and other organizations as needed Maintain stable physical environment in library or library system
Other, as appropriate

RESOURCEFULNESS:
Ability to deal skillfully with new or difficult situations
Ability to adapt quickly
Skillful in finding ways of doing more with less as situation warrants
Other, as appropriate

Comments are welcome.
_____________________________
*Although David Badertscher is the Principal Law Librarian of the New York State Supreme Court Criminal Term, First Judicial District, the opinions, conclusions, and observations expressed in the above article are entirely his own and should not in any way be attributed to that organization, the State of New York Unified Court System, or any other organization or group with which he has been associated, past or present. He also wishes to thank Theodore Pollack, Senior Law Librarian at the New York County Public Access Law Library for his assistance in editing the final version of this paper.

**E-mail from Mary Matuszak, Director of Library Services, New York County District Attorney's Office, December 18, 2009.

***E-mail from Joni L. Cassidy, President and Technical Services Librarian, Cassidy Cataloguing Services Inc., December 17, 2009/

Librarian (Preservation)

Salary Range: 102,721.00 - 133,543.00 USD /year

Open: Monday, December 07, 2009 to Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Series & Grade: PG-1410-14

Position Information: Full Time Career/Career Conditional

Duty Location: 1 vacancy - Washington DC Metro Area, DC

Who may be considered: US Citizens and Status Candidates

JOB SUMMARY:
Come be a part of one of the largest digital information facilities in the world! Make Your Mark on the reinvention of a major government enterprise. The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) is Keeping America Informed by providing excellent publishing and dissemination services for official and authentic government publications to Congress, Federal agencies, Judiciary, Federal Depository Libraries, and the American public. We have developed new product lines, employed new strategies, reengineered processes, and significantly restructured our organization into a digital-based facility. Established by Congress in 1861, GPO was founded on values of integrity, teamwork, commitment, and dependability. Be a part of history as we continue this tradition through new technologies and strategic initiatives.

This position is located in the Collection Management and Preservation Office of the Library Services and Content Management organization, Washington, DC.

Duties:
Develop and implement operational policies, procedures, and guidelines for the Government Printing Office (GPO) collections and preservation program for informational products.

Establish, review, and maintain comprehensive plans to participate in nation-wide preservation programs.

Serve as an expert liaison with U.S. Government agencies and libraries on issues associated with the maintenance of materials made available in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) collections, including FDsys, GPO Access, and the FDLP Electronic Collection.

Represent GPO in major studies related to new technologies for preservation and issues related to the management of collections in all formats.

Provide oversight and executive strategy for preservation projects with agency-wide impact.

Develop comprehensive strategies to eliminate problems or barriers to mission accomplishments, promote team building, and implement quality improvement as related to preservation and policy goals.

http://jobview.usajobs.gov/GetJob.aspx?JobID=84985851&aid=40670666-8129&WT.mc_n=125

We just received word about the outcome of the vote on the proposal to change the name of Special Libraries Association (SLA) to the Association for Stategic Knowledge Professionals. The name change proposal stemmed from the findings of the Alignment Project, an intensive two year research effort aimed at understanding the value of the information and knowledge professionals in todays environment and how to communicate that value.

Although not a member of SLA, I have followed developments related to this issue on the SLA listserv and have been very impressed with both the dedication and passion exhibited by the SLA membership.

As for the outcome, I think this is good news. As a professional librarian (an information and knowledge professional) I am very concerned about libraries and librarianship being viable now and remaining so in the future. An important part of that viability, it seems to me, relates to the essential need for libraries and librarians to maintain a clear identity as the preeminent information and knowledge professionals in the world, both now and in the future. There is a danger that proposals such as the one we are discussing here will, if ratified, result in a dilution of that identity and by extension diminish the perceived value of librararies and librarians (whatever their names) in the marketplace as compared to other organizations and occupations that are somewhat comparable. I commend the SLA membership for its decision.

David Badertscher

Here is a note from SLA Headquarters concerning the outcome of the vote of the SLA membership:

Continue reading "Special Libraries Association Members Fail to Approve Proposal to Change Organization's Name" »

GungaWeb is an online tool that assists analysis of New York criminal cases with respect to sentencing, lesser included offenses, plea bargaining restrictions, charging and offense elements.

Detailed sentencing reports for all Penal Law offenses plus DWI and,now for 2009, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle (VTL511). Dynamic detailed and summary reports of lesser included and greater inclusory offenses. Commentary on pertinent legislative
amendments included.

Current subscribers include over 100 New York judges and law clerks.

Updated on a continuous basis (Judicial Diversion analysis [CPL Article 216] now included in 2009 version) with archived annual versions from 2000 on available on-line. Annual subscriptions $198 per person.

This computer assisted legal research (CALR) application is designed to complement and supplement systems such as LEXIS and Westlaw. While those systems emphasize the search, retrieval and dissemination of information stored in their databases, GungaWeb emphasizes the analysis of New York criminal cases as noted above. Although GungaWeb has been designed primarily with New York users in mind, those outside New York who need to devote a significant amount of their time analyzing New York criminal cases as discussed in the first paragraph might also want to consider GungaWeb.

Created by a New York attorney with over 27 years experience, former member of the ommittee on Criminal Jury Instructions, and member of the Subcommittee on Simplification of the New York State Commission on Sentencing Reform.

Further details at www.gungaweb.com (click on "Features" to explore)."

Also click here to see GungaWeb News

Another Bite at the Apple: A Guide to Section 2255 Motions for Federal Prisoners

By Janice L. Bergmann

Today, the writ of habeas corpus is a federal remedy primarily used by state prisoners to challenge their conviction or sentence. Habeas corpus was also the primary post conviction remedy for federal prisoners until 1948, when Congress adopted Section 2255. Congress intended Section 2255 to supersede habeas corpus as the means by which federal prisoners could challenge the lawfulness of their incarceration, but nonetheless Aafford federal prisoners a remedy identical in scope to federal habeas corpus.

Another Bite at the Apple: A Guide to Section 2255 Motions for Federal Prisoners is the first book of its kind to focus on the special procedures and concerns that arise when a prisoner moves to Avacate, set aside, or correct a federal conviction or sentence under Section 2255.

This book is especially important now as Section 2255 proceedings have become significantly more complex with the enactment of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, and federal courts continue to struggle with the interpretation of the AEDPA=s provisions. This book examines the various legal and practical questions that may be encountered in section 2255 proceedings, including those posed by the AEDPA. This book is an essential resource for anyone wanting an introductory education about section 2255, or experienced practitioner looking for an in-depth analysis. This important book is the perfect handbook for the in the litigation of noncapital section 2255 proceedings.

This book examines:

-An Overview of Section 2255 Proceedings, including the relationship of Section 2255 to other federal postconviction remedies

-Timing Considerations, including the statute of limitations

-Section 2255 Jurisdiction, including custody and mootness, and cognizable claims

-Obstacles to Relief, including retroactive application of Teague v. Lane and Fourth Amendment claims

-Proceedings Before the District Court, including motion, summary proceedings, relief and postjudgement motions

-The Appeal and Subsequent Motions, including perfecting the appeal and second or successive motions

-Finally, an appendix contains the full text of section 2255 and the rules governing 2255 proceedings.

Product Details: 5090118
Regular Price: $99.95
CJ Section Member Price: $84.95 ©2008
6 x 9 - Paperback
327 pages
________________________

Human Rights and the Alien Tort Statute Law, History and Analysis

by Peter Henner

This unique book addresses the legal interpretations and practical implications of the Alien Tort Statute (ATS), which has become the primary vehicle for international human rights litigation in United States courts in the last thirty years. It places the Alien Tort Statute in perspective, from its original enactment as a jurisdictional statute in 1789, through its evolution into a vehicle for human rights litigation. It includes in-depth analysis of legal decisions and describes the theoretical issues, practical considerations, and anticipated prospective development of the statute. It also examines the relationship between the Alien Tort Statute and two issues which have received particular attention during the Bush administration: the use of torture by United States officials and the practice of extraordinary rendition.

"Whether you are a trial lawyer representing plaintiffs or defendants in the expanding field of ATS litigation or a federal judge faced with deciding the complex jurisdictional and immunity questions which such litigation presents, you will want a copy of Peter Henner's Human Rights and the Alien Tort Statute. In this readable, lucid and logically organized text, Peter Henner has covered it all from the history of the Alien Tort Statute's enactment in 1789 to recent efforts to bring cases against the United States."

Hon. Stewart F. Hancock, Jr.
Retired Associate Judge, New York State Court of Appeals

Product Details:
Regular Price: $109.95
Section Member Price: $87.95

©2009
6 x 9 - Paper
492 pages
Product Code:
1620419
_________________________

Continue reading "From Recent Publication Announcements of the ABA" »

Projected publication dates from July 2009 to September 2010*

Sorted in ascending order by projected publication date:

Title: Criminal Law and Procedure for the Paralegal
Author: Gary W. Carter
Publication Date: July 2009
Publisher: Wolters Kluwer Law & Business

Market: United States
ISBN: 0-7355-7012-4
ISBN 13: 978-0-7355-7012-2
Binding Format: Trade Paper
Price: $95.95(USD) Retail (Publisher)
---------------------------------------

Title: International Children's Rights
Author: Sara Dillon
Publication Date: November 2009
Publisher: Carolina Academic Press

Market: United States
ISBN: 1-59460-115-1
ISBN 13: 978-1-59460-115-6
Binding Format: Trade Cloth
Price: $100.00(USD) Retail (Publisher)
---------------------------------------

Title: The Criminal Cases Review Commission: Hope for the Innocent?
Contributor: Michael Naughton (Editor)
Publication Date: December 2009
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Market: United States
ISBN: 0-230-21938-1
ISBN 13: 978-0-230-21938-0
Binding Format: Trade Cloth
Price: $90.00(USD) Retail (Macmillan)
---------------------------------------

Title: Real Law Stories: Inside the American Judicial Process
Author: Richard A. Brisbin
John C. Kilwein
Publication Date: December 2009
Publisher: Oxford University Press, Incorporated

Market: United States
ISBN: 0-19-973359-7
ISBN 13: 978-0-19-973359-0
Binding Format: Trade Paper
Price: $22.95(USD) Retail (Publisher)

Continue reading "Selected Recent and Forthcoming Books: Criminal Procedure" »

With funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the National Center for State Courts, the Center-hosted Self-Represented Litigation Network, in cooperation with the Legal Services Corporation, is presenting:

A Training on Public Libraries and Access to Justice
January 11-12, 2010, Austin, Texas

Information on Application Process

With funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the National Center for State Courts, the Center-hosted Self-Represented Litigation Network, in cooperation with the Legal Services Corporation, is presenting a two-day conference that addresses how public libraries can improve access to online legal information at libraries. The conference will be a unique opportunity for participants to meet with public librarians and with legal and court experts to discuss strategies for integrating access to legal information into their programs, including how to the best locate content and tools, how to talk about the content with library patrons, how to work with content partners to make sure that needed content is developed, how to share what they have learned statewide, and how to use successful programs to advocate for the importance of public libraries as gateways to government institutions..

The conference organizers plan to select between 10 and 15 teams of two to three people from across the country to attend the conference. These teams will learn about a broad range of currently available print and online, customer-friendly legal tools developed by courts, bar associations, law libraries, and legal aid programs that support people without access to legal aid or counsel. The participants will learn how to access this information, facilitate sharing among libraries and legal agencies and participate in the enhancement and customization of these tools.

Preference will generally be given to teams that include a person who plays a statewide library staff educational or organizational role; a local librarian with a strong interest in expanding the use of public libraries for access to justice; and one of the following: a legal aid staff member; or a court online information expert or member of a self help center currently not using online tools to provide services. Applicant teams are encouraged to put together a group that will be the most effective in their area of service to spread the word in their states. The decision of the selection group will be final.

Conference participants will receive travel and hotel costs (subject to certain caps described in the application). Participants will also be eligible to apply for post-conference funding to implement some of the tools learned at the conference. Such grants, which will range from $750 to $1,000, might be used for travel to conferences at which training would be shared, development of marketing materials, and so on.

For additional immediate information, contact Richard Zorza, richard@zorza.net.

Application materials can be found:
On SelfHelpSupport:

http://www.selfhelpsupport.org/libraries

On WebJunction:

http://www.webjunction.org/legal-information/-/articles/content/86970844.

Document aims to facilitate library resource sharing* **

November 11, 2009 - Baltimore, MD - The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) Voting Members have approved a new work item to develop a Recommended Practice related to the physical delivery of library materials. NISO is pleased to announce that the Working Group roster for this project is now finalized, and work will be commencing with a kick-off call of the group on November 18, 2009. Building on the efforts of three recent projects--Moving Mountains, Rethinking Resource Sharing's Physical Delivery Committee, and the American
Library Association's ASCLA ICANS' Physical Delivery Discussion Group-the recommended practice document is proposed to include recommendations for: packaging, shipping codes, labeling, acceptable turn-around time, lost or damaged materials handling, package tracking, ergonomic considerations, statistics, sorting, a set of elements to be used for comparison purposes to determine costs,linking of regional and local library carriers, and international
delivery.

"A recent study found that 77% of academic libraries participate in state or provincial resource sharing networks above and beyond the 10,000,000 interlibrary loan (ILL) transactions that OCLC annually processes," Valerie Horton, Executive Director, Colorado Library Consortium (CLiC), who proposed the project and will be serving as co-chair, explained. "The increased volume and costs of library delivery is creating a demand for more information about how to run efficient and effective delivery operations." Diana Sachs-Silveira, Virtual Reference Manager, Tampa Bay Library Consortium, will be co-chairing the group with Ms. Horton.

"We can't ignore the tremendous number of books, journals, DVDs, and other physical library resources that continue to be borrowed by patrons," commented Tony O'Brien, co-chair of NISO's Discovery to Delivery Topic Committee, which reviewed and approved the proposal
prior to its submittal to NISO's voting membership. Added co-chair Tim Shearer, "In today's economic environment, libraries have become borrowers too, sharing more of their resources with each other and across greater geographical distances. New services and technologies
offer opportunities to improve the traditional ways such sharing and delivery has been done."

"The three groups that have already done work in this area expressed interest in working with NISO to further develop their efforts into a set of recommended practices," states Todd Carpenter, NISO Managing Director. "We are also hoping to involve carrier organizations and
consultants for the delivery industry in addition to libraries, consortia, and cooperatives."

An interest group list for this project is available for those who would like to receive updates on the Working Group's progress and provide feedback to the group on its work. Information on how to subscribe is available at www.niso.org/lists/physdelinfo. Visit the Working Group website at www.niso.org/workrooms/physdel. Additional questions may be directed to Karen A. Wetzel, NISO's Standards Program Manager at kwetzel@niso.org.

About NISO
NISO fosters the development and maintenance of standards that facilitate the creation, persistent management, and effective interchange of information so that it can be trusted for use in research and learning. To fulfill this mission, NISO engages libraries, publishers, information aggregators, and other organizations that support learning, research, and scholarship through the creation, organization, management, and curation of knowledge.NISO works with intersecting communities of interest and across the entire lifecycle of an information standard. NISO is a not-for-profit association accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). More information about NISO is available on its website: www.niso.org

. For more information please contact NISO on (301) 654-2512 or via
email on nisohq@niso.org.

For More Information, Contact:
Victoria Kinnear
Business Development and Operations Manager, NISO
Phone: 301-654-2512
Email Victoria Kinnear
Karen A. Wetzel
Standards Program Manager, NISO
Phone: 301-654-2512
Email Karen A. Wetzel
_______________________
*Thanks to Ellen McGrath Head of Cataloging at the State University of New York Buffalo, Charles B. Sears Law Library for sharing this information..

** From David Badertcher. As someone who helps to oversee the operations of a public access law library, I hope, and strongly urge, the scope of the above described initiative be sufficiently comprehensive to address document delivery issues related to library to patron as well as library to library. I am thinking in particular of those disabeled patrons who may have a legitimate need for materials to bedelivered to them at home and who may not have an organization or person at their disposal to provide these services. We are seeing an increasing need for these services and programs.

The Maryland Authentication Working Group and the print discontinuation of the Maryland Register are both discussed in the following e-mail from Joan M Bellistri, a member of the Working Group:

The AALL Maryland Authentication Working Group has been created. Ideally, this working goup would have been formed before there were any issues in Maryland but we now have the immediate issue of the conversion of the Maryland Register to pdf distribution only. The Working Group is composed of librarians from court, academic and firm libraries and consists of Joanne Colvin, President of LLAM, Janet Camillo, Chair CMCLLD, Pat Behles, Carol Mundorf, Andy Zimmerman, Steve Anderson and myself. We hope to be adding members from the public library government docs community and the academic libraries and the Maryland State Bar Association. The ultimate purpose of the group would be to monitor
Maryland's legal resources in terms of e-life cycle management (authentication, permanent public access and preservation) and work to educate the appropriate officials about the importance of these issues through the creation of a policy paper as a follow up to the
state-by-state report.

However, the Maryland Division of State Documents of the Office of the Secretary of State just announced plans to discontinue the paper publication of the Maryland Register* *because of State budget reductions. In its place, the Division plans an e-Subscription, consisting solely of a biweekly e-mail with an attachment in PDF of that issue of the Register. The planned e-Subscription as stated in the notice contains this limitation (my emphasis is in bold):

"The new e-Subscriptions will be priced by user and sent to one email address per user. *Keep in mind that subscribers may not make copies of the pdf for others, may not send the pdf to others, and may not engage in any commercial or other distribution of the pdf, in whole or in part*."

The notice is available at the main web page of the Maryland Register: The notice is dated November 2009, and the change will be effective January 4, 2010. There was no public comment period.

This issue of the Maryland Register will be the first work of the group. Steve Anderson, Director of the Maryland State Law Library, is already working on a briefing for the Judiciary. The following are ideas for action from the phone call that we had with Mary Alice Baish
of AALL's GRO on Friday:

find a way to stop or delay the end of the print create a one page issue brief detailing "why this is a bad idea" contact news outlets, write an op-ed piece form a coalition of library and legal organizations create a base of allies: consumer groups (MARYPIRG?), watch dog
groups, ... get testimonials of users who would be affected

We are also working with the LLSDC Government Relations Committee.

Joanie

Some Excerpts From Comments Received By E-mail Regarding the Discontinuation of the Print Version of the Maryland Register

"This is horrible news! It doesn't appear that they will offer any kind of library subscription. We need to have copies in the library for historical use. Many times what people are looking for isn't current news. Yikes! Does anyone know who we need to complain to?"

"I share your concern, but am not certain how serious this is. This is probably an issue that needs to be thought through, and I expect to see more conversions like this given budgetary constraints. The State Government article section cited on the notice says that lawyers may give advice and incorporate portions text into documents without any problem. It also talks about the prohibition on reproducing these materials for commercial purposes. I'd love to hear from somebody involved in the COMAR campaign and/or who has thought about these portions of the code and what they mean for us. I can't remember who handled the COMAR issue off the top of my head."

"This is an issue that we should bring to the attention of the AALL Government Affairs Office. They are in the process of creating state working groups on the issue of digital authentication of official online versions of government publications. I will get in touch with them now.....The implications I see for our library would be the use restriction to one user and the prohibition of distribution or making copies, the availability of past/archived issues and the authentication issue."

"Hello! Division of State Docs [Maryland] just returned our print subscription
payment. Contrary to the directive in their letter, they suggest we
print the PDF and place it on the shelf. However, this "alternative"
must be confirmed by Gail Klakring, the Administrator. I left Ms.
Klakring a v-message asking for her advice/direction how to handle as
this was a library subscription not a personal one. Have you called that
office and have you received any direction/advice how to handle for your
libraries?"

Gail Klakring's initial response:

"We are in the process of working out the 'kinks' regarding the conversion of the Maryland Register from the print version to the PDF version. As of right now, I have been telling librarians that they may print out the PDF version of the Register and place it on their shelves. Some of them have indicated that they will then delete the email containing the PDF. I am seeking advice from our assistant attorney general regarding this issue, and will let you know if something changes. This is also very new to us, and we appreciate you bearing with us as we work through the conversion."

Gail S. Klakring

Acting Administrator

Division of State Documents [Maryland]

The e-Newsletter of the American Library Association - November 11, 2009.*

Highlights:

Extending the library’s reach
Tom Storey writes: “For 10 years, Brian Mathews has focused his passion for librarianship on students—specifically, how to mesh the student lifestyle with library services. Mathews, assistant university librarian for outreach and academic services at the University of California, Santa Barbara, is one of a growing number in the profession who are taking library services to users, rather than expecting users to come to the library. These professionals want the library to be anywhere and everywhere—particularly in places where it is not expected (such as at the beach).”...

Experts: Copyright law hinders scholarship
Day two of the annual Educause higher-education technology conference in Denver, November 3–6, saw at least two presenters speak out about the unfair application of strict copyright protections to scholarly journals—a practice, they said, that hinders academic endeavors. Stanford law professor and activist Lawrence Lessig said that restrictive copyright laws are “destructive of science and education” because academia has adopted a copyright model that largely mimics that of the entertainment industry....
eSchool News, Nov. 6

Libraries: A bridge over the Digital Divide
The Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Public Library consistently ranks as one of the nation’s busiest library systems. In 2008, it ranked 7th in the nation in the volume of materials circulated—with 17.8 million items, mostly print books, checked out by patrons. This September report on “Broadband and the Digital Divide: The New Role of Public Libraries” by the Knight Center of Digital Excellence offers a case study in the library’s pursuit of broadband connectivity, the impact of these efforts in Northeast Ohio, and the potential role CCPL exemplifies for public libraries in bridging the digital divide....
Knight Center of Digital Excellence, June 16

101 ways to promote a new blog
David Turnbull writes: “Promoting a new blog can be quite daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. As you might expect, breaking down blog promotion into small, actionable tasks eliminates the mental roadblock you’ve probably experienced when trying to wrap your head around how to get people’s attention. You don’t have to do everything in this list, and some items will have a greater effect then others, but every tactic will at least drive some traffic, and any traffic is better than no traffic.”...
Daily Blog Tips, Nov. 4

Twitter joins up with LinkedIn
Allen Blue writes: “LinkedIn is announcing a partnership with Twitter—and some new features. The idea is simple: When you set your status on LinkedIn you can now tweet it as well, amplifying it to your followers and real-time search services like Twitter Search and Bing. And when you tweet, you can send that message to your LinkedIn connections as well, from any Twitter service or tool.” Watch LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman (left) and Twitter cofounder Biz Stone discuss (2:29) the great potential of the integration between their companies....
LinkedIn Blog, Nov. 9; YouTube, Nov. 9

Click here to see complete issue of this Newsletter.
________________________
*Thanks to Philip Y. Blue, Senior Law Librarian New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library (New York County) for submitting this information.

A Report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) prepared by R. Eric Petersen, Analyst in American National Government November 5, 2009.*

Summary

Periodically, concerns have been raised about the number and variety of products created to
document congressional activity. Other concerns focus on the process for authorizing and
distributing printed government documents to Members of Congress, committees, and other
officials in the House and Senate. These concerns reflect broader issues related to the manner in which government and private information is created, assembled, distributed, and preserved in
light of the emergence of electronic publishing and distribution.

From its establishment in 1861, the Government Printing Office (GPO) has compiled, formatted,
printed, bound, and distributed documents that have recorded the activities of Congress (and the
work of other governmental entities). In current practice, more than half of all government
documents originate in digital form, and are distributed electronically. As a consequence of
electronic production and dissemination, some congressional materials are now more readily
available to wider congressional, governmental, and public audiences than when they were only
produced and distributed in paper form.

Some have argued that eliminating paper versions of some congressional documents, and relying instead on electronic versions, could result in further cost and resource savings and might provide environmental benefits. At the same time, however, current law regarding document production, authentication, and preservation, as well as some user demand, require a number of paper-based documents to be produced and distributed as part of the official record of congressional proceedings.

As a result of requirements for both electronic and paper-based versions of congressional
documents, GPO oversees an information distribution process that produces and distributes most of the congressional information for which it is responsible in both electronic and printed forms. This process provides the necessary information and appropriate formats for Congress to carry out and document its activities, but it may also result in some unwanted printed copies of
congressional documents being delivered to congressional users who prefer to access those
resources electronically. More broadly, the transition to electronic distribution of materials may
raise questions about the capacity of current law and congressional practices to effectively
oversee GPO’s management and distribution responsibilities regarding congressional
information.

This report, which will be updated as events warrant, provides an overview and analysis of issues
related to the processing and distribution of congressional information by the Government
Printing Office. Subsequent sections address several issues, including funding congressional
printing, printing authorizations, current printing practices, and options for Congress. Finally, the
report provides congressional printing appropriations, production, and distribution data in a
number of tables.

Click here to see the complete Report
_____________________________________
* Thanks to Rick McKinney, Federal Reserve Board Library and Janet Fischer of the Golden Gate University Law Library for forwarding information about this Report..

I was delighted to receive the following e-mail this morning from Camilla Tubbs, Chair of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) because it illustrates how librarians are working together to provide an improved information environment for the benefit of us all --librarians and non-librarians alike. Clearly these are the types of initiatives that need to be shared with our readers.

Some of the links below may be accessible only to members of AALL but others are potentially valuable research links which should be accessible to all. We encourage readers to comment. Anyone can send comments and provide other feedback directly from this posting. Those who are members of AALL and its Chapters can also subscribe to the Library Advocacy listserv at http://www.aallnet.org/aallwash/aalladvocsubscribe.asp and post directly from there. Without further discussion from me here is Camilla's e-mail. I am greateful for her permission to publish. David Badertscher.

From: Camilla Tubbs

Below are just a few examples that emphasize the power of librarian collaboration to make a bigger difference in information policy matters. The Government Relations committee was able, with your feedback, to create a state-by-state bill tracking guide, here: <http://www.aallnet.org/committee/govr/billtrack.htm>. This was the first step in creating a larger community for advocacy. Now we would like to hear more from you:

Are you a member of your Chapter's local Government Relations Committee or active in librarian advocacy on the state level?

Are there issues like this brewing in your State that you are tracking?

Hearing rumors of new legislation to be introduced affecting information policy?

We need you to post the news to this list-serv and keep us informed - not only of pending library issues but also examples of mobilization. Every bit helps!!

Here are just a few examples of recent Chapter efforts:

Recently, the Government Relations Chairs of three AALL local chapters in California (Northern California (NOCALL); Southern California (SCALL); and San Diego (SANDALL)) and Anne Bernardo for the Council of California County Law Librarians held a brainstorming session about how to move forward on various state issues impacting libraries and access to information. The meeting was a huge success and energized all of the participants.

An AALL member recently brought to attention to Massachusetts Governor's Office proposing the closer the State Library of Massachusetts as a cost-saving measure. The State Library of Massachusetts now has an online petition to ensure that these collections remain freely accessible to all members of the public: <http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/saveyourstatelibrary/?e>. And the Law Librarians of New England (LLNE) are mobilizing to try to keep the library open.

In Wasington, D.C., LLSDC chapter has also been very busy monitoring proper authentication/chain of custody of DC Municipal Regulations (DCMR) and the DC Register, as DC is planning to completely replace its print-based system with the online system . As part of this outreach, LLSDC hosted an event with Andrea Garvey, the Director of the DC Office of Documents and Administrative Issuances so that she could get a better sense of law librarian concerns regarding authentication.

And now, thanks in part to the hard work of members of this listserv and the participants of AALL's Day on the Hill, there is a House and a Senate Bill open CRS reports up further to the public. These efforts continue with our action alert: http://www.aallnet.org/aallwash/aa10162009.pdf

Your work can make a difference!

October 2009

In January 2009, the Library of Congress (LC) contracted with R2 Consulting LLC (R2) "to investigate and describe current approaches to the creation and distribution of MARC records in US and Canadian libraries", with a primary focus from a primarily economics perspective on "in effect" mapping "the marketplace for cataloging records, including incentives for and barriers to production" of these records. One especially critical aspect of the project has been to assess the degree to which sources other than LC create records in significant quantities, and to determine the extent to which “all roads lead to DLC/DLC.” From a quick read, it appears that RDA and FRBR may it have been afforded sufficient treatment in this Study. Those interested in this topic will certainly want to re-visit the article by Joni Cassidy and members of her staff, AACR Move Over! Here Comes RDA

The following posting includes an excerpt from the Introduction to the resultant Study issued in October 2009 followed by a link for downloading the entire text of the Study.

From the Introduction:

In January 2009, the Library of Congress (LC) contracted with R2 Consulting LLC (R2) to investigate and describe current approaches to the creation and distribution of MARC records in US and Canadian libraries. The primary focus is on the economics of existing practice, in effect mapping the “marketplace” for cataloging records, including incentives for and barriers to production. The underlying question is whether sufficient cataloging capacity exists in North America, and how that capacity is distributed. This project was designed to be descriptive rather than prescriptive, seeking to understand in detail the ways in which cataloging records are produced and distributed, as well as who bears the costs and who realizes the value. We are not attempting to offer solutions or suggest changes, though some have become obvious as we’ve looked at the data. One especially critical aspect of the project has been to assess the degree to which sources other than LC create records in significant quantities, and to determine the extent to which “all roads lead to DLC/DLC.”

The goal is to achieve the best possible understanding of current circumstances and practices:

What is the overall cataloging capacity in North America?

Where does it reside?

What are the primary distribution pathways and channels for sharing records?

How much redundancy is there?

What can we predict about cataloging capacity over the next 5‐10 years?

What is the estimated need/demand? How does this compare with capacity?

What is the relative importance of authority control to libraries?

What is the current reliance by North American Libraries on LC cataloging?

Over the course of six months, R2 employed a number of information‐gathering techniques. First, we developed a social network called Bibliographic Record Production: www.bibrecordproduction.ning.com which ultimately attracted more than 800 members. This forum was used to develop and refine surveys, to assure that we were asking the right questions, and to enlist proportionate representation from all market segments. We performed a literature search as highlighted in the bibliography. We developed two extensive surveys, one for libraries and one for vendors, and worked diligently to assure the participation of school, public, academic and specialized libraries, and of Canadian as well as US libraries. We took special care with the school and small public library markets, as they are often under‐represented in such studies, and rely almost exclusively on records produced by LC, even if those records reach them through other channels. We also interviewed key people by phone, and made a site visit to the Library of Congress.

The surveys were released in April and completed in May 2009. There are a handful of areas where gaps exist, but the response was proportionate to the size of the respective markets, a factor that gives us confidence in the results. Overall, survey responses were strong, with 972 libraries and 70 vendors participating. Results are summarized in sections II and III of the report; Library and Distributor responses respectively. Note that the survey questions themselves can be found online at:

www.r2test.net/pdfs/Survey Questions ‐ Libraries.pdf www.r2test.net/pdfs/Survey Questions ‐ MARC Systems, Distributors, and Service Providers.pdf

Despite many revisions and our best efforts to achieve clarity in the survey questions, it is apparent that a common understanding does not apply across all market segments. There is, in fact, not really a shared understanding of what constitutes a MARC record, since it can serve purposes other than cataloging. In addition, the distinction between creating a record (which ideally occurs once for each title) and distributing a record (where the same record may be provided to multiple customers) proved confusing to some respondents. This has made quantitative comparisons unreliable, and we have introduced them only in cases where the data are relatively unambiguous.

Our primary observations and conclusions are described in the two subsequent sections of the report:

III. The Conflicted Market
IV. Economics of Cataloging

Continue reading "Library of Congress: Study of the North American MARC Records Marketplace" »

White Paper by Nelson Reust and Danielle Reust

The authors write: " Migration to Windows 7 is a future reality for most. With XP approaching its end of life, and many organizations choosing to skip Vista as an interim step, the new Windows 7 release holds the promise of new features and benefits that include added security, improved manageability and enhanced ease of use. Regardless of the starting point, a migration to Windows 7 is a path that holds as many questions and challenges as it does potential rewards. Planning now can ensure a smooth transition in 2010."

Click here to see the complete paper.

Not everyone is entirely happy with Windows 7. See review below:

Windows 7 review: 'New' OS is just Vista with small changes

Microsoft's Windows 7 has been touted as a new, better-running operating system. But despite the addition of a few handy features, the GCN Lab finds that it looks just like the Vista OS, has a lot of the same annoying quirks as Vista and delivers no difference in performance from Vista.

Rick Snow of the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) has just announced that results of the NCSC e-filing survey conducted earlier this year are available at . Also, a brief summary of the findings is available on our Court Technology Bulletin at <http://www.ncsconline.org/d_tech/ctb2/view_cs_cont.asp?NCSC_CMS_CONTENT_ID=2531>.

He writes: "We hope you find the results useful. If you have further questions regarding the survey, or would like to respond to the survey for your court or state, please contact Jim McMillan (jmcmillan@ncsc.org) or Rick Snow (rsnow@ncsc.org)."