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

Posted by David Badertscher | Permalink | Email This Post | Comments (0)

Posted In: Commentary and Opinion , Conferences, Seminars and Webinars , News from Organizations

Bookmark:

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.

Posted by David Badertscher | Permalink | Email This Post | Comments (0)

Posted In: Commentary and Opinion , Conferences, Seminars and Webinars , David Badertscher , Information Technology , Library News and Views , Library Organization and Planning , Library Reference and Research , Library Technical Services , News from Organizations , Publication Announcements and Reviews , The Documents Corner

Bookmark:

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

Posted by David Badertscher | Permalink | Email This Post | Comments (0)

Posted In: Commentary and Opinion , Conferences, Seminars and Webinars , News from Organizations , Publication Announcements and Reviews

Bookmark:

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

Posted by David Badertscher | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Conferences, Seminars and Webinars , Information Technology , News from Organizations

Bookmark:

BY Keith Ecker

FROM: InsiderCounsel Magazine April 2008 Issue

Excerpt:

"Many lawyers believe the nature of their profession necessitates the hoarding of paper—a lot of paper—a misconception that through time has made them the enemy of tree"...

"Thanks to the advent of certain technologies, in-house counsel don’t have to be paper packrats anymore. Document imaging, e-billing software and matter-management systems have become much more commonplace in the corporate environment, and all help lawyers reduce their carbon footprint. This helps save the environment and also save on costs. "...

“ 'What I find most striking is that the most expensive course a law department can take is printing everything and being paper-centric,” says Ross Kodner, president of MicroLaw, a legal technology consultancy. “Focusing on building electronic case and matter files actually yields the least expensive operating approach, not to mention the inherent greenness. It just makes sense from all perspectives.' ”

To read the entire article click here.

Posted by David Badertscher | Permalink | Email This Post | Comments (0)

Posted In: Commentary and Opinion , Information Technology , News from Organizations

Bookmark:

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.

Posted by David Badertscher | Permalink | Email This Post | Comments (0)

Posted In: Conferences, Seminars and Webinars , Library News and Views , Library Organization and Planning , News from Organizations

Bookmark:

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.

Posted by David Badertscher | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Conferences, Seminars and Webinars , News from Organizations

Bookmark:

by: David Badertscher

For those who have not visited us, the New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library of New York County (sometimes referred to as the New York Criminal Law Library) is located in lower Manhattan near the Brooklyn Bridge, City Hall, and State and Federal courthouses. Like other Supreme Court libraries located throughout the State of New York, it operates under the
auspices of the New York Unified Court System and participates in the various state-wide initiatives sponsored by the OCA Office of Legal Information.

Although the primary focus of this library is to provide reference and research support to personnel of the Criminal Term, its actual responsibilities and obligations are quite broad. Using its various collections in all formats, including digital, in conjunction with various web and online services, including a website and a weblog, this library functions as both an information repository and an information service. These resources and services enable it to reach out to patrons both local and worldwide, as time and resources permit. Part of the library's responsibility is to provide support as needed and operational oversight to the New York County Public Access Law Library, which is charged with serving those members of the public who need law-related information.

In order to discharge these responsibilities with limited staff, it has been necessary for the library to work cooperatively with library consortia and other groups to provide the added resources and services required to maintain an acceptable level of service. One of the organizations that has been especially helpful to us is the Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO). The library has been a member of METRO since 1981. It was through METRO that we first learned of QuestionPoint and were invited to participate in a 2002 pilot project. With some initial apprehension we accepted the offer and became an active participant in the latter part of that year. The New York County Public Access Access Law Library has also been very helpful in enabling this library to maintain an acceptable level of web based reference services. Since may of our QuestionPoint users are public patrons a majority of those questions are now handled by that library; Theodore Pollack, the Senior Law Librarian at the Public Access Library also serves as my backup administrator for QuestionPoint. We are grateful for the assistance of Ted and his staff in helping support this effort.

Despite some initial reservations that we might not be able to keep up with expectations and workflow, the use of QuestionPoint has been quite successful for us. It serves as a useful and important adjunct to our other web based services in both reaching out to our patrons and through its referral features. It enables us to augment our resources in ways otherwise impossible. For example on more than one occasion we have used QuestionPoint to search worldwide for materials that would otherwise have been unobtainable. In order to make it work for us, however, we have needed to avoid some of the features that are essential to others. We do not use chat or any form of instant messaging because we simply do not have the appropriate staff resources to make this work satisfactorily for us. We have not, however, found the lack of chat a limitation at all.

Over the past few years many libraries, including this one, have been involved in lively discussions as to how best to respond to demands for digitized information which can be retrieved at any time from a variety of devices, both stationary and mobile. After some experimentation, our response has included the use of blogging technology coupled with rss feeds. In 2004 we introduced the New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library blog powered by Bloglines, http://www.bloglines.com/blog/pll . It incorporates many features including a link to our QuestionPoint form for submitting reference questions, RSS feeds, and the capability of storing online reference, legislative, and other information useful to patrons. This blog based outreach service also serves as a vehicle for sending New York Legislative Activity Reports, updated information regarding appellate court criminal decisions originating from this court, and other relevant updated information directly to the work stations of judges and judicial staff on a regular, ongoing basis. It is popular with both court personnel and public users and remains our most effective outreach service on the web. As of April 29, 2008 it is visited by an average of 153 patrons per day and 1,069 per week. We obtain this and additional statistical information through special software designed to collect statistical information regarding website use. Reports are sent to me weekly.

Although the New York Supreme Court Criminal Term blog remains both useful and popular, we have found it necessary to also create a new blog, www.criminallawlibraryblog.com, to take advantage of added features which cannot be incorporated effectively into the original blog. For example, the new blog includes both a QuestionPoint form for submitting questions and a direct link to the public portion of the QuestionPoint knowledgbase. Using this feature, users are able to type in key words which will in turn retrieve questions/answers in the knowledgbase which correspond to their queries. The global knowledgbase feature is located near the upper left part of the screen of our newest blog. This particularly innovative feature has been developed and included as a direct result of the inspiring online QuestionPoint presentation this summer by Peter Armenti of the Digital Reference Team at the Library of Congress. This blog also includes the capability for uploading documents not currently on the web, a useful feature not included in the original blog. Finally, the Criminal Law Library Blog has substantially greater search capabilities. In order to adequately describe the added features included in the Criminal Law Library Blog, we are calling it an "added value blog."

We are encouraged by the positive responses from library patrons both inside and outside the courts to these services. These responses along with statistics gathered and staff observations demonstrate that by introducing these initiatives along with others sponsored by the Office of Legal Information, the library has been able to meet reference, research, and access needs of patrons far more effectively than in the past. Our hope is to be able to continue developing web based services and to work together with others to improve access and services for all of our libraries. Recently I have taken classes offered by the Unified Court System in the setting up and use of WIKI's, preparing and tabulating web based surveys, aa well training in the development of public access applications using specialized web based software. Only time will tell if we are able to inplement additional services using these applications.
_____________________________________
*This posting is based on an article recently prepared for publication in a future issue of Pro Se the newsletter of the New York State Unified Court Law Libraries Association.

Posted by David Badertscher | Permalink | Email This Post | Comments (0)

Posted In: Commentary and Opinion , David Badertscher , Library News and Views , Library Organization and Planning , Library Reference and Research , News from Organizations

Bookmark:

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK:

Legal Ethics

Judge Smacks Law Firms & Partner With $150K Sanctions, But Spares 2 Associates

Apr 29, 2008, 03:14 pm CDT
"A federal bankruptcy judge in Massachusetts has sanctioned two law firms and a name partner a total of $150,000 for incorrectly claiming that their client owned a mortgage that had in fact been reassigned at least twice.."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Law Professors

Law Prof Sues Students, Says They Defamed Him by Calling Him a Racist
May 1, 2008, 05:47 am CDT

Lawyer Pay

Skadden, Wachtell Top AmLaw 100
May 1, 2008, 01:07 pm CDT

Legal Ethics

Lawyer Who Made Snarky Comments Ordered to Write Civility Article
Apr 30, 2008, 06:12 am CDT

Terrorism

Mistakenly Revealed Logbook Has Lawyers Convinced They Are Monitored
Apr 28, 2008, 05:36 am CDT

Legal Ethics

Lawyer Who Wouldn't Stop Talking Suspended From Federal Practice
Apr 30, 2008, 08:41 am CDT

Criminal Justice

Suit By 308-Pound Inmate Says He Is 'Literally Being Starved to Death'
Apr 28, 2008, 07:55 am CDT

Law Firms

Paul Hastings Deals With Aftermath of Secretary's Murder Outside Office
Apr 29, 2008, 06:03 am CDT

Careers

Worried Partners Secretly Seek Business Development Help
Apr 28, 2008, 02:45 pm CDT

Criminal Justice

18th Innocent Man Freed in 1 Texas County; Officials Vow Change
Apr 30, 2008, 06:15 pm CDT

Posted by David Badertscher | Permalink | Email This Post | Comments (0)

Posted In: Commentary and Opinion , Lawyers and Law Librarians, News Humor Etc. , News from Organizations

Bookmark:

From: Vesselin, Mitev and Daniel Wise. " Kaye Writes Governor To Deny Work 'Slowdown' ", New York Law Journal, April 30, 2008. p. 1,6.

"Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye wrote Governor David A. Paterson yesterday to assure him that reports of judicial "slowdown" were 'without basis.' "

"In addition, the court system's Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics issued an opinion Monday determining that Chief Judge Kaye's recent lawsuit to compel an increase in judicial salaries does not require judges to recuse themselves, but they may do so as a matter of individual conscience...."

Letter from New York Chief Judge Judith Kaye to Governor Paterson Denying Slowdown

See: UCS Advisory Ethics Opnion referenced above

Posted by David Badertscher | Permalink | Email This Post | Comments (0)

Posted In: Commentary and Opinion , News from Organizations , The Documents Corner , The Judiciary

Bookmark:

Information regarding the schedule for sending out rebate checks has been posted on the Taxgirl blog at http://www.taxgirl.com/rebate-schedule-changes/

Posted by David Badertscher | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: News from Organizations

Bookmark:

Jonathan L. Zittrain has written an interesting, informative and innovative book titles The Future of the Internet: And How to Stop It. . I use the word "innovative" because the web version, which is available in full text at http://yupnet.org/zittrain/ incorporates added features to engage the reader.

To quote from his introduction:

"...The Internet’s current trajectory is one of lost opportunity. Its salvation lies in the hands of its millions of users. Drawing on generative technologies like Wikipedia that have so far survived their own successes, this book shows how to develop new technologies and social structures that allow users to work creatively and collaboratively, participate in solutions, and become true 'netizens.' "

"This is a collaborative experiment, which will depend on the intelligent participation of readers for its success. We invite you to join in and take part in this important conversation."

Although the complete book is availabe on the web in full text, interested readers are encouraged to purchase the print version to help support the ongoing efforts of Mr. Zittrain

Posted by David Badertscher | Permalink | Email This Post | Comments (0)

Posted In: Information Technology , Library Organization and Planning , News from Organizations , Publication Announcements and Reviews , Science and Technology

Bookmark:

Law Practice Management

Why Associates Leave is Clear, But What Would Lure Them to Stay?

Apr 21, 2008, 12:41 pm CDT

"Associates are leaving in ever-increasing numbers because of grueling hours, boring work and a poisonous law firm culture, experts say. But it isn't as clear what can be done to lure many to stay on after their first four to five years in practice".

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Constitutional Law

I'm Conservative, But Not Biased, Scalia Says ... So Get Over Bush v. Gore
Apr 24, 2008, 02:49 pm CDT

Legal Ethics
Lawyer Surrenders License After Bar Says He Left Innocent Client in Jail
Apr 24, 2008, 05:53 am CDT

Lawyer Pay
London Partners to Associates: At $125K, We're Paying You Too Much
Apr 24, 2008, 01:13 pm CDT

Evidence
Child Protection v. the Constitution: Did Removal of 437 Kids Violate Parents' Rights?
Apr 22, 2008, 01:28 pm CDT

Office Attire
Womble Partner: Suit-Wearing Lawyers Earn More?
Apr 21, 2008, 11:07 am CDT

Legal Ethics
Ex-Quarles Partner Suspended For Not Reading Partnership Fine Print
Apr 22, 2008, 09:23 am CDT

Law Schools
N.Y. Dean Complains of 'Glut' of Law Schools
Apr 23, 2008, 05:35 am CDT

Legal Ethics
Judge's $14K Sanction Against Lawyer Overturned
Apr 21, 2008, 09:06 am CDT

Attorney-Client Privilege
26-Year Inmate Freed After Lawyers Reveal Real Killer
Apr 21, 2008, 04:52 am CDT

Posted by David Badertscher | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Commentary and Opinion , News from Organizations

Bookmark:

From the Section of Science and Technology Law:

Science for Lawyers
Eric York Drogin, Editor
http://www.abanet.org/abastore/productpage/5450051

Science for Lawyers clearly explains and discusses 13 applied scientific disciplines in jargon-free language that is specifically geared toward lawyers. The book explores the definitions (what is science), the practice (what scientists do) and the professional roles (what ethical guidelines influence scientists) of 13 professional disciplines such as:

* Ballistics
* Medicine
* Physics
* Statistics
* Linguistics
* Genetics
* Chemistry
* and more

The book is designed to reacquaint you in an accessible, highly readable fashion with the basic scientific issues you face in your practice every day. With dozens of photos, figures, graphics and artwork, the book covers these subjects in terms that are not only easy to understand, but fascinating to read. If you are a lawyer who is ever called upon to defend, proceed against, examine, cross-examine or even consult a scientist, this book is for you.

2008 7 x 10 347 pages paper
$129.95 regular price $119.95 Section of Science & Technology Law member price

Now with new reduced shipping rates!

To place an order, or for more information including a complete table of contents and sample chapter, click on http://www.abanet.org/abastore/productpage/5450051
or call the ABA Service Center at (8