Earle Mack School of Law Legal Research Center

 
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Welcome Class of 2014








News and Events from the Legal Research Center

 

Drexel Alumni Services

Upon presentation of a Drexel University Alumni Card, Drexel alumni and alumnae may:

  1. Visit the legal research center during all open hours*
  2. Use computers in the LRC to access electronic resources other than those, such as Westlaw and Lexis, that are limited by license to law faculty and students
  3. Borrow circulating books from the library collections (up to 20 books at one time).  Please note that borrowing privileges do not extend to course reserve materials, or study rooms, due to the specific needs of current Earle Mack School of Law students.
  4. Take advantage of our reference services by visiting the reference desk, or by contacting the desk by phone at 215-571-4771.

To request an Alumni Card call the Office of Alumni Relations at 1-888-DU-GRADS, or visit http://www.drexel.edu/ia/alumrel/alumnicard_form.asp

* Access may be restricted to Earle Mack School of Law students, faculty, and staff during peak usage times, such as law exams, or in the case of special events.

 

 

Information for Recent Graduates

Use of Legal Research Center to study for the bar exam:
Recently graduated EMSoL students will have access and borrowing privileges, including study-room checkouts, to the Legal Research Center through July 31 to study for the bar exam. 

Legal Research Center privileges for Alumni/ae:
Upon presentation of a Drexel University Alumni Card, Drexel alumni/ae may borrow circulating books and use electronic and print materials of the Legal Research Center on-site other than those, such as Westlaw and Lexis, that are limited by license to law faculty and students.  Membership also includes use of all the University Libraries including borrowing privileges and on campus access to most databases. 

 

 

Patent Law Research Guide and Bibliography Now Available

A new guide on Patent Law Research and accompanying IP and Patent Law Bibliography have now been posted. The guide and bibliography were authored by Research and Instructional Services Librarian Mike Barton, and can be accessed through the LRC's Research Guides page.

Patent law research may revolve around any of the myriad tasks relating to the inventive process such as conducting research to determine whether an invention is unique enough to be patented or defending an already patented invention from infringement.  This guide will assist both the novice and experienced researcher locate Patent Law materials available through both the Legal Research Center as well as open sources.

 

 

Helpful Resources for Final Exams

Looking for some additional help in preparing for exams? The LRC has a collection of study guides on reserve which may be checked out at the Circulation Desk for a period of 2 hours. There is a full list of study guides by subject available, as well as a Guide to Study Guides, which provides some tips on how to select the right study aids, along with a list of the most popular series.

 


LRC Student Worker Joe Vena Wins DU Libraries Award

Legal Research Center student worker Joe Vena is a winner of the inaugural Drexel University Libraries Celebration, Jane Bryan Student Worker Award.  The Drexel University Libraries Celebration awards were recently created to recognize individuals who have advanced the values of our libraries through exceptional accomplishments that surpass expectations and serve as a model for other staff.  The Jane Bryan Award is presented to a student worker for outstanding service.  Joe has worked in the LRC for the last 2 ½ years.  During this time he has offered exceptional service to students, faculty and staff, and has displayed an extraordinarily selfless attitude.  For example, Joe takes many of the less desirable late night and weekend shifts and frequently volunteers to fill in when other students need time off.  The nomination letter says it best: "...his habits are so good that we hope he can teach them to others -- at least until we figure out a way to clone him..."  Please stop by the LRC circulation desk and congratulate Joe.

 


Patent Law Research Guide and Bibliography Now Available

A new guide on Patent Law Research and accompanying IP and Patent Law Bibliography have now been posted. The guide and bibliography were authored by Research and Instructional Services Librarian Mike Barton, and can be accessed through the LRC's Research Guides page.

Patent law research may revolve around any of the myriad tasks relating to the inventive process such as conducting research to determine whether an invention is unique enough to be patented or defending an already patented invention from infringement.  This guide will assist both the novice and experienced researcher locate Patent Law materials available through both the Legal Research Center as well as open sources.

 

Relocation of Atlantic Digest and Reporters 2d

To provide a more practical means of accessing these materials and placing them closer to our other state primary materials, the Atlantic Digest 2d and Atlantic Reporter 2d have been placed on the counter-height bookshelves across from the study rooms.

 

 

Off-campus Access Now Available for Law-only Resources

The following resources are now available for on- or off-campus access by all law students and faculty:

 

 

Security Reminder from the Legal Research Center

Please do not leave your materials unattended in the Legal Research Center, including study rooms. Take any valuables (including computers) with you even if you leave for a few minutes.


 

New CALI lessons for Fall 2009

CALI has recently been updated with several new lessons:

CALI offers interactive, computer-based lessons as a supplemental aid to your studies, designed by top law professors and librarians. Browse their complete list of lessons to find out more. If you need a registration code for CALI, please e-mail kab66@drexel.edu or visit the Legal Research Center Circulation Desk.

 

 

Information for Graduated Students

Legal Research Center privileges for Alumni/ae
Upon presentation of a Drexel University Alumni Card, Drexel alumni and alumnae may borrow circulating books and use electronic and print materials of the Legal Research Center on-site other than those, such as Westlaw and Lexis, that are limited by license to law faculty and students.  Membership also includes use of all the University Libraries including borrowing privileges and on campus access to most databases.  For complete details on alunmi/ae University Library privileges please visit, http://www.library.drexel.edu/about/alumni.html.  To get an alumni card or letter confirming alumni status, visit the Paul Peck Alumni Center at 3142 Market Street, call 215-895-ALUM, or use the website link http://www.drexel.edu/ia/alumrel/alumnicard_form.asp.

CCH Databases Merge Into CCH IntelliConnect

CCH has combined their 3 databases - Business & Finance, Health & Human Resources, and Tax Research - into their new CCH IntelliConnect platform. This new platform allows for searching across databases, better customization, and quicker navigation. When you login for the first time, you will be required to create a username and password.

NOTE: CCH currently recommends using Internet Explorer to view IntelliConnect, as other browsers can cause display issues.

 

 

Whiteboards Now Available in Group Study Rooms

Whiteboards are now available in the group study rooms with the LCD screens. Markers for the whiteboards can be checked out at the Circulation Desk. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

 

Summer Access for Westlaw and LexisNexis

Access to Westlaw and Lexis is suspended during summer break for students not taking summer courses. However, you can get an extension and keep your access if you're enrolled in summer courses at the law school.

 

 

Lexis Access for Graduating 3Ls

LexisNexis Associates Serving Public Interest Research (ASPIRE) Program provides complimentary LexisNexis access to deferred fall associates pursuing public interest work this coming year.

Eligibility is expanded to all 2009 graduates pursuing verifiable public service (non-profit or charitable) work.  This includes:

  1. Deferred fall associates pursuing public interest work during their deferral periods,
  2. 2009 graduates who elect to pursue public interest work while searching for law firm employment, and
  3. Those 2009 graduates who pursue public interest work as a continuing profession.

Complimentary LexisNexis access will be provided throughout these graduates' public interest employment periods, up until September 2010 maximum.

Further details and registration requirements are available now at www.lexisnexis.com/aspire.  Please contact our Lexis representative Melissa Gorsline if you have any additional questions about this program.  

 

 

Information for Graduated Students

Legal Research Center privileges for Alumni/ae
Upon presentation of a Drexel University Alumni Card, Drexel alumniand alumnae may borrow circulating books and use electronic and print materials of the Legal Research Center on-site other than those, such as Westlaw and Lexis, that are limited by license to law faculty and students.  Membership also includes use of all the University Libraries including borrowing privileges and on campus access to most databases.  For complete details on alunmi/ae University Library privileges please visit, http://www.library.drexel.edu/about/alumni.html.  To get an alumni card or letter confirming alumni status, visit the Paul Peck Alumni Center at 3142 Market Street, call 215-895-ALUM, or use the website link http://www.drexel.edu/ia/alumrel/alumnicard_form.asp.

 

Wireless Printing Issues

Due to an emergency print server move, use of wireless printing in the LRC will require and uninstall and reinstall of the printer software. Instructions for this can be found on the Printing page. We apologize for the inconvenience.

 

New Additions to the Leisure Books Collection

Need a good book to read over break? Take a look at our recently-updated Leisure Books collection, located on the shelves across from the group study rooms with the LCDs. If you'd like to suggest a leisure book to add to the collection, please let us know.

 

Updated DragonFly3 Instructions Available

IRT’s instructions for configuring Dragonfly3 on Windows XP and Windows Vista have been updated to include the latest settings, which will provide additional security and should also correct the connection errors that some users have experienced. We suggest that users revisit their configuration with these updated instructions in mind to ensure the best possible wireless service.

To access the updated instructions, visit AskDrexel at http://ask.drexel.edu and click “Current Students Faculty and Staff.”  Search for “dragonfly3” and choose “How do I connect to DragonFly3?” from the results. Choose your operating system and follow the instructions. A PDF version can also be downloaded from http://www.drexel.edu/irt/networks/wireless/dragonfly3.aspx.

 

Suggestion Box - Responses to Your Comments

The LRC's Suggestion Box page now includes postings of patron comments along with the LRC's responses. We will be updating this page continually, and there will be a monthly newsletter item with some of the most recent postings. As always, we welcome your comments, questions, and concerns, and please continue to submit comments via the Circ Desk comment card box, the Suggestion Box e-mail form, or by speaking with an LRC staff member.

 

Research Guides now available

The Legal Research Center has recently added the first in a series of Research Guides, designed to provide guidelines for researching specific areas of law, as well as more general legal research. New guides will be added periodically, so be sure to check back or subscribe to the RSS feed for updates.



Past Exams now available

Past exams are now available on the Legal Research Center website, through the Past Exams link in the Resources menu. Exams can be browsed by course or by professor. Accessing the exams requires your Drexel login, and their use is restricted to Earle Mack School of Law students, staff, and faculty only. If you have any trouble accessing the exams, please contact Keith Berthrong at kab66@drexel.edu.


Wireless Network Upgrade on Monday, Oct. 6

As you may have seen on the postings around the building, the DragonFly wireless network will be deactivated as of October 6, 2008. Prior to that date, we strongly recommend you connect to the new wireless network, DragonFly3. Instructions for connecting to the DragonFly3 network can be found at http://drexel.edu/dragonfly3, and there will also be printed copies available on the door outside of the Lawtech offices. Lawtech will also be conducting workshops on connecting to the new network during the week of September 29 to October 3.

If you are unable to set up for the DragonFly3 network prior to the October 6 cutover date, you will still be able to connect to the network by using an Ethernet cable and plugging into the network jacks available in the classrooms, study rooms, and throughout the Legal Research Center until you have set up the DragonFly3 connection.



Search HeinOnline and more using Google Scholar

Google Scholar has begun indexing law journals from HeinOnline, which means you can more easily search for articles in Hein and many other resources, in a familiar and easy-to-use interface. To link to Hein and other Drexel journals from Google Scholar, first add Drexel in the Library Links within Scholar Preferences;Open Access. After updating your preferences, you will see a "Find it @Drexel" link in each of your results. Just click on this link to see if the journal is available through Drexel Libraries. It's quick, easy, and works on or off-campus!

For more information on Google Scholar's addition of HeinOnline, along with searching tips, see the HeinOnline blog.

 

New Lessons on CALI for April

CALI has recently been updated with several new lessons:

CALI offers interactive, computer-based lessons as a supplemental aid to your studies, designed by top law professors and librarians. Browse their complete list of lessons to find out more. If you need a registration code for CALI, please e-mail kab66@drexel.edu or visit the Legal Research Center Circulation Desk.

 

New Databases - Making of the Modern World, Economist Historical Archive

The Making of the Modern World: The Goldsmiths'-Kress Library of Economic Literature is a collection of full-text books and periodicals on business and economics, published from 1450-1850.  This extensive collection includes more than 61,000 books and 466 periodicals, and covered subjects include trade, labor, banking, finance, manufacturing, transportation, development, economic policy, political science, law, religion, colonization, race and ethnic relations, slavery, gender relations, and the history of North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

The Economist Historical Archive contains full text of The Economist magazine from 1843 to five years before the present.  It includes full color images and exportable financial tables, and allows searching of photographs, advertising, tables, maps, supplements, or commentary.

 

New Lessons on CALI for March

CALI has recently been updated with several new lessons:

CALI offers interactive, computer-based lessons as a supplemental aid to your studies, designed by top law professors and librarians. Browse their complete list of lessons to find out more. If you need a registration code for CALI, please e-mail kab66@drexel.edu or visit the Law Library Circulation Desk.

 

Mac and Vista Wireless Printing

Wireless printing from laptops running Mac OS X and Windows Vista is now available in the Legal Research Center. To setup your laptop, please see the instructions on the Printing and Copying page. If you have any questions or issues with setup, please contact Keith Berthrong at kab66@drexel.edu.

 

Finding Law Reviews and Journals in the Catalog

Did you know that you can find online law reviews, journals, and many other electronic resources by searching for them in the catalog? From there you can link directly to law reviews and journals in large collections like HeinOnline. It's the quickest and easiest way to locate the articles you need.

 

Drexel Libraries Toolbar for Firefox

The Libraries have released LibX Drexel Edition, a free Firefox extension that can search the Libraries' catalog from within your browser, check for journal articles owned by the libraries, and much more. To see LibX's other features and to download it, go to LibX Drexel Edition.

 

New Content from HeinOnline

Click here for a detailed list of new titles and content updates.

 

Get More From LexisNexis and Westlaw

You know that Lexis and Westlaw are great sources for primary legal materials, journal articles, and news.  Do you know that both also have a wide range of important legal treatises in areas ranging from Antitrust to Zoning.  There are number of ways you can locate what’s available:

First, you can use the topical directories in both services to identify what is available:

Or, you can take advantage of our online catalog to see if Westlaw or Lexis has a particular treatise online.  Just use the catalog search box in the top-left corner of the webpage.  If you know the title you can enter that, or just search for “Westlaw” or "Lexis" with other topical keywords (for example: “Pennsylvania civil procedure Westlaw”).

 

New Legal Research Center Electronic Resources!

Pennsylvania Law Weekly is a newspaper featuring articles on PA federal and state legal issues.

BNA All contains newsletters and case reporters on many areas of law, U.S. and transnational (now includes dozens of additional newsletters).  Included in this subscription is U.S. Law Week and a range of other BNA topical reporters ranging from professional responsibility to securities; most of the services have email alerts.    

IndexMaster indexes the tables of contents and indexes of several thousand recently published (or recently updated) legal treatises, on U.S. law, the law of non-U.S. nations, or international law.  This service does not contain links to the resources themselves but nonetheless it can be an efficient way to “browse” treatises electronically.

U.S. Congressional Documents Library from HeinOnline includes full-text of the Congressional Record (and its predecessors) from 1789-1889 and 1992-present, and U.S. Statutes at Large (1789-2004).

Foreign Law Guide by Reynolds and Flores is a tool for finding sources of non-U.S. law, including official versions of legislation for more than 190 jurisdictions, and English language translations where available.

Constitutions of the Countries of the World and Constitutions of the United States: National and State offers access to English language translations of the current constitutions of 187 countries, as well as the U.S., with scholarly commentary and citations to secondary works.

United Nations Treaty Collection includes treaties of the United Nations and the League of Nations, as well as the current Status of Multilateral Treaties, and newer unpublished treaties.