Friday, January 21, 2005

Too cold? Too warm? Temperature in the law library

Something strange happened with temperature control overnight, and we were greeted this morning with temperatures in the library ranging from 65 to 75. Obviously, some of these temperatures are on the chillier side, and we have called these in for repair. Within an hour, you should notice the lower temperatures rising.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Thursday, January 20, 2005

21st Century Library Workshop

The World Wide Web has changed the way we look for information and do research, but how much do you really know about information sources online and how to find them? Next week the 21st Century Library is holding a series of workshops on using the WWW as a research tool. Each workshop stands alone, but each workshop also deals with a different aspect of research on the web. Attend one or all as your schedule permits. Sign up is not required.

The myth is that you can find the info you need for free on the web, so why does business - including law firms - continue to subscribe to web based databases, i.e. pay for information? When should you use the web and when should you start with a for fee service?

Monday, January 24th from 12:10-1 PM - Fee v. Free: Web based subscription databases v. information offered for free over the World Wide Web.

Do you know what the Invisible Web is and how to find it? Information not retrieved using search engines is the underwater portion of the iceberg web. There is a wealth of information within websites that cannot be found by Google, AltaVista, Teoma, etc. It can be found if you know how and where to look.

Monday, January 24th from 5:10-6 PM and
Wednesday, January 2 6th from 11:10-12 PM - The Invisible Web: The World Wide Web inaccessible to search engines - what is it and how to find it.

The next workshop has proven popular in the past so we are bringing it back. Use Google effectively and efficiently and save time. Learn how to refine your search query so that you retrieve the most relevant sites and not 10,000+ hits.

Wednesday, January 26th from 12:10-1 PM
Advanced Google Searching: Tips, Tricks & Strategies to obtain the best search results from your Google query.

Where: All classes are held in the Lower Level Computer Lab in Deane Law Library

Help us give better workshops.

What kind of workshops would you like in the future?
When should we give workshops? Evenings? Weekends?

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

New Book Display

Come visit the Library's new book display table opposite the computer lab on the main floor. If you would like to borrow any of the books you see, just take the book and bring it to the Circulation Desk.


Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Transforming Practices Website

Now that I am rested, I can prowl the Library and the Web for items of interest. I just learned of this today, which may be of interest to those of you planning to practice law but wondering about what sort of lifestyle you will have.

The Transforming Practices website seeks "to explore sources of meaning and pleasure in law practice."

Let me know what you think.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

What's causing all of the noise downstairs?

Hearing strange thumpings or the rattling of hardware in the library lately? Well, we're expecting some compact shelving to arrive next week (Wednesday, January 26, 2005), and we're trying to clear some space in preparation. Although this means that certain areas of the library --- the states room, the new study room area, and the classified area in the basement --- will be noisier than usual for the next few weeks, the project should result in clearing additional carrels for your use.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat