Saturday, April 24, 2010

Magna Carta Visit Extended

Thanks to the Icelandic volcano, a rare 1217 manuscript of the Magna Carta will remain on display at the Morgan Library & Museum in Midtown Manhattan through May 30. As explained by Dave Itzkoff at the New York Times ArtsBeat Blog earlier this week, the document from the Bodleian Library at Oxford University--one of only seventeen surviving manuscripts from the 13th century bearing the royal seal--was scheduled for a much shorter stay. However, airlines were not eager to carry it during the unpredictable flight situation caused by the volcanic ash. As a result, law students will still have an opportunity to see this inspirational document after exams and before it heads home to England.




Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Friday, April 23, 2010

Politicians and Money

With the discussion of financial reform, these days politics and money are in the news. One interesting web site to further explore that intersection goes by the odd name LittleSis .

Funded by the Sunlight Foundation, LittleSis is a free database detailing the connections between powerful people and organizations. You can search famous people or organizations to track their connections and donations. They answer questions such as:
  • Who do the wealthiest Americans donate their money to?
  • Where did White House officials work before they were appointed?
  • Which lobbyists are married to politicians, and who do they lobby for?
All of this information is public, but scattered. Their data derives from government filings, news articles, and other reputable sources. And they provide citations.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Think The Law Library’s Signs And Policies Are Mean?

Have a look at this assortment of policy signs from various libraries, just for fun. Some are witty, and some are even literary.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

How do you say Eyjafjallajokull?

By now, I'm sure you've heard of the Icelandic volcano that has disrupted flights across Europe -- but can you pronounce it? According to a librarian for NPR, the correct way to pronounce it is "AY-yah-fyah-lah-YOH-kuul." Read more about it here. Be sure to listen to the audio clip of Rognvaldur Olafsson, chief inspector of Iceland's Civil Protection Agency, saying "the Eyjafjallajokull volcano."



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Monday, April 19, 2010

A Blog Worth Repeating: Study Guide Handout

"For a quick reference to study guides we have available in the library, check out our Study Guide handout . This handout is also available in print in the handout rack near the Reference desk."

The most recent edition of each study guide is located in the Library's Reserve collection. Anyone at the circulation desk will be happy to assist you.





Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Laptop Locks

Did you know that laptops have "security slots"--places to lock in laptop locks. Laptop locks are pretty much the same as bicycle locks, but for laptops. We have no guarantees that these locks cannot be broken or picked (some of them even had the same ballpoint pen problem that bicycle locks ran into a few years ago), but they do provide some people with peace of mind.






Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat