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Showing posts from March, 2021

Expand Your Research Skills with Advanced Legal Research Courses

As you register for 2021-2022 courses, consider enrolling in an Advanced Legal Research course taught by one of the Moritz College of Law’s reference librarians. These courses expose students to new resources and also help further develop the research skills introduced in LAW I and LAW II. In the Spring 2022 semester, Assistant Director for Public Services Matt Cooper will teach our more in-depth, two-credit advanced research course. This course focuses on equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and strategies needed to tackle a wide variety of complex research questions with both subscription and freely available resources. The course features simulated client scenarios based on research problems likely to arise in legal practice. In addition to the 2-credit general ALR course, recently offered one-credit courses have focused on a specialized practice area or jurisdiction. Next spring, Reference Librarian Emma MacGuidwin will teach Advanced Legal Research: Business and Tax. T

Chat with a Moritz Librarian

In addition to email and phone, Moritz Reference Librarians are available to answer questions via the chat service. From the law library main page, click on “Services,” then “ Ask a Librarian .” There, you will see the box labelled “Chat with a Librarian.” Online chat services are available during reference hours, which are generally: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. As our LibGuide points out, chat works especially well for quicker or more straightforward questions. More complicated requests or projects can be best handled by contacting one of the Moritz librarians via email, either to an individual librarian or the general reference email at  lawlibref@osu.edu . If you would like to schedule a one-on-one session with a Moritz librarian to discuss an in-depth project, you can request a research consultation .

Need a Study Break? Check Out “Films on Demand”

One of the many resources that OSU University Libraries provides access to is Films on Demand , a database containing over 45,000 educational videos, including full-length films and documentaries. These videos cover a wide range of academic topics and include content from the American Museum of Natural History, BBC, HBO, The Ken Burns Collection, National Geographic, PBS, and many others. To browse, visit Films on Demand and click “View All” under the Subjects column in the Main Menu. From there, the options are endless. For example, Criterion Collection buffs might choose “World Cinema,” under which they can find links to La Dolce Vita (1960), The Home and the World (1984), Throne of Blood (1957), and more. Whether you’re looking for knowledge or entertainment—or a little bit of both—you’re sure to find something that piques your interest.

Free and Low-Cost Legal Research Options

Interested in exploring legal research systems beyond Westlaw Edge, Lexis+, and Bloomberg Law? The Moritz Law Library has created video presentations on various free or low-cost research alternatives. You can access the videos via the “Research Resources” tab in the Moritz  Legal Research and Writing Success  guide. Some of the resources discussed include: Casemaker (cases and statutes). Free to law students and faculty who register; also accessible to members of statewide bar associations like the Ohio State Bar Association. Fastcase  (cases and statutes). Accessible through the Moritz Law Library and to members of local bar associations such as the Columbus Bar Association. Congress.gov and legislature.ohio.gov  (legislative history) Justia , LII , and SSRN (secondary sources) While the presentations are pre-recorded, you are welcome to reach out  to any of the reference librarians with questions you may have after viewing the videos.

Law Library Repository of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resources

The Research Instruction and Patron Services Special Interest Section of the American Association of Law Libraries has created a  repository  of law library guides relevant to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The repository also includes resources on antiracism, critical studies, protest, and social justice. Several Moritz law librarians are members of this special interest section, and the  Moritz Law Library’s guide on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Resources , which went live last summer, is included in the collection. Like the Moritz Law Library guide, the repository is not intended to be a finished product, but is planned to grow as more collections and resources in this area are suggested. Explore the abundance of resources on these important and timely topics, and feel free to make suggestions using the form linked to on the repository site.