Month: May 2024

Public Laws & Proclamations – Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month

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Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, celebrated throughout the month of May, originated in 1978 when Congress passed a joint resolution that became Pub. L. 95-419.  This law directed the President to issue a proclamation designating the week beginning on May 4, 1979 as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. Pub. L. 95-419 was amended in 1990 by Pub. L. 101-283  which expanded the observance of Asian/Pacific American Heritage week to the month of May in 1990.  Finally, in 1992, Congress passed Pub. L. 102-450 which permanently designated May of each year as “Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.”

Pursuant to Pub. L. 102-450, American Presidents have annually issued proclamations designating May as “Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.  On April 30, 2024, President Biden issued A Proclamation for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2024.

Presidential Proclamations are policy statements issued by the president to the public. Although often ceremonial, they can have legal effect (examples are proclamations regarding national emergencies, foreign policy, and federal land management). An example of this would be President Biden’s Proclamation 10315 (revoked on December 28, 2021) which suspended entry of certain individuals in countries where the Omicron variant of COVID-19 had been detected.

This informative CRS Report Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet provides excellent summary of both Public Laws and Proclamations pertaining to Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.  Interested in Presidential Directives?  Also by CRS, the publication, Presidential Directives: An Introduction, discusses the differences between presidential directives.

The Law Library display features an assortment of academic and leisure reading books selected in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month for 2024.  Be sure to stop by and check one out for summer reading!  Have a great summer!

 

Image courtesy of the Smithsonian

Memorial Day 2024- In Honor of the Fallen

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UConn Law Library will be closed Monday, May 27th, in observance of Memorial Day.  Memorial day became a federal holiday in 1971 , and is intended to honor those who have died during the performance of their military duties. Connecticut General Statutes Section 1-4 designates the last Monday in May as Memorial Day or Decoration Day.

Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, was first celebrated after the Civil War, to commemorate both the Confederate and Union soldiers who fought and died in the war. Over the years, as Decoration Day became Memorial Day, it came to include American military personnel who perished in all wars.

President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed Waterloo, New York as the Birthplace of Memorial Day. This proclamation noted that the patriotic tradition of observing Memorial Day began one hundred years ago in Waterloo, New York. Boalsburg, Pennsylvania also claims to have held the first observance, dating back to October 1864. Several other towns also declare they were the first to hold an observance.

Curious to see when exactly Connecticut first declared Decoration Day a legal holiday. I turned to HeinOnline’s Session Laws Library.

Narrowing the jurisdiction to Connecticut, I searched for “Decoration Day” in italics, and found the answer in the index: Decoration Day- Made a Legal Holiday. From here, I found the Public Act quickly after this search. The answer? 1874!

For more information on Memorial Day, check out this blog from In Custodia Legis from the Library of Congress, as well as this blog from UConn Today, Memorial Day and UConn: War and Peace Through the Decades showing a University of Connecticut connection to the holiday

Memorial Day is commemorated in many ways in Connecticut, ranging from community parades to backyard cook-outs, fireworks and formal ceremonies. No matter how you spend this day, remember those who’ve lost their lives to preserve our freedom. It bears mentioning that this blog and the freedom to publish it would likely not be possible without the sacrifices of those who died fighting for our country.

 

Graduate/Summer Access to Westlaw, Lexis + and Bloomberg

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Summer is upon us!  Whether you are preparing for a summer internship or post-graduate plans, there are online resources available to you.  Here’s what you need to know about access to Bloomberg Law, Lexis, Westlaw and library databases. Need a dose of research help?  Research & Instruction librarians are available throughout the summer to assist with job or internship questions!

Westlaw

Returning Students

You may use your Westlaw account through the summer for noncommercial research, such as law school activities, research assistant assignments, work for a nonprofit, or in an unpaid internship.

Graduates

You can use Thomson Reuters products, including Westlaw and Practical Law, for 6-months after graduation. Your “Grad Elite” access gives you 60-hours of usage per month to gain understanding and build confidence in your research skills. While you cannot use it in situations where you are billing a client, Thomson Reuters encourages you to use these tools to build your knowledge of the law and prepare for your bar exam.

YOU MUST OPT IN TO GRAD ELITE Access:
1) Go to www.lawschool.tr.com; Log in; Use the drop-down menu by your name to go to Grad Elite Status
2) Or Click on this link: https://lawschool.westlaw.com/authentication/gradelite

Lexis

Returning Students

Lexis access continues through the summer with no restrictions on time or usage.

Graduates

After graduation, you will have access to Lexis until December 31, 2024 with no registration required, or restrictions.  Use the same Lexis account log on credentials you used in law school.  If you are working for a nonprofit organization, you may be able to extend your access even longer through the ASPIRE Program.

Bloomberg Law

Returning Students

Bloomberg access continues through the summer, this access is automatic (no registration required) and is unlimited and unrestricted.

Graduates 

2024 graduates have continuous access for six months following graduation, through November 30, 2024. This access is automatic (no registration required) and is unlimited and unrestricted (if students register for Bloomberg Law access before graduation).  For any questions on using Bloomberg Law, students and graduates continue to have free access to our 24/7 Help Desk at (888) 560-2529 or help@bloomberglaw.com.

 Other Library Databases

Returning Students

Returning students have full access to all of our databases, such as Hein and Proquest throughout the summer.

Graduates

Alumni are always welcome to use the library and seek research help from the reference librarians.  If you stay in the area as you begin your legal careers, remember that the majority of our electronic resources can be accessed by any patron from within the library, including Westlaw. We look forward to see you back in the library!

Congrats to our Grads! UConn Law Class of 2024!

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The UConn Law Library wants to extend our congratulations to UConn Law Class of 2024! Remember although you will be transitioning from the role of student to alumni, please remember that the law library wants to help you continue your path to that of lawyer.

We are always happy to help you find resources and many of our databases are available for in-library use – that means you will have to come back and visit!

Congratulations and we wish you the best of luck on the bar exam and your legal practice.!

 

Managing Final Exam Stress

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The first week of May is also the start of law school finals. The Law Library, along with Student Affairs and the Mental Health Counseling team, would like to remind our law students, faculty, and staff about the importance of supporting their mental health and encourage everyone to practice wellness and self-care. The Student Wellness Research Guide contains helpful online resources and books available at the law library related to the topics of stress-relief, wellness, and mindfulness with a particular focus on law school and/or the legal profession.

Well-Being Week in Law is May-6-10 and aligns with Mental Health Awareness Month. Well-Being Week in Law (WWIL) is organized annually by the Institute for Well-Being in Law (IWIL) during Mental Health Awareness Month. Its aim is to raise awareness about mental health and encourage action and innovation across the profession all year-round to improve well-being. Check out the website for information about how to register, participate and win prizes (free)!

If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by exam stress, remember that the law library is there to help you every step of the way. UConn law library has a team of knowledgeable reference librarians ready to assist students with their research needs. Whether struggling to find relevant materials for a paper or need guidance on navigating complex legal databases, reference librarians are there to help, reach out to us! We are passionate about connecting students with the resources they need to succeed!

Best of luck on finals!!