Author: Maryanne Daly Doran

Celebrating Diversity: Pride Month 2024 at UConn Law Library

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June is LGBTQI+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex) Pride Month! Originally celebrated as Gay Pride Day on the last Sunday in June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City, Pride Month gradually became a month-long event.

The Stonewall site was declared a National Monument by Presidential Proclamation. The Stonewall uprising is regarded by many as the most important catalyst for the dramatic expansion of the movement to outlaw discriminatory laws and practices against LGBTQI+ Americans.

A Proclamation on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Pride Month, 2024 was issued by President Biden to launch Pride month, proclaiming:

This month, we recommit to realizing the promise of America for all Americans, to celebrating courageous LGBTQI+ people, and to taking pride in the example they set for our Nation and the world.

Stonewall Inn Johannes Jordan/Wikimedia Commons

Today, LGBTQ Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world and has grown to a month-long series of events such as parades, picnics, parties and concerts, including some great events to check out right here in Connecticut:  https://ctvisit.com/articles/pride-month-celebrations-2024

Many legal changes for the LGBTQI+ community have been made since the police raided the Stonewall Inn nearly fifty years ago. However, continuing LGBTQ+ civil and equality rights issues remain relevant today.  HeinOnline features a LGBTQ+ Rights database.  This collection charts the gay rights movement in America, showing the civil rights codified into law in the 20th and 21st centuries, as well as the inequalities that still exist today.  To learn more about the newest database check out HeinOnline’s blog here and for additional research, check out UConn Law’s Research Guide, Sexuality, Gender Identity and the Law.

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!!

 

Thank You Graduating Library Student Employees!

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As this semester concludes, we want to pay tribute to our graduating library student employees! They have been instrumental in keeping the library services running!  Our students staff the desk on weekends, nights, and during finals. They assist students with course reserves, printing, scanning and library computers and are a terrific source of information about the library and law school. In the words of Anne Rajotte, Associate Director of Research, Instruction, and Scholarship:

Student workers are vital to the library. They help us stay open on nights and weekends, assist at the main desk, and do a lot behind the scenes too. We are going to miss our graduating students and all of the great work they’ve done

To all of our graduating 3L’s, thank you!  We wish you all the best and hope you stay in touch as you embark upon your legal careers!   We will miss you all!

 

Earth Day 2024

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Earth Day  was first observed on April 22, 1970.  Originally a grassroots demonstration, this day is now celebrated worldwide.

Senator Gaylord Nelson promoted Earth Day, calling upon students to fight for environmental causes and oppose environmental degradation. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was formed later that year and legislation was passed to increase recycling and conservation efforts.

For ideas on what you can do to protect the environment check out the Earth Day page at the EPA. Check out the Earth Day toolkit as well. In the meantime, enjoy the weather and UConn Law School campus!

 

National Library Week: Ready, Set, Library & The Game of Life

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National Library Week (April 7-13, 2024) is a celebration of libraries and library workers. The theme for this year’s library week is “Ready, Set, Library” which “illustrates the idea that in our always-online world, libraries give us a green light to something truly special: a place to connect with others, learn new skills, and focus on what matters most…. no matter where you find yourself on the roadmap through life’s journey—preparing for a new career, launching a business, or raising a family—the library provides an inclusive and supportive community where everyone belongs.”  

The same is true for our law library, no matter where you find yourself on your legal journey, the UConn Law Library has resources to assist as well as provide an inclusive and supportive community. Much like the iconic board game of life, the journey is an adventure filled with discovery, knowledge, and endless opportunities for growth. 

Ready: Legal Research Help

The law library is here to offer everyone legal research assistance. Every member of the Connecticut community, alumni, law students, students of all ages, are encouraged to ask us reference questions. If you are experienced or new to legal research, or someone in between, contact us via phone (860-570-5200), email (refdesk.lawlib@uconn.edu) or visit us in person and we will help you.  

If we are not available, our Research Guides are a great place to consult and provide information on many topics including on Connecticut Law, Free Online Legal Research and a Student Toolkit.  

Set: Navigating the Legal Landscape 

As we set foot in the library, amidst the shelves lined with books, online resources, and digital archives, we have the power to expand our horizons, deepen our understanding, and transform in profound ways. Even though you will face unexpected twists and turns, we can assist you overcome those obstacles with specialized resources and knowledge.  

For all researchers we have specialized legal databases. These include HeinOnline, which has many resources including bar journals, complications of state laws, and government documents as well as Westlaw, which is a comprehensive full-text legal database that includes primary and secondary legal materials, legal news, and law related documents. We will help you find the right resource for your question.  

Library: The Heartbeat of Community  

Much like the game of life, the practice of law is an ever-evolving adventure, filled with twists and turns, challenges and triumphs. Our library serves as a hub of community engagement and information exchange. Like gathering around the game of life board with friends and family, we come together in the library to connect and exchange ideas. 

Join us this week in celebration of Library Week. Check out our Game of Life Book display for the variety of resources available to you at any stage of your journey! Play the game, ‘UConn Law Library: How Do we Help You?’ and come to the main desk to collect your prize!  

April Fools’ Day! When Media Mischief Means Litigation!

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Next Monday is April 1st, a.k.a. April Fool’s Day! If you are thinking about pulling a prank or see something suspicious in a media outlet, remember what starts out as a practical joke sometimes ends up with legal trouble.  

In Connecticut, a joke went too far when April Fools’ Day story published by a local newspaper parodying a commercial developer struck a nerve and led to a lawsuit. The case,  Victoria Square, LLC v. Glastonbury, brought forth claims of defamation, invasion of privacy by false light and violation of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA). The Superior court held that the newspaper article discussing a planned development with a huge Wal-Mart, a Hooters facing a church and school, and a helicopter launching pad, was clearly a parody of the newspaper’s usual content and not defamatory. 

Other media outlets such as radio stations should remember that broadcasters need to be careful with any practical jokes or pranks prepared especially for the day.  The FCC’s rule against broadcast hoaxes, Section 73.1217, prevents stations from running any information about a “crime or catastrophe” on the air, if the broadcaster (1) knows the information to be false, (2) it is foreseeable that the broadcast of the material will cause substantial public harm and (3) substantial public harm is in fact caused.  

Bottom line: think before you prank and if a story sounds too good to be true, take a deeper dive!