The Pocket Part Blog

Kids in the Stacks – Take Your Child to Library Day 2026!

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Feeling stuck indoors? We’ve got the perfect cure!

On Saturday, February 28, the UConn Law Library invites families, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends to a special Take Your Child to the Library Day: Centennial Edition, a morning of creativity, exploration, and celebration from 9:00 a.m. to Noon.

As we mark 100 years of connection, ideas, and community, we’re transforming the Law Library into a space where children (and the young at heart!) can discover the joy and magic of libraries.

 

 

 

Hands-On-Happenings!!

NEW THIS YEAR!  Crochet Lessons (10:00 a.m. – Noon)  Learn the basics of crochet and make something special to take home

Library Obstacle Course: Move, explore, and discover your way through the stacks

Centennial Crafts: Create 100th-themed bookmarks to commemorate the day

Scavenger Hunts & Games: Solve clues and uncover the library’s history

Cozy Reading Nook: Curl up with a picture book from the State Library’s Connecticut Kid Governor collection

 

Whether you’re raising a future lawyer, reader, maker, or lifelong learner, this event offers something for everyone.

A Nationwide Celebration of Library Magic

The UConn Law Library is proud to join a nationwide initiative that encourages families to visit their local libraries and highlights the essential role libraries play in children’s lives.

As the organizers of Take Your Child to the Library Day remind us:

“Your local library is an ideal place for children to play, discover, make friends, and have fun. And Take Your Child to the Library Day is the perfect time to discover some library magic.”  — Take Your Child to the Library Day

Libraries are spaces for imagination, learning, civic engagement, and community. This centennial celebration celebrates our past while inspiring the next generation of library users.

 

 

 

 

 

Honoring Black History Month with the NAACP Papers Collection

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This February, in honor of Black History Month, remember that UConn Law Library houses three important digital resources: the NAACP Papers by ProQuest. The NAACP was founded on February 12, 1909, on the centennial of President Abraham Lincoln’s birth, as a multiracial coalition committed to challenging racial violence and systemic discrimination through legal advocacy, public education, and civic engagement.

Its century-long work advancing civil rights and dismantling segregation has profoundly shaped U.S. history and exemplifies the kind of social, legal, and political contributions that Black History Month seeks to commemorate and study.

The database collection is organized into the following groups:

Major campaigns for equal access to education, voting, employment, housing and the military are covered in this module. The education files in this second module document the NAACP’s systematic assault on segregated education that culminated in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. Files from 1955 –1965 focus on the NAACP’s efforts to implement the Brown decision as well as to combat de facto segregation outside of the South.  Click here to go to the LibGuide page for this module

This NAACP module consists of the working case files of the NAACP’s general counsel and his Legal Department staff for the period from 1956 to 1972. The files document the NAACP’s aggressive campaign to bring about desegregation throughout the United States, particularly in the South.  In total, this module contains over 600 cases from 34 states and the District of Columbia. The cases in this module pertain to school desegregation, abuses of police procedure, employment discrimination, freedom of speech, privacy, freedom of association, and housing discrimination.  Click here to go to the LibGuide page for this module

One of the highlights of this NAACP module are the records on the Scottsboro case, one of the most celebrated criminal trials of the 20th century. This module also contains the key NAACP national office files on the campaign against lynching and mob violence, and NAACP efforts to fight against discrimination in the criminal justice system. Click here to go to the LibGuide page for this module

The NAACP Papers contains excellent material to support the law school community’s research projects on social justice and civil rights topics.  If you have any questions about this content, contact our reference team!

 

New Club Alert! RECESS: The UConn Law Social Club

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RECESS co-founders,
Nicole DiBenedetto, Elena Salm, and Christina Clouser

Student organizations play an important role in life at UConn Law. Alongside rigorous academics and professional training, student-led groups create opportunities to build community, foster connection, and support one another beyond the classroom.

RECESS https://www.instagram.com/uconnlawrecess/ is a new organization founded by 2Ls Nicole DiBenedetto, Elena Salm, and Christina Clouser, who wanted to bring more school spirit and community to the law school campus. Seeing how stressful and isolating law school can be, the founding members created RECESS to give students a chance to connect, unwind, and enjoy campus beyond the books.

The founders of RECESS believe law students deserve a break, an actual recess, from the stress and worries of law school. Their mission is to create a space where students can connect, share interests, and build community off the record.  They aim to host 2–3 events each semester that bring joy to campus and give students a chance to step away from the books, recharge, and touch some grass!

 

RECESS’s next event will take place Tuesday, February 10th at 12:15 – 1:30 in the Library Cafe. Join RECESS preventing burnout, one recess at a time!

Brought to you by the co-founders of RECESS, Nicole DiBenedetto, Elena Salm, and Christina Clouser

RECESS co-founders,
Nicole DiBenedetto, Elena Salm, and Christina Clouser

Follow RECESS on Instagram @uconnlawrecess to stay up to date on all events!

 

 

Meet Michael Ampofo: A 1L’s Path to Advancing Health Equity

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Photo of UConn Law 1L Michael Ampofo
UConn Law 1L Michael Ampofo

In honor of Black History Month, we’re excited to feature Michael Ampofo, a 1L focused on the intersection of law, public health, and equity. With a background in public health and plans to pursue a dual JD/MPH, Michael brings an interdisciplinary lens to legal education and advocacy. In his own words, he reflects on how the law can shape health outcomes and protect vulnerable communities.

“My name is Michael Ampofo, and I am a 1L from Bristol, Connecticut. I earned my undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut in 2023 in Allied Health Sciences, with a concentration in Public Health and Health Promotion. My academic experiences sparked an early interest in the structural factors that influence health outcomes and the ways in which legal and policy frameworks can either reinforce or dismantle inequities.

Before beginning law school, I worked with UConn, AmeriCorps, and College Advising Corps as a College and Career Adviser at Bristol Eastern High School from 2023 to 2025. In this role, I assisted high school juniors and seniors with post-secondary planning, including résumé development, career and college exploration, applications to colleges, jobs, and trade schools, and navigating complex financial aid processes such as FAFSA, AACTUS, the CSS Profile, and scholarship applications. This experience strengthened my commitment to advocacy and exposed me to the systemic barriers many students and families face—barriers that often mirror inequities in other institutions, including healthcare.

My decision to attend law school was shaped by my passion for health equity, which developed during my work as an Honors Scholar at UConn. My thesis examined the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on health disparities, particularly how an overwhelmed healthcare system contributed to increased discrimination by healthcare providers toward Black patients, women, people with obesity, and low-income individuals. Patient experiences highlighted the tangible consequences of discrimination in healthcare and reinforced my belief that legal advocacy and policy reform are essential tools for protecting public health.

Looking ahead, I plan to pair my JD with a Master of Public Health (MPH), focusing on epidemiology and health policy. By combining legal training with public health expertise, I hope to engage in policy development, legislative advocacy, and impact-driven legal work that advances health equity and strengthens protections for marginalized communities.

As a law student, I am motivated by the belief that the law is a powerful mechanism for addressing systemic injustice. Through my legal education, I aim to contribute to solutions that promote equitable health outcomes and ensure that public health considerations remain central to legal and policy decision-making.”

 

Who Says Insurance Is Boring? The Surprising World of Insurance Fiction

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Insurance law may sound technical, but it has inspired far more storytelling than you might expect. From mysteries and thrillers to romance and science fiction, the law library’s insurance fiction collection shows how insurance and the people behind it can drive compelling plots and unforgettable characters. Take a look at one of the library’s most unusual collections—and discover why insurance is anything but boring.

 

One of the law library’s most unusual collections is its insurance fiction collection. The law library has an extensive insurance collection, covering insurance law practice, risk assessment, historical materials, and materials on the insurance industry. The insurance fiction collection contains works where insurance or people who work in the insurance industry play a role in the plot. 

 

Many books in this collection are mysteries, where insurance is the motive for murder or kidnapping. Insurance investigators are common protagonists, as are detectives. Most books in this collection are mysteries or thrillers, but there are also romance, comedy, science fiction, and fantasy novels. Some books, such as Risk Pool and Mutual Life & Casualty focus less on insurance, but use concepts or roles in the insurance industry as metaphors for characters’ personality traits or relationships. 

The law library has been highlighting various collections in celebration of its centennial this year. This month, stop by the display on the main floor to see some of the books in this collection.  

Law School, Live on TikTok: Student Blogger Arianna Barker’s Inside Look

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We’re excited to welcome 1L and valued library employee Arianna Barker as a guest blogger! Also known to thousands online as “Starianna” on TikTok, she documents law school life with creativity, honesty, and a touch of music. Originally from Florida’s Panhandle, Arianna brings a strong commitment to public service, a passion for civil rights, and a belief that law school doesn’t have to come at the expense of creativity.  Below, Arianna shares her experiences in her own words – from her path to UConn Law to building community and creativity through TikTok.

“My name is Arianna Barker, also known as “Starianna“ on TikTok.  I am from the Florida Panhandle. I attended the University of South Florida, where I double-majored in psychology and political science. After graduation, I worked at the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections office for two years. While it is unique to see a Floridian move to Connecticut, a place with a near-opposite climate, I ultimately chose UConn Law because it emphasized community, valued diversity, and supported me with financial aid.

 

My end goal is to become a civil rights attorney who works for marginalized communities. I am heavily inspired by individuals such as Ben Crump and Bryan Stevenson. Moreover, I grew up in a military family, so I have always felt acquainted with public service and justice.

Arianna’s first day of law school!

During my time at UConn Law so far, I have experienced and learned a variety of things. In addition to learning about Bluebook citations and diversity jurisdiction, I learned that law school is not the most creative environment, however, it doesn’t have to be this way.

Arianna performing at her high school’s graduation ceremony,

When I was younger, I sang at multiple venues and performed in my school’s plays. I have a huge passion for singing and songwriting that I hope to always keep with me, even as a future lawyer.

I started documenting my life, both inside and outside of law school, on TikTok. TikTok has served as both a creative outlet and a community filled with other law school students across the nation. On top of creating content around my life, I also post singing videos. My biggest video to date, with almost 1.5 million views, is a singing video about the concept of negligence written in the tune of “Irreplaceable” by Beyoncé (my all-time favorite singer!).

 

 

As well, I use my TikTok account to share law school admissions resources, since I am a first-generation college/law school student who knows the struggle of navigating resources for law school.

 

Arianna at a Beyonce concert – her favorite singer and inspiration for some of her videos.

Law school inevitably changes you. It forces you to work harder, study longer, and balance life in a new way. As a creative person, I thought law school would eliminate my creativity. Surprisingly, law school has made me even more creative! I hope to be an example of someone who didn’t give up their passions for law school.”

 

 

Law School, Live on TikTok: Student Blogger Arianna Barker’s Inside Look

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We’re excited to welcome 1L and valued library employee Arianna Barker as a guest blogger! Also known to thousands online as “Starianna” on TikTok, she documents law school life with creativity, honesty, and a touch of music. Originally from Florida’s Panhandle, Arianna brings a strong commitment to public service, a passion for civil rights, and a belief that law school doesn’t have to come at the expense of creativity.  Below, Arianna shares her experiences in her own words – from her path to UConn Law to building community and creativity through TikTok.
“My name is Arianna Barker, also known as “Starianna“ on TikTok.  I am from the Florida Panhandle. I attended the University of South Florida, where I double-majored in psychology and political science. After graduation, I worked at the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections office for two years.
While it is unique to see a Floridian move to Connecticut, a place with a near-opposite climate, I ultimately chose UConn Law because it emphasized community, valued diversity, and supported me with financial aid.
My end goal is to become a civil rights attorney who works for marginalized communities. I am heavily inspired by individuals such as Ben Crump and Bryan Stevenson. Moreover, I grew up in a military family, so I have always felt acquainted with public service and justice.
Arianna’s first day of law school!

During my time at UConn Law so far, I have experienced and learned a variety of things. In addition to learning about Bluebook citations and diversity jurisdiction, I learned that law school is not the most creative environment. I learned it doesn’t have to be this way.

Arianna performing at her high school’s graduation ceremony,

When I was younger, I sang at multiple venues and performed in my school’s plays. I have a huge passion for singing and songwriting that I hope to always keep with me, even as a future lawyer.

I started documenting my life, both inside and outside of law school, on TikTok. TikTok has served as both a creative outlet and a community filled with other law school students across the nation. On top of creating content around my life, I also post singing videos. My biggest video to date, with almost 1 million views, is a singing video about the concept of negligence written in the tune of “Irreplaceable” by Beyoncé (my all-time favorite singer!).
As well, I use my TikTok account to share law school admissions resources, since I am a first-generation college/law school student who knows the struggle of navigating resources for law school.
Arianna at a Beyonce concert – her favorite singer and inspiration for some of her videos.

Law school inevitably changes you. It forces you to work harder, study longer, and balance life in a new way. As a creative person, I thought law school would eliminate my creativity. Surprisingly, law school has made me even more creative! I hope to be an example of someone who didn’t give up their passions for law school.”

 

 

Laws from New Year’s Past and Present: New Laws Taking Effect in 2026

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It's a New Year, which means that more than 20 new Connecticut laws will take effect in whole or in part on Jan. 1, 2026. Laws passed by the legislature have effective dates of July 1, Oct. 1 and Jan. 1 each year, and certain parts of a law can have effective dates at different times.  There are a number of laws that became active January 1st, 2026. Law are passed throughout the year at the state capital, but only a handful of the bills signed went into effect immediately.  Many kicked in Oct. 1, and more still become active on the first day of 2026. 

Check out the latest summaries published by Republican and Democratic legislative offices which together provide a comprehensive picture of the new laws now in force.

If you are interested in what happened before these were passed, check out our research guide which provides step-by-step guide on how to locate legislative history in Connecticut. You can check out a recent blog post featuring Jonathon the Husky's testimony before State Legislature, which is part of legislative history as well! Read here:  Advocacy on All Fours - UConn Mascot Jonathon XV's Testimony Before State Legislature. 

With these new laws now in effect, the start of 2026 brings fresh developments for legal practice and study. Whether you’re tracking changes in policy or gearing up for the next semester, it’s a perfect time to explore how this year’s legislation will shape the legal landscape.

Happy New Year from UConn Law Library!

See you in ’26! Happy Holidays from UConn Law Library!

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Happy Holidays from UConn Law library!

The library will be closed from Tuesday, December 23, 2025 through January 4th, 2026, reopening January 5, 2026. snow man

Hours

Winter Break

January 5th- Sunday, January 11th
Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday Closed

January Interterm

January 12th – January 18th
Monday – Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.*

 

*UConn Law ID required for access after 7PM on weekdays, and all-day Sunday.

Looking forward to seeing you all in 2026!!

 

 

 

Finals Season: We’re Open Longer!

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UConn Law Library will be open extended hours during the exam period, December 8th – December 19th.

Exams can be stressful, check out some of our Wellness Resources at the Law Library, and do not hesitate to stop by with any questions about Study Aids, scheduling research consultations or just to chat!  We are pulling for you all!