Thank You Graduating Library Student Employees!
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
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
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!
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!
Online Exhibit! We March On: 100 Years of Women’s Suffrage
UConn Law Library is highlighting Women’s History month by showcasing resources focusing on women and the law.
We March On – Celebrating 100 Years of Women’s Suffrage Exhibit was designed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of this achievement. The online exhibit features a historical narrative, recognizes the efforts of the suffrage movement in Connecticut, and showcases contributions to women’s equality by women at UConn School of Law.
Originally produced as six large banners, which were on display at the UConn Law Library, We March On was intended as a traveling exhibit. The online version was created during COVID so that more people could learn about these important individuals and events. Accompanied by stunning period photos and powerful quotes, it’s a riveting view of this movement.
The We March On research guide contains additional information about women at UConn Law, the Equal Rights Amendment and a multitude of resources dedicated to this subject.
Database Spotlight! Women and the Law (Peggy) from Hein
March is Women’s History Month and UConn Law Library is celebrating by highlighting some of its resources focusing on women and the law.
Women and the Law (Peggy), is a collection on HeinOnline that brings together more than 3,600 fully searchable books, biographies, and periodicals dedicated to the role of women in society and the law.
This collection provides a platform for users to research the progression of women’s roles and rights in society over the past 200 years. It also includes titles from Emory University Law School’s Feminism and Legal Theory Project which provide a platform to view the effect of law and culture on the female gender.
HeinOnline has created a LibGuide with more information on the collection.
And if you are wondering why the collection is also called Peggy, take a look at the collection’s homepage for the story!
How do I access Women and the Law (Peggy)?
- Go to the Library website
- Click on Databases A-Z under the Top Library Tools section on lower right
- Scroll down to HeinOnline Women and the Law (Peggy)
Women’s History Month Display at UConn Law Library
Leap Year and the Law
Take Your Child to Library Day! Saturday 2/24!
Database Spotlight! NAACP Papers
This February, in honor of Black History Month , UConn Law Library is featuring 3 important digital resources: the NAACP Papers as produced by ProQuest. The collection is organized into the following groups:
NAACP Papers: The NAACP’s Major Campaigns – Education, Voting, Housing, Employment, Armed Forces
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!