The University of Baltimore Law Library Weblog

2007-05-09T13:38:00.000-04:00

The University of Baltimore Law Library Weblog is now at its new WordPress location:

http://ublawlibrary.wordpress.com

Please update your blogrolls and site feeds if you want to get the latest postings.

2007-05-08T09:47:00.000-04:00

Betsy McKenzie points to Some random rich websites. Very useful stuff in them thar links.

2007-05-03T16:51:00.000-04:00

Fizzy's Second Life is a series of screencasts by a property law course at Seattle University that looks at property concepts within Second Life. Very clever.

2007-04-30T10:10:00.000-04:00

SSRN-Strategies and Techniques of Law School Teaching: A Primer for New Teachers by Howard Katz, Kevin Oneill. Everything from book selection to writing the final exam.

2007-04-30T09:26:00.000-04:00

From Collectanea comes the news that the Library of Congress has a blog.

2007-04-30T09:20:00.000-04:00

Via beSpacific, a list of everything that's new on LLRX.com for April 2007.

2007-04-27T17:03:00.000-04:00

This is probably old hat to librarians, but Ernie points out a nifty site that lets you feel like you have a voice on pending legislations: Keeping up with legislation, cyberstyle.

2007-04-25T10:31:00.000-04:00

This is something I'll be keeping an eye on:Law School Innovation: A notable journal-blog cooperative. Providing a source for feedback and follow up to published law review articles sounds very Web 2.0ish.

2007-04-25T10:25:00.000-04:00

The ABA's The Legal Research Jumpstation has a wealth of online legal research links. For you Second Life law library folks, this whole site would make a great notecard.

2007-04-23T13:32:00.000-04:00

EXAM INFO

Final exams start on Monday, May 7th and finish on Friday, May 18th.

The Law Library will have extended hours during the exam period. Here is the schedule:

Sunday May 6: 9:00AM to 2AM
Monday May 7 through Friday May 11: 7:30AM to 2AM
Saturday May 12: 7:30AM to midnight
Sunday May 13: 9:00AM to 2AM
Monday May 14 through Thursday May 17: 7:30AM to 2AM
Friday May 18: 7:30AM to midnight

For those using the exam software on their laptops, an FAQ page has been posted on the library’s website:

http://law.ubalt.edu/compsupp/examfaq.html

We expect the usage of the library’s conference rooms to increase during the study and exam periods, and would like to reiterate the policy governing those rooms: They are for groups of law students, and cannot be reserved or held for a study group that is not currently using the room. The library does not have individual study rooms. Anyone using a conference room as an individual study room can be asked by a group to vacate the room. If the request is refused, library staff may be asked to enforce the rule, but the policy is enforced in the first instance by the group seeking to use the room.

Electronic copies of old exams are on the network S drive, which can be accessed via the MyUB Portal (sign on at http://myub.ubalt.edu). Look for the Law Library folder, then the Exams subfolder.

Good luck!

2007-04-23T11:14:00.000-04:00

What kind of learner are you? Lawsagna has a hint for each type in, 8 times smarter : learning with multiple intelligences.

2007-04-23T11:10:00.000-04:00

beSpacific: 2008 Presidential Campaign to Include First Cyberspace Moderated Debates. Is this the start of Campaign 2.0?

2007-04-20T12:13:00.000-04:00

I'm taking a look at Twitter and Jaiku. I'm on both for now (as hmorrell), but if anyone out there has an opinion of why one is better than the other, I'd love to here it.

Update: I've figured out how to stream my Twitterings onto Jaiku, so I only have to enter my ramblings in one place to hit both systems.

2007-04-20T08:46:00.000-04:00

Good news for people doing international law research: beSpacific: Global Legal Information Network Now Searchable Via World Legal Information Institute.

2007-04-18T08:54:00.000-04:00

beSpacific: Use of Text Messaging for Emergency Alerts on the Rise. This truly makes sense to me.

2007-04-16T09:43:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Law Faculty 2.0, I now have a better grasp of what MySpace and Facebook are all about.

2007-04-14T11:08:00.000-04:00

Legal Education and IT: Oasis or Mirage? | Teknoids This post helps me to formulate what I've been thinking for the past couple of years - that the schools who go beyond technology for technology's sake, the ones who actually put the technology to use in serving their clients (students, faculty and staff), are the true innovators. Having the latest and greatest is not the be all and end all if you don't put it to use. I wish I was able to go to the conference.

2007-04-13T10:50:00.000-04:00

Could Copyright Law Advance the Cause of Plagiarism? Seems some students are suing the plagiarism software company used by UB.

2007-04-13T10:43:00.000-04:00

This one's for Prof. Oppenheimer: Out of the Jungle: Laptops in class -- again! The debate about laptops in the classroom is one that just won't go away. As in most things in life, context is all.

2007-03-28T09:51:00.000-04:00

Vista and Exam Compatibility | Teknoids. Looks like Extegrity (the exam software used here at UB) won't work with Vista this Spring, so if you're on the fence about upgrading to Vista, don't do it. Better yet, get a Mac.

2007-03-28T09:46:00.000-04:00

New Member Pictorial Directory: 110th Congress. Get your pictures of the new members of Congress. There is also a link for the whole Congress.

2007-03-26T09:33:00.000-04:00

A summary of what's New on LLRX.com for March 2007, courtesy of the folks at beSpecific.

2007-03-21T09:23:00.000-04:00

From Teknoids comes this collage of some of the law school outline websites:

This harkens back to John Mayer's previous post on the topic of online classroom note swapping. John's post does a great job of discussing some of the issues involved.

2007-03-19T10:22:00.000-04:00

beSpacific: New on LLRX.com for March 2007. More online goodies. Yum yum.

2007-03-14T11:07:00.000-04:00

Law School Innovation: What kind of career do you want your students to have?

2007-03-13T15:01:00.000-04:00

beSpacific: 2006 Judicial Business of the United States Courts

2007-03-06T13:48:00.000-05:00

English Reports (full reprint) online edition is now available in HeinOnline.

HeinOnline is one of the databases available from the Research Databases link on our homepage. This acquisition provides easy access to material that was previously (at UB) available only on microfiche, which means that any UB student, faculty or staff member can check on those obscure English citations that pop up in American case law and secondary sources. Thank you, Hein.

2007-03-05T12:18:00.000-05:00

Wired News: Top Secret: We're Wiretapping You. Ha ha ha.

2007-03-02T09:18:00.000-05:00

Law School Innovation: Scholarship on the evolution of scholarship Res Ipsa.

2007-03-02T09:16:00.000-05:00

A Friday Funny

FORTUNE: Legal pad.

2007-03-01T10:45:00.000-05:00

From Wired Online, a blurb about the Fair Use Act of 2007. Finally, a step in the right direction.

2007-02-23T09:09:00.000-05:00

Law School Innovation: Skills education in law school: why it matters right now. I agree with Gene that law schools ought to be among the most credible trainers, but it appears we have a great deal of work to do before the practicing bar would agree with us. This is something the powers that be have been kicking around at our university; it'll be interesting to see how this pans out.

2007-02-21T08:45:00.000-05:00

In The Chronicle: 2/23/2007: One Case at a Time, UB Law gets mentioned in a positive way in the story of how law students are helping out in New Orleans.

2007-02-19T10:01:00.000-05:00

Our Center for Children, Families and the Courts' Truancy Court program makes the news: In mock court, real help for students - baltimoresun.com

2007-02-19T08:44:00.000-05:00

While the tip given in the following is directed at law students, I think it's a good exercise for almost any discipline. Lawsagna: Tip Bit # 7: Keep a Journal of a Young Lawyer.

2007-02-16T10:12:00.000-05:00

beSpecific once again collects all the new stuff appearing on LLRX, one of my favorite info blogs. beSpacific: New on LLRX.com for February 2007 - Part I

2007-02-15T09:44:00.000-05:00

It's Official - We Have A New Dean (from the Baltimore Sun):

UB's next law school dean to burnish school's image

Closius, former dean at U. of Toledo, is chosen from among 12 candidates

By Gadi Dechter

Sun reporter

Originally published February 15, 2007

The next dean of the University of Baltimore law school will be Phillip J. Closius, a former law dean at the University of Toledo, officials said yesterday.

A formal announcement is expected today.

Closius will start his new job July 4, replacing the popular Gilbert Holmes, who has held the post since 2001.

"We looked for someone who had significant experience, and in Phil's case, he had a very successful run at Toledo in terms of good hiring and increasing student quality," said UB President Robert L. Bogomolny.

Closius, 56, was selected after a national search that brought 12 candidates to Baltimore to interview before a faculty-led search committee.

He takes over the 80-year-old law school at a period of transition for the urban university. UB is expanding its undergraduate program from two to four years, and is in the midst of a branding initiative designed to broaden the school's appeal beyond its traditional programs aimed at working adults.

More than a fifth of UB's 4,800 students are law students, and the law school has many prominent alumni, including former Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr. and Orioles owner Peter Angelos.

Still, university administrators and faculty believe the school's reputation needs bolstering. It is ranked in the "fourth tier" of American law schools by U.S. News & World Report, and in recent years saw a substantial drop in student passing rates on the state bar exam.

Closius said improving the school's image will be among his top priorities. "One of the things I like to think of myself as being pretty good at is marketing," he said. "The University of Baltimore is doing a lot of great stuff, and we need to get the message out."

When he became dean at the University of Toledo in Ohio in 1999, the law school was also ranked in the fourth tier by U.S. News, but it jumped to the second tier by 2004.

At UB, the picture has been mixed. While the law school has become more selective, bar exam passing rates sank from 74 percent in 2001 to about 57 percent in 2005, or 15 points below the state average, according to the Internet Legal Research Group, which tracks such figures.

In 2006, bar passing rates rebounded to near the state average, UB officials said, the result of increased attention to exam preparation.

Pact not renewed

Despite Closius' success at Toledo, his contract was not renewed in 2005. He was offered a one-year administrative position, then returned to the regular teaching faculty, where he started his academic career in 1979.

The "controversial demotion," as the Toledo Blade newspaper called it, was met with an outcry from some Toledo faculty, and was reportedly caused by Closius' demand for an increase in his roughly $190,000 salary.

Closius said yesterday that his demotion had less to do with his salary request than with the university's decision to shift financial resources toward the sciences, and away from the liberal arts. He will be making about $260,000 a year in Baltimore, he said.

While praising Closius as a good choice, Holmes, the law school's first black leader, said he regretted that the university did not select another person of color. More than 15 percent of UB's law students are minorities.

'A lot of energy'

The 10-person search committee's recommendation of Closius was approved by a vote of the law faculty in December. "He has a lot of energy and enthusiasm and drive and charisma," said law Professor Elizabeth Samuels, who chaired the panel.

Closius received his law degree from Columbia University in 1975, and practiced law in New York for several years. In Ohio, he specialized in constitutional, First Amendment and sports law, and also represented professional athletes in salary negotiations.

He expects to move here in June with his wife and infant son, and live in North Baltimore.

A die-hard New York Yankees fan, Closius said he looks forward to the company of thousands of likeminded enthusiasts who flock to Camden Yards when the Bronx Bombers come to town. "The faculty members that I've talked to said I wouldn't have to worry about wearing my Yankee apparel," he said with a laugh.

2007-02-14T13:32:00.000-05:00

Law School Innovation: Yet another on-line law journal supplement. I like the idea of on-line law review companions. The exchange of ideas is almost always a positive thing. As David Brin has pointed out again and again, we should embrace the concept of CITOKATE - criticism is the only known antidote to error.

2007-02-12T11:55:00.000-05:00

We were recently notified by BNA that the Media Law Reporter has (finally!) been added to BNA's online services. We wanted to let you know about this exciting development, as well as remind you that BNA provides daily or weekly updates via email on a wide variety of topics, including Tax, Labor and Employment, Intellectual Property, Environment, and Family Law, to name a few. For a complete list of titles available from BNA, go to our Research Databases list, http://law.ubalt.edu/lawlib/online/list.html, and select the BNA "Products by Subject" link.

If you're on-campus, just click on any of the titles listed to see the most recent report, or to see what's available from the BNA reference collections (called "Libraries."). To sign up to begin receiving an update on a regular basis, just click on the link at the top of our BNA subject list. The email updates have highlights of recent developments in the field, and have links to click through to the full report and additional materials on the website. The sign-up process is very simple, but we've attached a brief Powerpoint presentation to this message to walk you through the process, if you need help.

From off-campus, you'll still be able to read the BNA e-mails (once you've subscribed), but accessing the full services takes a few more steps. Click on the off-campus link next to BNA on our Research Databases list, select our campus, and then type in your ID number (barcode) and last name. You can then search by title for the BNA database in which you're interested.

2007-02-12T08:46:00.000-05:00

Law School Innovation: Another Experiment in Educational Blogging..., AKA, enhanced book/article reports.

2007-02-11T14:47:00.000-05:00

beSpacific: Federal Court Fees Listed Online

2007-02-09T08:54:00.000-05:00

Podcast Interview with Professor Garrett Power - Open Access Casebook Author | Teknoids

2007-02-09T08:53:00.000-05:00

beSpacific: Supreme Court Justice Alito's Perspective on the Court's Calendar

2007-02-08T09:47:00.000-05:00

beSpacific: Law Library of Congress To Celebrate 175th Anniversary in 2007

2007-02-07T17:43:00.000-05:00

beSpacific: U.S. Statutes at Large Vol. 118, 108th Congress, 2nd Session Now Online

2007-02-06T13:29:00.000-05:00

beSpacific: Cumulative List of Public Laws, 109th Congress, Second Session

2007-02-06T13:27:00.000-05:00

Out of the Jungle: Improve Basic Research Skills

2007-02-06T13:26:00.000-05:00

Ernie The Attorney: What if legislatures used wikis?

2007-02-02T08:36:00.001-05:00

Lawsagna: What can you learn from people?

2007-02-02T08:36:00.000-05:00

beSpacific: Reporters Without Borders Issues 2007 Annual Press Freedom Survey

2007-02-01T12:01:00.000-05:00

I know this isn't law-related, but it's still cool. Slashdot | iPods Becoming Entrenched In Major League Baseball

2007-02-01T11:54:00.000-05:00

beSpacific: Oversight Hearing on Presidential Signing Statements under the Bush Administration

2007-02-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

Create PDFs Quickly and Easily | Teknoids

2007-01-31T16:19:00.000-05:00

It's Official!
University of Baltimore School of Law Library Designated a Patent and Trademark Depository. We are one of two depository libraries in Maryland.

2007-01-31T14:42:00.000-05:00

Directory of Free E-Learning Tools: About the Directory. Res Ipsa...

2007-01-31T12:15:00.000-05:00

A man bites dog type of story. New York teen sues record Industry. And about time, I'd say.

2007-01-31T10:05:00.000-05:00

Slashdot | Linden Labs Sends "Permit-and-Proceed" Letter. This is pretty funny.

2007-01-31T10:03:00.000-05:00

Lawsagna: A peg memory technique. Another useful tip for law students.

2007-01-31T10:01:00.000-05:00

beSpacific: PBS Series on History of the Supreme Court Begins January 31, 2007

2007-01-30T08:30:00.001-05:00

beSpacific: Newseum Launches New Website

2007-01-30T08:30:00.000-05:00

Out of the Jungle: Wikipedia in the Courts

2007-01-29T10:21:00.000-05:00

My Way News - Ginsburg Laments Solitary Role on Court

2007-01-29T10:20:00.000-05:00

Out of the Jungle: Wikipedia Protest. Marie makes a good point.

2007-01-29T10:19:00.000-05:00

Out of the Jungle: Advice to Young Librarians (and library school students)

2007-01-26T09:40:00.000-05:00

Norway Outlaws iTunes

2007-01-25T13:25:00.000-05:00

Did you know?

Over the winter break we added soundproofing to Conference Rooms LC 427 - 430. This should make them more usable than in the past. Also, we replaced the ugly carrel-cluster in our microforms/media room with a table and placed the TV/VCR and TV'DVD combo units on rolling media carts. Feel free to check these units out to use in any of our conference rooms.

2007-01-25T12:32:00.000-05:00

Zoho, Omnidrive Partner For Office Document Storage. I can see this being useful, especially for academic co-authors working at different universities. Hmmmm.

2007-01-25T08:57:00.000-05:00

What happened to the guts? | Linux Journal.

2007-01-25T08:55:00.000-05:00

Lawsagna: Find your learning rhythm

2007-01-25T08:54:00.000-05:00

Appeals Court Shoots Down Copyright Challenge - News by InformationWeek

2007-01-23T13:20:00.000-05:00

beSpacific: Inter-American Court Decision on Access to Info Posted on Court Website

2007-01-22T09:35:00.000-05:00

Slashdot | Is it Time for Open Office? It sure would save the school a whole bunch of money. And the learning curve wouldn't be as steep as it's going to be for a move to Office 2007.

2007-01-22T09:26:00.000-05:00

Slashdot | Google Working To Make 'iPod/iTunes for Books'. That'd be cool if they can get it to work.

2007-01-22T09:20:00.000-05:00

Slashdot | Why the iPhone Keynote Was A Mistake. An interesting take on the Macworld Keynote Address.

2007-01-22T09:08:00.000-05:00

beSpacific: New on LLRX.com for January 2007. More goodies.

2007-01-22T09:07:00.000-05:00

beSpacific: Free Acrobat for Legal Professionals eSeminar on January 25, 2007.

2007-01-19T09:30:00.000-05:00

Lawsagna: How to jazz up your notes. Some useful hints.

2007-01-19T09:28:00.001-05:00

beSpacific: Manual for Military Commissions in Implementation of the Military Commissions Act of 2006

2007-01-19T09:28:00.000-05:00

beSpacific: Record-Breaking Year for the USPTO. Was it because we became a patents depository library? Hmmm.

2007-01-17T09:53:00.000-05:00

Free Access to UK Statutes Database is Launched. The database itself can be found here.

2007-01-16T14:19:00.000-05:00

Lessig on Net Neutrality

2007-01-16T14:07:00.000-05:00

Out of the Jungle: Unintended Consequences, Legal Malpractice, and Serendipity

2007-01-12T09:31:00.000-05:00

Slashdot | No Third-party Apps on iPhone Says Jobs. I'm shocked. Just shocked. Not.

2007-01-11T14:47:00.000-05:00

ALA | Best Free Reference Web Sites Combined Index. Lots of good stuff here. You might want to bookmark it.

2007-01-11T09:49:00.000-05:00

Slashdot | Download Only Song to Crack the Top 40. This, along with the arrival of Apple's iPhone, may be as revolutionary as the pundits have been predicting.

2007-01-11T09:46:00.000-05:00

beSpacific: Top 10 Court Web Site Awards Announced for 2006. I'll save you some suspense - Maryland was not one of them.

2007-01-11T09:30:00.000-05:00

beSpacific: Interim Report on the Administrative Law, Process and Procedure Project for the 21st Century.

2007-01-10T13:54:00.000-05:00

beSpacific: House and Senate Websites Are Redesigned and Relaunched

2007-01-10T13:49:00.000-05:00

Out of the Jungle: Student Engagement

2007-01-10T10:53:00.000-05:00

Ernie The Attorney: Innovative Law Firms

2007-01-10T10:51:00.000-05:00

Ernie The Attorney: Apple iPhone - I want one. So do I.