Library Docket Debuts

Standing just inside the door to the Library, the new docket provides patrons with information about library promotions, library policies and library locations. The interactive nature of the docket allows patrons to touch the screen to read a particular policy of interest or to find staff offices or service areas by touching the interactive map. In addition, legal news headlines, provided by Jurist, scroll continuously across the bottom.

Legal Research Methods Class Expands Enrollment

Librarians Kelly Kunsch, Kerry Fitz-Gerald, Barbara Swatt and Stephanie Wilson are team teaching the Legal Research Methods class this semester. The enrollment limit has been dramatically expanded from the Advanced Legal Research class that has been taught in previous semesters to give more students the opportunity to enhance their legal research skills. Resource selection, research strategies and search techniques for researching primary law in both federal and Washington state jurisdictions is covered and emphasis is placed on gaining familiarity and competence with the materials most commonly used by attorneys in day-to-day practice. The students work with print sources, online databases and free sources of law on the Internet. Cost-effective and efficient research is stressed.

The Legal Research Methods class places a high emphasis on the skills necessary for the preparation and training to become a professional lawyer as required by the ABA standards. The librarians are committed to the promotion of these standards not only with the students in the classroom but throughout their law school careers and on into their professional careers after graduation.

To see a list of other classes taught by the librarians, please see our web-based annual report.

Solo Practice Exhibit


The library’s new exhibit on solo practice is displayed at the south end of our fourth floor. It features information on a wide range of topics such as marketing small firms, organizations for solo practitioners, and how to build a small law firm library.

The display was conceived and arranged by third year law student, Katie Brown under the direction of librarian Bob Menanteaux.

Exhibits Travel to SU Dinner


Two exhibits created by the Law Library, Brown v. Board and Same Sex Marriage, traveled across campus for display at the annual Seattle University Martin Luther King Jr. Dinner Celebration. The keynote event of Diversity Month 2005 at Seattle University featured an ethnic dinner, SU student entertainment, and keynote speaker Dr. Joseph Scott.

Comings and Goings

After 27 years of service to the law school, Bob Menanteaux will be on sabbatical this semester. While on sabbatical, Bob will work on class materials for his International and Foreign Law Research course.



Helane Davis, Seattle University School of Law Publications Coordinator and recent graduate of the UW Law Librarianship program, has accepted a position as Associate Director/Head of Public Services at the Evans Law Library, University of Kentucky. We wish Helane much success in her new position!

Librarians Present at Online Northwest Conference

On January 21st, Kerry Fitz-Gerald and Stephanie Wilson presented a program about library exhibits titled, Using Technology to bring Exhibits to Life at the Online Northwest Conference in Corvallis, Oregon. Online Northwest is a conference that brings together librarians and other information professionals to discuss technical, social and policy issues associated with information technology. In their presentation, Kerry and Stephanie discussed the process of assembling complementary online and physical exhibits for various library constituents.

Recently Published

Librarian Kerry Fitz-Gerald wrote an article for the November/December 2004 issue of Law Librarians in the New Millennium titled “Library Exhibits for the Digital Era”. The article addresses ways in which electronic technologies can reshape the library exhibit for 21st century needs and audiences.

Walkover Donation

The most recent selection for inclusion in the Walkover collection is a treatise donated by Professor Boerner titled Maconochie’s Gentlemen, the story of Norfolk Island and the roots of modern prison. The Walkover collection is located at the left of the law library’s entrance. The memorial collection was created on behalf of Professor Andy M. Walkover, a much loved and a deeply admired member of the University of Puget Sound School of Law faculty. Andy died of cancer in 1988. Andy’s appreciation of people transposed in the characteristic way he recommended just the right book for his friends. The eclectic Walkover collection consists of some of Andy’s favorite novels; also included are donated nonlegal works of fiction that Andy might have recommended. The law library invites your perusal of the Walkover collection. As stated on the memorial plaque above the Walkover collection, “Nothing would have pleased Andy more than to know you’re now taking even a short journey from law school into the broader world of wonder by leafing through one of these books.”

Locating Working Papers on Legal Topics

• Legal Scholarship Network
  The Law Library has a site license for law faculty to access the Social Science Research Network’s (SSRN) Legal Scholarship Network. Each journal issue, delivered via e-mail, contains abstracts of working papers and articles accepted for publication in a particular area of law. Journals are edited by a law professor with expertise in the field covered by the journal. Each abstract is accompanied by an e-mail address for the author, whom you can contact to obtain a full copy of any paper, and often a web site address from which the paper can be downloaded free of charge. (Some full-text papers are not covered by the site license and users will be notified of additional downloading charges.) To subscribe, register here.
  
  If you do not want to subscribe, working papers in legal studies and other academic disciplines are also fully searchable and downloadable on the SSRN/LSN website.
  
  
• Bepress Legal Repository
  The Bepress Legal Repository also has working papers in the field of law. You can choose to browse by subject area and by institution, do keyword searches, view the most frequently downloaded papers and sign up for working paper notifications. Although most articles are freely downloadable, some require paid subscriptions and/or registration.

King County Law Library Tour

Recently, the library staff was invited to tour the remodeled King County Law Library on the sixth floor of the King County Courthouse. The Law Library was relocated for 15 months while the courthouse underwent a seismic retrofit. The improved and expanded library space offers new computer carrels, new furniture, casual seating areas, enlarged conference rooms and a rearrangement of the book collection. The King County Law Library also offers a Legal Research and Training Center where members of the community who do not have computers can access legal databases with printing capability. The King County Law Library will also be a wi-fi “hot spot” with free wireless Internet access throughout. The King County Law Library serves not only members of the bar but the pro se community.

Photocopy Machines

University Reprographics has replaced the law library’s self-service copy machines with machines that work on the VTS copy card system. University patrons can add value to their ID cards at the vending machine in the University Services Building or at the Student Center. Copies cost 10 cents with coin and 5.5 cents with a VTS card. There are three copy machines located in Seattle University Law Library:

• 2nd Floor, Open Reserve - accepts coins/dollar bills and VTS card

• 2nd Floor, South Wall in Alcove – accepts VTS copy card only

• 3rd Floor, South Wall in Alcove – accepts VTS copy card only