Help With Final Papers

As your final papers become due, let me remind you of the resources that are currently available to you for help with final papers.

For help with legal research, you may contact the TJSL reference librarians

June Mac Leod jmacleod@tjsl.edu

and

Catherine Deane cdeane@tjsl.edu

or circulation librarians:

Hadas Livnat hlivnat@tjsl.edu

and

Torin Andrews tandrews@tjsl.edu

If you need help immediately, you can try the legal research tutorials and research guides, you may be able to find one on your topic.

As always the library provides a virtual reference service, AskThom, you can use this to contact library staff for immediate answers during hours when the library is open.

To find books and journals available at TJSL, use ThomCat, the online catalog. Be sure to type in the name of the book or journal. A search for the title of an article will yield nothing in ThomCat.

To search for individual articles, search Westlaw, Lexis or HeinOnline.

For legal news on a particular topic, try the Westlaw and Lexis news databases, or check to see if there is a BNA publication for your area of law. You can find the BNA database on our Library Research Page. Login with your email user ID and password.

You can also access our online databases through ThomCat.

AskThom Virtual Reference Service

Get real-time reference help with our new virtual reference service, AskThom. It’s ideal for those away-from-school questions or for the quick questions you don’t ask because you’re on the second floor of the library and we’re down on the first floor. AskThom should be helpful to everyone – from those of you currently in legal writing classes to those who are taking upper level paper classes.

AskThom is available Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 6 pm. At other times, feel free to e-mail Jane at jlarrington@tjsl.edu or Patrick at pmeyer@tjsl.edu.

Library Tries AskThom Virtual Reference

Have you ever wished you could ask a reference question in real time and from where you are studying? Maybe you just can’t find where to find the conversion table in the Federal Practice Digest or you can’t figure out what a treatise is. Or perhaps that draft of your course paper is coming due and you can’t find the relevant subject materials. Our new virtual reference/chat service, AskThom, should be helpful to everyone – from those of you currently in legal writing class to those who are taking upper level paper classes.

Until the link to AskThom is placed on the library homepage, you can access it by clicking on the following link. You may type your question at the very bottom of the screen, in the box below the heading “Type here to chat. Press ENTER to send.”

The URL to AskThom is: http://refchatter.net/chat/tjslref@chat.refchatter.net. AskThom will be available on Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 6 pm. At other times, feel free to e-mail Jane or Patrick.

Library Lines — Oct. 2009

Library Lines

Oct. 2009 – vol. 5, no. 2

Good Luck on Midterms!

This issue is dedicated to helping you succeed on your midterms. We hope that you find this issue to be of use. Good luck!

Prepare for Midterms: Study Aids and Course Reserve Materials

The Study Aids section is located just past the reference librarian office on the first floor. This section is comprised of what your fellow students feel are the most    useful study aid materials. Consult our study guide key to determine which series of materials includes multiple choice and essay questions, subject outlines and  topical narration. As a means keeping these materials available to our whole       student body, the check out period for all materials in this section is limited to 48 hours. So please be cognizant of the due date.

We purchase copies of your required and optional course books and place them behind the circulation desk in the course reserves section. This section  exists to benefit every class member, so the check out time is limited to three hours. Just ask at the circulation desk for the book by title and by course name.

Virtual Reference Coming Next Week!

Starting next week, look for AskThom, our virtual chat service, which will allow you to ask live reference questions from wherever you are. Look for the link on the library homepage. Throughout this trial period, we’ll assess the efficacy of this service in order to determine if it’ll be permanent.

Study Rooms in Demand: Steps To Secure Your Reservation

The group study rooms on the second floor are in particular demand during midterms and finals. In order for your reservation to go smoothly, please be sure that you check in at the circulation desk and leave your TJSL ID. Also please be sure to check out at the desk so the study room key will be available for the next student.

These popular rooms are available for same day use. You may reserve a room for two hours either in person at the circulation desk, or by phone at 619-297-9700 x1100. Only same day    reservations are available. Because these rooms are in high demand, we must adhere to the 10 minute rule. So please show up promptly or after 10 minutes we will release the reservation.

Sample Chairs for New Building Going Soon. Input Needed

The sample chairs under consideration for the new building will soon be  returned. Come by and try them out at the round tables on the first floor of the library, just outside the copier room. TJSL values your opinion, so take this opportunity to help make your new school a more pleasant and engaging learning environment. Please be sure to review the chair selection and then provide your feedback.

Writing a Paper? Find Updates On Your Topic

You may find updates on the library blog, ThomChat, which focuses on technology and legal developments. Recent posts have focused on the Americans with Disabilities Act, the practice of law, freedom of information, and law firm legal research requirements.

You’ll also find current news on a compilation of sundry legal topics at the  Current News/Recent Cases RSS page. Just click onto your topic from the left side table of contents and multiple subject-specific RSS feeds will populate the right side of the screen. It’s a great way to keep updated on your paper topic.

New Self Help Section

We’ve created a new section near the reference librarian offices for those who need to tackle real life legal situations. Perhaps you have an issue with your    landlord, or you’re not quite sure how to answer that legal question from your relative. Or maybe you want to know how to set up your side business. This      section, located along side the Study Aids section, is primarily comprised of the popular Nolo Press books.

October is LGBT  History Month

This annual observance celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual and  transgender history as well as the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. LGBT History Month is intended to encourage    honesty and openness about being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Check out our display of library materials celebrating this history over the last 40 years.