Looking from some fun sights to see this summer without having to venture across the pond (Atlantic Ocean)?  Rebecca Miller of Library Journal magazine recently shared with Larry Bleiberg of USA TODAY her top 10 favorite libraries to visit.  These sights may not be Buckingham Palace or Musée du Louvre, but they are the crème de la crème of libraries.  Here is a small sample of some of the libraries on that list.

Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, New York Public Library

When you think public libraries, you probably have the Schwarzman Building in mind.  Located on Fifth Avenue at the intersection of 42nd Street, the “Main Branch” of the the New York Public Library is home to the famous Rose Main Reading Room, and has been featured in many movies and television shows.  Most notably, you may remember the library from a Seinfeld Season 3 episode titled “The Library,” or from the 1984 classic, Ghostbusters.  If interested in learning more neat facts (a.k.a. secret hiding places) about the NYPL, see Faculty Services Librarian Pam Brannon (who used to work at NYPL).

Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress

You can’t talk  about great libraries without mentioning the nation’s library, the  Library of Congress.  The Library of Congress is the official research library of the United States Congress. Although the library encompasses several buildings, none are more recognizable than the Thomas Jefferson Building.  The Thomas Jefferson Building houses the Main Reading Room, which was featured in the Disney movie National Treasure: Book of Secrets.  Daily hour-long tours highlight the history of the building, its art and architecture, and some of its special collections.  So next time you are in D.C., take a break from the heat and enjoy a tourist attraction that continues to serve a vital role in the United States government.

Seattle Central Library

If you happen to find yourself on the West Coast this summer, make a point of seeing the Seattle Central Library.  The flagship library of the Seattle Public Library system, the Central Library has one of the most unique architectural designs ever utilized for a public library.  Completed on May 23, 2004, the Central Library attracted more than 8,000 visitors a day in its first year alone.  Talk about one popular public library.  The Central Library has all you would want in a travel destination.  Grab a cup of joe at the coffee shop on the third level and admire the public art displays throughout the building.  Stay in touch with family through WiFi or one of the 400 public computers.  Before you exit, don’t forget to pick your friends up a souvenir from the library’s retail shop.

These are just a few options for you to explore this summer as you take a break from law school.  So get out there and experience what libraries have to offer.  And remember, as Robin Leach always said, “champagne wishes and caviar dreams.”  Enjoy your summer.

For those of you who have been following The Blackacre Times since the beginning, you might remember my post back in December about the Royal Engagement.  Well, the wedding day has finally arrived.  What seemed like it was forever away is set to begin in less than 15 hours.

Depending on what your favorite network is, many stations will be broadcasting coverage of the wedding starting at 4 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Friday, April 29th.  If this is a little early for you on a Friday morning, don’t worry, the actual ceremony will not start until 6 a.m.   However, if you want to see the guests walk in, tune in early.

The ceremony, which takes place at Westminster Abbey, will last until around 7:15 a.m., when William and Kate will go by carriage to Buckingham Palace.  They will reappear at 8:25 a.m. on the balcony at the palace.  Don’t worry about missing an exam since exams on Friday start at 1 p.m.

So what does any of this have to do with law?  Well, just last week the Queen consented to the marriage between William and Kate.  Under the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, descendants of George II must obtain the sovereign’s agreement, in this case Queen Elizabeth, before they wed.  Failure to obtain consent would lead in the marriage being declared invalid.  Think of this as a nice meshing of family & estates law.

Schedule of Events (Eastern Standard Time)

Royal Wedding Seating Chart

Royal Wedding Official Website

AJC photo by Jason Getz

Although these Georgia State fans may look like they are cheering for the football team, they are really overcome with joy because they know that National Library Week starts on April 10th.

National Library Week is an annual celebration of the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians.  This year, National Library Week is April 10-16, 2011.

“What if I am not a librarian?  Can I still participate?”  Of course you can.  Everyone can celebrate the awesomeness that is library week.  In honor of this occasion, the College of Law Library has several events and activities planned during this time for students.

The Law Library will be doing two Library Abridged table sessions on Monday, April 11th from 2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. and Tuesday, April 12th from 5:00 p.m. – 5: 45 p.m.   The topic will be “Apps for Lawyers and Law Students.”  As always, the table will be located in the first floor lobby by the front entrance to the law school and there will be free coffee and cookies.  Chances are if you drop by you may even get to put your hands on, but not keep, an iPad.

The Law Library will also have a Law Library Trivia Contest.  Those students who answer the most questions correct will be entered into a drawing for a $50 Target gift card.  You may ask yourself, “Can I ask a reference librarian what the answer is to one of the questions?”  Simply put, no.  However, you can ask one of the reference librarians how you would find the answer.  Have no fear, none of these questions will require you to crack open a reporter, code, or treatise.  The deadline will be Sunday, April 17^th at 11:59 p.m.  You can access the trivia contest via the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/gsulawlibrarytriviacontest

In addition to these activities, the Law Library would like students to take the time to fill out the annual College of Law Library Survey.  Don’t worry, this is not one of those long surveys that you will eventually resort to filling out “C” or “Agree” all the way through.  The survey is short, multiple choice, and will  give students the chance to voice their comments and concerns about the Law Library’s services and resources.  The deadline to complete the survey is Friday, April 29th at 5:00 p.m. You can access the survey via the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/gsulawlibrary

Why is this person jumping for joy?  Because they just found out that starting Monday, April 4th,  the Law Library will circulate all books located in the stacks to students.  What does this mean?

Remember when you needed the looseleaf service Collier on Bankruptcy last semester for your research paper you were writing at home?  How about when you wanted a few “law looking” books to go on your coffee table for the weekend to impress your parents or significant other who was coming into town?  Both times you couldn’t check them out because they were “non-circulating” items.  Not anymore my friend.  Now any book located in the general stacks can be checked out by students.

Before you get too excited, there is a small disclaimer.  This does not include books and other materials on reserves or located in the reference collection.  Only materials located in the general stacks are now circulating.  So for those of you who got excited about the possibility of taking Property: Examples and Explanations on your next two day road trip, I am sorry to say that is still not possible (unless you check-out an older edition located on the back shelves of the study aids collection).  But, if you are looking to take a form book or legal encyclopedia to the Braves game (blasphemy I know), then you are in luck.

If you are unsure about what you can check out, feel free to consult with someone working at the Circulation Desk.

The College of Law will host the Supreme Court of Georgia on Monday, March 21.   The event includes a swearing in ceremony for law alumni to the Georgia Supreme Court Bar followed by two oral arguments.  The event is scheduled to last from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the Georgia State University Student Center Ballroom.   Those who plan to attend should arrive no later than 9:45 a.m.

Oral Arguments:

• Stripling v. The State (Death Penalty Interim Review)
• Haley v. The State (Internet Hoax Case)

Location:

Georgia State University
Student University Center
State Ballroom, First Floor
44 Courtland St., Atlanta

University Map (#33 Student Center)

Time:

10:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Arrive by 9:45 a.m.

Business attire is required.

More information on the Supreme Court of Georgia.

Unless you were trapped under a contracts book for the last 2 weeks, you have probably heard a little something about Charlie Sheen.  Along with Libya, gas prices, and March Madness, Sheen has been a hot topic on many media outlets, including talk radio, morning television, broadcast news, and late night talk shows.

Recent public appearances by Sheen have shown him to be the shadow of the figure he used to be.

In the 80’s he starred in “Platoon” and “Wallstreet,” both very popular and successful movies.  He revived his career on television with “Spin City,” and has dominated prime time television the past few years with his hit show “Two and a Half Men.”

Although many things have been going right for Sheen on-screen, his personal life has been anything but a fairytale.  Most recently Sheen was fired from “Two and a Half Men,” and his children were taken by police due to a restraining order issued by his estranged wife, Brooke Mueller.  With all of the legal issues surrounding Sheen right now, he would appear to be the perfect hypothetical for a law school exam.

Here are a few legal issues surrounding Charlie Sheen and some helpful resources if an attorney was representing Sheen in Georgia:

1. Child Custody:  Georgia divorce, alimony, and child custody by Dan E. McConaughey.
2. Contracts:  Georgia contracts: law and litigation by John Larkins
3. Trademark:  Understanding trademark law: a beginner’s guide by Linda Tancs (for Sheen’s “winning” phrase)

For those of you who are still easing back into books after spring break, you may enjoy being one of the millions of people following Sheen on Twitter.

Ordinarily, spring break is a time for students to catch up on sleep, get out of town, and remember what life is like outside of the Urban Life Building.  That is not always the case for law students.  Some may take the opportunity to sleep in a little later than usual and catch up on all the shows they have stored on their DVR.  However, others may start writing papers or studying for the upcoming MPRE on March 5th.

For those of you who plan on being semi-productive during spring break, not to worry, the law library will still be open during spring break.  Although the law library will be on a reduced schedule during spring break, but there will still be plenty of opportunity to access our resources.

If you plan on studying in the library during spring break, the library will be operating under the following hours:

• Saturday, February 26 and Sunday, February 27:  10am – 6pm
• Monday, February 27 through Friday, March 4:  8am – 6pm
• Saturday, March 5th:  10am – 6pm
• Sunday, March 6th:  10am – 11pm

The reference desk will continue its normal 10am – 6pm hours on Feb. 26, Feb. 27, Mar. 5, and Mar. 6.  The reference desk will be staffed from 8:30 am to 5 pm, Monday – Friday, Feb. 27 – March 4.  Students will also still be able to utilize chat reference (located on the law library’s homepage) to communicate with reference librarians during these hours.

In addition, anyone who needs access to the law library’s electronic databases off campus can do so by using GSU’s Virtual Private Network (VPN).  This is a great way to get little research done while you are relaxing at the beach.  Information on how to download and set up the VPN.

The American Constitution Society will be hosting a Q&A session with  Stephen Wermiel, a former Georgia State University College of Law professor, on Thursday, February 10, from 4:15 pm – 5:15 pm in Room 170 of the Urban Life Building (College of Law).

Wermiel recently co-authored the book Justice Brennan: Liberal Champion.  The book is the definitive account of the life of the justice who spent 34 years on the Supreme Court of the United States.  Wermiel and co-author Seth Stern based most of the book on 60 hours of tape-recorded interviews between Justice Brennan and Wermiel between 1986 and 1990.  During the session, Wermiel plans to discuss his interactions with Justice Brennan and what he learned about the Supreme Court.

Currently, Wermiel is a Fellow in Law and Government at American University Washington College of Law.  Wermiel has been teaching constitutional law for nearly 20 years.  Prior to teaching, Wermiel served as a Supreme Court correspondent for the Wall Street Journal from 1979 to 1991 and as a reporter for the Boston Globe from 1971 to 1979.

Super Bowl XLV (45) matched two storied franchises: The Green Bay Packers & The Pittsburgh Steelers.   NFC vs. AFC.  The Cheesehead hat vs. The Terrible Towel.  Terry Bradshaw vs. Brett Favre (oops, wrong decades…..).   Anyways, you get the picture, two epic teams battling it out to determine the 2010-2011 NFL Champion.

Although the game initially looked to be a blowout, fans were on the edge of their seats to the bitter end.  Those that stuck around after the halftime show saw a tremendous comeback on the part of the Pittsburgh Steelers that just came up short in the end.

It seems that all of America stands still for the 4 hours that the game is on every year.  Even those who generally do not watch football will stop and enjoy a few minutes here and there.  Those who are not particularly fans of the sport may tune in for the thrilling halftime shows or the often humorous commercials.

For those who like to find some legal aspects in the game, the Law Library has just the resources for you on the following topics:

Advertising Law:  Every year corporations spend millions of dollars for just 30 seconds of air time.  What are the legal aspects behind getting a commercial on the air?  Check out a few books the College of Law Library has on advertising law.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC):  Many people may not know the Federal Communications Commission off the top of their head.  Yet, they probably remember the Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake incident at Super Bowl 38 and the letters FCC.  The FCC is the agency that regulates non-federal government use of radio, television, and other telecommunications.  Here are a few resources that the Law Library has on the FCC.

Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA):  Although it was not blasted on the jumbotron Sunday night (which is almost as big as some stadiums), looming in the background of all the festivities was the CBA negotiations that will heat up now that the Super Bowl is over.  Some believe that the NFL might not have games next year because of the delay in the owners and the NFL Players’ Association agreeing on a new CBA.  Get to know more about CBAs with a few helpful resources in the Law Library.

These are just a few of the legal aspects dealing with the Super Bowl and the NFL.  For those who just need a little break from studying, here is a compilation of the Super Bowl commercials organized by quarters.

I am sure many of you have been tuned into the events going on in Egypt over the past several days.  Either by choice or because it has dominated nightly news, many Americans are getting their first real look inside Egypt.

Some may see the events as a true exercise of democracy.  People organizing in the streets, demanding more from their government.  For others, the events may be a little unnerving, especially for those who have family members living in Cairo.  Currently, an estimated 52,000 Americans are living in Egypt.

Whether your are for or against the actions of the protesters, these events do provide Americans with an opportunity to learn more about Egypt.

The College of Law Library has many resources dealing with Egypt and its legal system.  Here are a few suggestions for those interested in learning more:

• The struggle for constitutional power: law, politics, and economic development in Egypt by Tamir Moustafa (2007).
• Mixed courts of Egypt by Mark S. W. Hoyle (1991).
• Lawyers, the rule of law and liberalism in modern Egypt by Farhat Jacob Ziadeh (1968).
• The rule of law in the Arab world: courts in Egypt and the Gulf by Nathan J. Brown (1997).

There are also additional books and resources related to Egypt at the GSU Law Library & Main Library.

For those interested in the Egyptian Legal System, go to the following resources:

• The World Factbook
• The World Law Guide
• WorldLII

To get updates on news and events in Egypt, the library has electronic access to Daily News Egypt, Cairo.