04.22.20
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Summer Westlaw & Lexis Access

WestLexis-holding-hands-on-beach-3727554Westlaw and Lexis have historically altered their access policy for students and recent graduates during the summer. The Law Library has recently received an update from both Sue Moore at Westlaw and Brittany Conklin at Lexis. Westlaw and Lexis will provide summer access as described below.

Access and Restrictions for Rising 2Ls and 3Ls

Lexis

Law students will automatically have free unlimited use of their law school Lexis Advance ID this summer. No registration is required.

Westlaw

You do not have to do anything to gain access to Westlaw over the summer.  However, there are use restrictions.

You may only use Westlaw over the summer for non-commercial research. You can turn to these resources to gain understanding and build confidence in your research skills, but you cannot use them in situations where you are billing a specific client at a law firm. Examples of permissible uses for your academic password include the following but are not limited to:

  • Summer coursework or any type of academic research
  • Research Assistant assignments
  • Law Review or Journal research
  • Moot Court or any trial competition research
  • Non-Profit work
  • Clinical work
  • Externship/Internship sponsored by the school

Access for Graduating 3Ls

Lexis

Updated 5/11/2020.  Lexis has extended their access through Feb 2021.

Graduates may access Lexis for free through December 31, 2020 February 28, 2021. No registration is required.

Westlaw

You must register for Graduate access.

Your access is “normal” until May 31, 2020. Starting June 1st and ending November 30, 2020, graduates will have extended Westlaw and Practical Law access for 60 hours per month for six months. This access is part of your academic subscription and there is no charge for this extended access.

To check if you signed up, graduates can go to lawschool.tr.com, sign on with their user name and password, and click on their name in the top right corner. They will see a link there for “Grad Access Status” and they can see if they have already extended. Graduates can extend at any time during the 6 month period but grad access will end on November 30, 2020. Any questions about Westlaw grad access, please email Sue at sue.moore@tr.com.

04.14.20
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ALERT 2020 Certificate Awardees

ALERT Certificate

The library is pleased to announce our list of 2020 ALERT Program Awardees.

The Applied Legal Experience, Research, & Technology (ALERT) Program is a non-credit program that provides students with additional opportunities outside of the College of Law’s curriculum to learn advanced legal research and technology skills. Each student listed below will graduate in the Spring of 2020 having completed a predetermined number of ALERT sessions during their careers at the Georgia State College of Law.

Each session is approximately 1 hour and covers an advanced topic in legal research, technology, or an intersection of the two.  Students are awarded different levels of distinction according to the following requirements:

  • With Distinction: 6 Topics completed
  • With High Distinction: 8 Topics Completed
  • With Highest Distinction: 10 Topics Completed

Now without further ado, the 2020 ALERT Program Awardees are:

Highest Distinction

  1. Ovidiu Balaj
  2. Andrew Coffey
  3. Latrevia Collins
  4. Emily Gaston
  5. Timothy Graves
  6. Richard Quarles
  7. Justin Showalter

High Distinction

  1. John Hooven
  2. Tiffany Williams

Distinction

  1. Julia Collins
  2. Kristi Gibbs
  3. Tyler Graff
  4. Mark Hunter
  5. Courtney LeBeau
04.10.20
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Keeping Up With the Courts

Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals

11th Circuit Court of Appeals, via Wikimedia Commons.

Over the past few years an increasing number of courts have provided the public with the opportunity to view or listen to court proceedings online. Georgia’s appellate courts, the Georgia Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Georgia, have offered live video of their oral argument sessions for several years now. The Supreme Court of Georgia has announced that its oral arguments for the week of April 20th will take place on Zoom and will be live-streamed as normal.

With the need to move court services online, now even more courts are offering online live access to court proceedings. Both the Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit have announced that they will livestream their oral arguments in April 2020.

As for the Supreme Court of the United States, there is no indication when oral arguments will resume. On April 3rd the Court issued an order postponing oral arguments originally scheduled for the April session. UPDATE: On April 13th the Court announced that in early May it will hold oral arguments by telephone conference. The Court also stated that it “anticipates providing a live feed of these arguments to news media.”

04.01.20
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We are (remotely) available! Library Services for the rest of the semester.

evernote_on_ipad_and_macbook

Like many of you, we are making adjustments for the next couple of months. Although the building is currently closed, we are still available!

We prepared an online LibGuide with helpful information and links to the services available, such as reference, circulation, and student services. It will be updated as we receive new information. You can find this LibGuide at https://libguides.law.gsu.edu/refcircaccess.

Additionally, we are offering chat, email, and phone reference service at the hours below:

  • Monday – Thursday: 8:30 am – 7 pm
  • Friday: 8:30 am – 5 pm
  • Saturday – Sunday: 1 pm – 6 pm

Questions can be submitted through chat reference, emailed to lawreference@gsu.edu, or you can call us at 404-413-9102.

Remember, that the library’s catalog is a great place to start your search and find out if any of the resources are available online. Using the catalog will allow you to check not only the resources available online via the law library, but it will also search the entire University System of Georgia!

All of the online services remain available, such as our Study Aids and LibGuides. There’s even a LibGuide on Free Legal Resources available online!

Even though we’re physically away from the law school, you can still use the library as a resource. If you ever have questions, please reach out to us! Keep up to date on library hours and access by visiting our homepage at https://lawlibrary.gsu.edu/.

03.03.20
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Featured Resource: The Library’s Online Study Aids

By Gilbert Morales, Spring 2020 Reference GRA

It goes without saying that understanding the law is hard work, but you’re not alone in this endeavor. The library has many resources to chart your path to crushing those pesky law school exams. One of the most invaluable resources is the library’s online study aids. Students anxious to begin exam prep can access online the West Academic Study Aids and the Wolters Kluwer Study Aids by visiting the GSU Law Library website and clicking “Online Study Aids” in the Services tab.

Blog Study Aid

In West Academic Study Aids, students can take advantage of the newly added Exam Pro quizzes. To find this tool, simply search the Exam Pro Series then filter by “Quizzes” under “Type” in the left navigation bar. Exam Pro quizzes allow students to immediately see correct answers and problem explanations. It also breaks down law school subjects into subtopics so students can focus on specific areas.

West Academic also provides access to the entire Acing Series. Like Exam Pro, the Acing Series also dives into subtopics and provides easy to understand explanations. However, it focuses mainly on short answer essays. Students can also benefit from double-checking their outlines by using Acing’s easy to follow topic checklists. Line by line students can understand the logic and sequence of contract formation, civil procedure, and rules of evidence.

Moreover, for the podcast generation, West Academic has the Sum and Substance Audio series where every major law subject is broken down into bit size audio clips ranging from 3-20 minutes. Listening to audio clips offers flexibility that can be used most effectively during exam crunch time.

Students can also access the Wolters Kluwer Study Aids that has a range of accessibility features. One notable feature is the ability to download study aid content. Downloadable materials make it easier for students to quickly access study aids on their desktop. Wolters Kluwer also offers audio and video content. For the visual learners among us, the “In Other Words” video series provides understandable material explained by law professors and legal practitioners from nearly all major areas of law.

Additionally, Wolters Kluwer offers invaluable content like Examples and Explanations (E & E) and Emanuel Crunchtime. Much like the Acing Series, E & E provides easy to understand explanations of topics and subtopics but also includes more short answer hypotheticals. So if your exam includes short answer questions, E & E is your go-to.

Emanuel Crunchtime is another terrific study aid because it’s among the most comprehensive. To give you an idea, this study aid typically includes short answer questions, multiple-choice questions, and essay exam questions, all with answers included. Emanuel Crunchtime even has flowcharts!

It’s important to remember when reviewing study aids that explanations will differ from your professors but as one 3L advised me, “use study aids to fill in the gaps.” Meaning where a professor was ambiguous, use a study aid to clarify. With that being said, it’s best to sample study aids to see what suits your study style. Remember you’re not alone on this journey, use study aids to reach your goal and crush your exams!

02.21.20
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Time Management Suggestions for 2Ls+

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Image from Google

By Maggie Garrett, Fall 2019 Reference GRA

We’ve hit the Mid-Year Slump!

Things we forget from first-year but are still wildly important.

  • Make a schedule;
  • Complete class readings;
  • Organize class notes by topic (for future outlining);
  • Review each class; and
  • Quiz yourself throughout the semester.

After making it out of your first year of law school alive it may be tempting to ignore, or at least avoid, the academic commitments listed above. Especially if you were lucky enough to perform well. But – don’t sleep on schoolwork. It will pile up, stress you out, and 2L coursework is no joke.

But if your goal was to keep up from day one, and you happened to fall behind, don’t worry. Just move forward. Get a friend’s notes, meet with your professor, make a time-management plan or checklist – but the most important thing is not falling further behind. Don’t let a cycle begin where you try to “catch up” but don’t have time to keep up. Personally, I like to make a weekly check-list. If I don’t get to something, I note what I missed. When finals arrive I just remind myself that I need to review those things more closely.

Remember, balance is key my friend. Remember balance? That thing they preached during first-year orientation (in a galaxy far, far away)? Yeah, it’s still very, very relevant. If you sacrifice time spent cooking, exercising, hanging with friends, or even Netflix-ing you will implode. Make room for these things, or you will regret it.

Also, hate to break it to you, but it’s time to make a finals game-plan. Or at least decide when you’d like to start and finish outlines. But keep in mind – these are just personal deadlines. No need to beat yourself up for not meeting a self-imposed deadline. Instead, just get an idea of when these things should be done to keep you somewhat on-track. This tip is meant to prevent anxiety, not create tension.

Feeling stressed because you’re “not doing enough?” Relax. We (2Ls) have three semesters to figure our futures out (sorry 3Ls). We have time. Don’t overextend yourself now or you’ll be burnt out.

And uh, guys – prioritize. We can do some things, but we can’t do all the things. Unless you happen to have a time-turner – in which case please @ me. Extracurricular activities and part-time jobs are solid resume builders but don’t sacrifice too much academic time. You’ll thank yourself later.

01.29.20
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ALERT PROGRAM: SPRING 2020 LINEUP (UPDATE)

The spring ALERT program topics and dates:

ALERT Spring Update 1.29 Digital Sign (002)

What is the Alert Program?

ALERT (Applied Legal Experience, Research, & Technology) is a non-credit program that provides law students with additional opportunities outside of the College of Law’s curriculum to learn legal research and technology skills.

By completing the ALERT Program, students can demonstrate to potential employers that they have obtained practice-ready skills. Students will earn digital badges, as well as a certificate upon graduation at Awards Day. Students have their entire law school term to complete the program.

Levels of Completion:

With Distinction: Complete 6 Topics
With High Distinction: Complete 8 Topics
With Highest Distinction: Complete 10 Topics

For more information, or to RSVP please see http://lawlibrary.gsu.edu/services/alert-program/.

01.19.20
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MLK Holiday, Library Hours and Display

The Law Library will be closed on Monday, January 20th, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. To learn more about the origins of the holiday, check out our post on the topic.

As the birthplace of Dr. King, Atlanta has many events planned where you can commemorate the holiday, including free events at the MLK National Historic Site and an MLK Day 5K Drum Run. Here are a few articles that list some things to do in the area:

If you’re wondering what’s open or closed during the holiday, here’s an article that might help: MLK Day 2020: Here’s What’s Open, Closed In Atlanta by Andrea V. Watson, Patch Staff.

IMG-9228

Last (but not least), be sure to drop by and check out our current display of resources about Dr. King just past the Reference Desk. We have multiple resources that you can check out, such as A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr., Pillar of Fire: America in the King Years, 1963-65, and Martin Luther King Jr. and the Morality of Legal Practice: Lessons in Love and Justice.

We hope you enjoy the holiday!

01.14.20
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120 Days?

Flickr Photo by ChatWithMatt.com

As some students have come to realize their time is up, or more so their CampusID password’s time is up.

Georgia State requires its users (faculty included) to change their CampusID password every 120 days. The application of this time limit is unfortunate, to say the least. It means that students that changed or created their account passwords in mid-August—say at the beginning of the fall semester—found their CampusID password expiring in the middle of December. Off the top of my head, I cannot think of anything going on in December that might cause a problem. Oh, I almost forgot students were taking finals in December. Silly me.

Please avoid the headache and panic of learning your CampusID password has expired at an inopportune time. Before finals come back around, take a moment and change your password now or when you are procrastinating studying for that next exam. Directions on how to change your CampusID password can be found here.

Your new passwords must:

  • Be between 10-32 characters in length
  • Start with a letter
  • Not be one of your previous passwords
  • Contain at least one lower case letter, upper case letter, and a number
  • Not contain one of the following characters: @ / () “ * ‘

It makes it awfully difficult. For help on creating a strong password take a look at these sites:

McAfee
xkcd

Finally do not forget to update your CampusID and password on your various devices, e.g. laptop, mobile phone, tablet, etc. Some directions on updating devices can be found here.

CampusID accounts allow students to sign in to the majority of the online systems at Georgia State University including Campus Email, PAWS, iCollege, and InsideLaw.

12.18.19
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Winter Break!

relaxing-1979674_1280

Starting Saturday, December 21, 2019, the Law Library will be closed until January 6, 2020, for Winter Break.  The Law Library reopens on Monday, January 6, 2020, at 8 am.

Winter Break/Spring Semester Hours:

  • Thursday, December 19, 2019 – Friday, December 20, 2019:  8am – 5pm
  • Saturday, December 21, 2019 – Sunday, January 5, 2020: Closed
  • Monday, January 6, 2020 – Friday, January 10, 2020:  8am – 6pm
  • Saturday, January 11, 2020 – Sunday, January 12, 2020:  10am – 6pm
  • Monday, January 13, 2020: Spring Semester Begins, Regular Hours

For a complete list of library hours, including the list of hours we are open to the public, check the Law Library’s Hours.

Thanks for a great semester. If you’re looking for something to read during break, check out our post on winter reading suggestions!

We hope you all have a wonderful break!