Cornell Law Library Annual Report July 2003—June 2004

Highlights

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Service to University

• Research. The main achievement of the law library this year again lies in the exceptional level and quality of service to faculty and students. The law library serves the law clientele, and is also the legal research center for the entire campus. Research assistance and consultation are provided by a team of professionals, most with JD and MLS degrees, and others with considerable proven experience. Research was conducted for many users, including Provost Kramnick and the Faculty Senate. The law library also spends substantial time assisting undergraduates with legal research at the reference desk and via email, and informing law students about other library facilities on the Cornell campus. Hiring, training, mentoring Cornell undergraduates from all different colleges, probably leads to the closest and most direct lasting impact on Cornell undergraduates who work in the law library.

• Teaching. Thomas Mills worked extensively with an undergraduate seminar on Science and

Crime in the Spring semester, teaching a basic legal research class, helping to create assignments, and working with students conducting research.

This year, the law library increased the already extensive program of formal credit courses and informal classes taught by JD librarians to law students, undergraduates, and Ph.D. students. The program included teaching legal research classes for several university classes, e.g., Regional Planning, and Psychology, and teaching a two hour class during the summer for high school students taking courses at Cornell and interested in the law.

• New Cornell Law Library Website: Bold New Look, Expanded Research Content.

www.lawschool.cornell.edu/library. The new design was unveiled in September, and showcases the law library=s services and resources to students, faculty, and the general public. The dynamic new design, primarily the work of Webmaster Sasha Skenderija, Reference Librarian Brandy Kreisler, and Head of Reference Services Jean Callihan, implements the latest web design software (Flash/XML/ASP). The design also uses a grayscale image of the Reading Room to brand the law library=s services and takes advantage of the unique and beautiful architecture of Myron Taylor Hall. Random photos of the law library will appear each time the home page is visited. The revised site continues to highlight the law library=s partners, such as the International Labour Organization, and sites sponsored by the law library, such as InSITE, a current awareness service that reviews law-related web sites.

The law library=s previous web design won one of the first awards for online publications presented by the American Association of Law Libraries in 1998.

• Several law library staff members served as volunteers for Slope Day and CU commencement.

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Cooperation with CUL The law library benefited from the shared central library information system for acquisitions, cataloging, and circulation, help with digital and rare book projects, a forum for discussion of library issues, and more. Even though the law library has a small staff, with a highly focused educational mission that demands considerable commitment of time and attention, staff members were active on numerous library committees and activities, and held in high regard for their participation and intelligent contributions.

• High level of collaboration in acquisitions and collection development. Focused efforts on avoiding duplication with other libraries. Developed working relationship with ILR for overlapping areas. Continued to participate in CUL-wide collection development meetings and decision-making.

• Collaboration with Wason Library to Further East Asia Law Program. The law library has

joined forces with the Wason Library and pooled some money to buy East Asia law materials. Wason collects in the vernacular, and the law library in English, both print and electronic materials. Charlotte Bynum collaborated with Professor Annelise Riles on this project, as well as Thomas Hahn, Curator of the Wason Collection.

• Sharing the same online catalog. The law library adheres to cataloging policies and standards established by Central Technical Services, and contribute to the development of new policies. Invoices are processed at Law and approved and paid for centrally. A law library staff member serves as a member of the Voyager Security Committee, which controls staff access to the catalog database.

• Staff works on joint projects, e.g., Law Tech Services worked with CTS (Central Technical Services) and Mann on implementing MARCIVE, a service that provides bibliographic records for U.S. Government documents. Law staff continues to serve on the Steering Committee of the CUL Instruction and Reference Program Committee, which organized a Spring retreat for library staff on Public Outreach.

• Law staff spent a significant amount of time serving on several committees that analyzed CUL’s Workforce Planning Survey of the different library functions.

• Law staff served two years on the CUL E-Journal maintenance task force, developing an automated process for the maintenance of bibliographic records for electronic journals.

• Law staff chaired the group which presented training on the new Chapter 12 of AACR (Anglo-American Cataloging Rules) across campus.

• Law staff worked with CUL staff to facilitate the loading of thousands of bibliographic records purchased from CIS into our online catalog.

• Law library supervisors attended a four-day CUL-mandated “Supervisor Development Certificate Program.”

• A law library staff member continued to work on the CUL-wide newsletter Kaleidoscope.

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Faculty Services

• NELLCO Cornell Law Scholarship Repository. The NELLCO (New England Law Libraries Consortium) Cornell Legal Scholarship Repository is a major new scholarly communication initiative designed to increase the profile of Cornell law faculty's research. www.lawschool.cornell.edu/library, under "NELLCO Repository." Cornell NELLCO Legal Scholarship Repository provides a free and persistent point of access for working papers, reports, lecture series, workshop presentations, and other scholarship created by faculty at NELLCO member schools. Jean Pajerek is the Project Manager, organizing the project from the ground up, making a presentation to law faculty at a faculty workshop, and is soliciting content from the Cornell law faculty.

• For Dean Schwab’s fund-raising activity, Brandy Kreisler designed and created PowerPoint

presentations.

• Journal of Empirical Legal Studies – new scholarly, peer-reviewed legal journal edited by members of the law faculty. The library provided assistance regarding publicity, advertising, and access to court records for empirical studies.

• International Intellectual Property – Matt Morrison worked extensively with Professor Sunder,

developing a research guide on international intellectual property and presenting a research lecture to the class.

• Professional Responsibility – Matt Morrison prepared a research guide customized to the

needs of law students in Professor Bernstein’s course and assisted in the development of research exercises assigned to the students.

• Pat Court taught research to law students in Immigration course, Refugee Clinic, and Criminal

Law Ethics.

• A web site was created for Professor Taylor and her work with the Credit Union National Association.

Student Services

• Reading Room Improvement. Changes to

the Gould Reading Room in the law library were designed to accommodate the way students are using the room to study and research, and allow students to access important print materials, benefit from the assistance of a reference librarian nearby, while working online—the best of all possible worlds. Two new standing work stations allow for quick web access to library resources. The wooden stands for the computers were constructed by a local craftsman who matched the style and color of the old trestle tables in the room. Six additional work stations with flat panel monitors were installed on long tables, with ample room to integrate online and print resources, with a printer. Three access the web and word processing. Two computers are web access only.

Thomas Mills, Jean Pajerek and Matt Morrison at new standing work station

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• Summer Student Legal Research Survey 2003. A survey was conducted of law students' summer legal research experience, to gauge the type of research done by summer associates, and how the research was performed. The results of 120 2d and 3d year law students confirmed that the majority of students worked for law firms, were required to perform research often, and had access to commercial databases. The survey also showed that books AND computers were essential research tools, and that students are interested in increasing their legal research skills through instruction, particularly in international law, securities regulation, and legislative histories.

• LL.M. Orientation. Pat Court and Charlotte Bynum

coordinated the LLM orientation program and library tours: a lecture to LL.Ms. on U.S. legal research (Claire Germain) was followed by hands-on sessions and Lexis/Westlaw training.

• Library Open House for LL.M. and J.S.D. Students. In

November, the law library invited the international law students to look at some of the treasures of the law library, including 19th century Trials, the Rogers collection, rare books, Scottsboro Trials, and the Nuremberg trial transcripts. Over 40 students and library staff attended, with enthusiastic feedback.

• Used Law Book Sale in the Reading Room. 200 books were sold at $1 each to law students

eager to fill their shelves and minds, in September 2003.

Legal Research Instruction Programs

• Business Law Research. Jean Callihan taught a new Advanced Legal Research Seminar, as a one credit course during the first 6 weeks of the semester.

Public Services Activities

7,500 Reference questions answered 5,556 Materials checked out, renewed, or used in the building 130 Items retrieved from Rare Book Room and Cage 146 One hour instruction sessions provided to 2,357 students 43 Tours given to 455 participants 804 Interlibrary loan items borrowed from other libraries 934 Interlibrary loan items lent to other libraries 409 Books and photocopies provided to faculty from Law Library and other campus Libraries

Prof. Barcelo with LL.M. students at Open House

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• U.S. Legal Research for LL.M. students. Pat Court taught a new Advanced Legal Research Seminar, as a one credit course during the first 6 weeks of the semester. It was well received and students suggested it should be required for all LL.M. students.

• Advanced Legal Research Seminar. The use of laptops by students was integrated in the

classroom for each weekly class meeting and enhanced student learning through online demonstrations and student practice.

• Lawyering. Five of the JD librarians taught extensive research training sessions to all first year

students, coordinated by Pat Court, as part of the Lawyering class. New research sessions included two classroom presentations by librarians in September to teach how to locate materials in the library by citation and also how to locate materials on Lexis/Westlaw by citation.

Publications

• Four issues of the Library Newsletter were published, in print and online. As of Volume 11, Number 4, May 2004, it is published exclusively online. http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/library/INFORMATION/newsletter/

• The annual Guide to Faculty Services was updated.

http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/library/guides/faculty/

• InSITE, the bi-weekly digesting service of new law-related web sites, sent via email to hundreds of subscribers, entered its eighth year. http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/library/RESOURCES/insite.htm

Law Library in the News

• InSITE was recognized as a top web site for legal professionals to use to keep current. This

appears in Internet LawResearcher (Dec. 2003).

• Cornell Law Forum, Summer 2004. An article was written by Tonia Saxon entitled “In the Service of Research: The Cornell Law Library.”

Planning, Collection, and Administration

• Budget and Staff Level. The law library is committed to operating within the approved budget

and staffing levels. BUT, it is essential to keep the staffing level as it currently exists, to maintain the needed services to faculty and students. The law library is supporting new programs started by the law school, e.g., the new empirical legal studies journal and associated research, the East Asia program, and student interest, leading to more teaching activities by the JD librarians.

• Law Library Plan, 2002-04. The staff continued to implement the current Plan, which operates

within the currently approved budget and staffing levels, and is the blueprint for staff action. It is updated every six months.

• ABA Site Visit, February 2004. Much time was spent preparing for the ABA Site visit.

• Collection Development Policy. The policy was newly revised in Fall 2003.

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Outreach Activities

• Canadian Law/Collaboration with McGill Law Library. Daniel

Boyer, Wainwright Librarian, McGill Law Library, Montreal, Canada, visited the law library in December 2003. He gave a lecture on Canadian Legal Research, and reviewed the law library collection of Canadian law. A third element of his visit was to continue exploring the higher level of partnership and collaboration between Cornell Law Library and McGill Law Library. The partnership could include enhanced Interlibrary loan and faxing of materials, and a formal agreement on collection development and reference.

Daniel Boyer’s visit was made possible in part by the Harry Bitner

Research Stipend Fund, generously established by Richard Gilden ’71 and Lorraine Bitner Gilden, to honor the memory of her father, Harry Bitner, former law librarian at Cornell Law School.

• Law Alumni Reunion, June 2004. The Rare Book Room Open

House and the CLE program on using the web to research legal ethics were well received, as well as the Dean’s reception in the Reading Room.

• ALLUNY Spring Institute. The Association of Law Libraries of Upstate New York held its spring

meeting at Cornell Law Library, May 2004. The topic was Identity Theft.

Gifts and Endowments Rare Books Donations.

• Juan Carlos Esguerra LL.M. '73, former Colombian Ambassador to the United States, donated Jus Canonicum Universum, by R.P.F. Anacleto Reiffenstuel (a Franciscan priest), to the law library during a formal ceremony held at the Law School Advisory Council weekend in October. The historic volume is a compilation or codification of the canon law

Acquisitions & Cataloging Activities

30,248 Titles cataloged 1,856 Print titles 27,541 Microforms (mostly CIS congressional back files) 53 Serials microforms 8 Audiovisual 790 Computer files 91 Serials titles added for a total of 6,694 509,826 Total Print Volumes on June 30, 2004 678,259 Total Volumes and Volume Equivalents

Claire Germain and Daniel Boyer

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or Jus Canonicum as of 1755, the year in which the book was published. Published in Antwerp, Belgium, and brought to the Americas at some time during the 18th century, it was originally presented as a gift to the "Convento de San Francisco" in 1790. The book, from the Esguerra family collection, was one of the most loved possessions of Mr. Esguerra's uncle, Carlos Portocarrero, a well known lawyer.

• In November, the law library received a donation to the rare book collection from Richard Matyas

Heder McGrew, a Cornell undergraduate who graduated in May. The two-volume set, Corpus Juris Hungarici, by Janos Szegedi, was published in 1751, and has been passed down to Mr. McGrew’s family since the late 1800s.

Corpus Juris Hungarici is a compilation in Latin of the edicts, decrees, and other laws that

comprise Hungarian law, stretching back to the 11th century. The core of the two volumes is the Tripartitum, a collection of Hungarian customary law covering the law of people, property, and contracts, which was first set down in print in 1517. Corpus Juris Hungarici remained a popular and influential legal resource in Hungary until after World War II, when the Communist government enacted new codes in all areas of law. This set is a unique and valued addition to the Library’s collection of rare books.

Special Guests

• Petra Jedlickova from Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, was hosted by Sasha

Skenderija, May 10-14, 2004. Ms. Jedlickova is an internal PhD candidate and lecturer at the Institute of Information and Library Studies, Charles University Prague. She met with CUL leaders to discuss innovative digital projects, participated in Professional Development Week at CUL, and was welcomed by a reception with the law library staff.

• Daniel Riha from Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, was hosted by Sasha

Skenderija, May 24-28, 2004. Dr. Riha is a scholar (researcher and lecturer) at the Charles University’s Institute of Information and Library Studies (IILS), where he was co-founder with Sasha of the Research Group for Comparative Media Studies (MED) http://wwwl.cuni.cz/ffuisk/med/. While in Ithaca, he spoke at the Conference on Technology in the Humanities, held in Ithaca College.

• Kit Hartnett, Director of Library Services at Proskauer, Rose law firm in New York City, came to

Cornell in April 2004 to interact with law students, librarians, and faculty about legal research, most especially expectations of research skill levels for work in a law firm. She spoke to a full classroom of students for a joint session of the Advanced Legal Research Seminar and the kick-off presentation of the week’s Sail Into Summer program, helping students with an insider’s view of what employers expect from summer associates. She also met with law librarians and writing instructors to discuss assumptions and expectations of the law firm and the law school around students’ research preparation.

• Daniel Boyer (see under outreach).

Staff

• Staff Changes. Matt Morrison came on August 18, 2003, as Reference Librarian, replacing another library position which was ceased in the cataloging department. Thomas Mills began on November 3, 2003, as Reference Librarian to replace Brandy Kreisler, who left on October 1, 2003 to stay home to take care of her new baby girl, after four years looking after the library computer needs along with her duties as Reference Librarian. Matt and Thomas provide faculty research assistance and teach legal research in the first year lawyering program, as well as other legal research courses. Charlotte Bynum, who worked devotedly on international and foreign library projects and collections for 6 ½ years, left on March 5, 2004 to accept a position at the Tulane Law Library. Nancie McBride retired after serving as Bindery Clerk for 38 years. Her duties are now handled by Suzanne Hills (bindery) and Mae Leckey (depository). Approval was given by the dean to replace her with a person to be responsible for IT support in the law library.

• Sasha Skenderija attended the International Association of Law Libraries meeting in Cape Town, South Africa,

September 2003. He is the webmaster for iall.org, hosted at the Cornell Law Library.

• Library staff participated in the Inauguration of University President Jeffrey Lehman, October 2003. Elizabeth Teskey marched to represent the University of Toronto in the ceremony.

• Service Awards. Gary Bogart (35 years), Kathleen Hartman (25 years), Nancy Moore (20 years), Brian Eden (10

years), and Claire Germain (10 years) were recognized for their years of service at Cornell during the CUL luncheon in June 2004, with recognition for the first four also at the Law School luncheon in March 2004. Janet Gillespie (25 years), Sue Hills (20 years), Laura Robert (15 years), and Charlotte Bynum (5 years) were recognized in November 2003 at the CUL luncheon.

• Jean Pajerek was promoted to "Head of Technical Services and Information Management." The second part of

her new title reflects her increased responsibilities for technology, and for inter-departmental projects in the law library.

• Jean Callihan and Charlie Finger attended the ALLUNY meeting in Fayetteville, NY, in the fall. Jean is the

Treasurer and Charlie was just elected Board member.

• Claire Germain Claire Germain was elected Vice-President/President Elect of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL). Her term of office starts in July 2004 as Vice-President, and then she will serve as President July 2005-July 2006. She will preside over the 2006 annual meeting in St Louis, Missouri, which will celebrate the Centennial of AALL. The Association fosters law librarianship and law libraries, and provides leadership and advocacy in the field of legal information and information policy. It has now grown to over 5,100 members, including academic, corporate, firm, and state, court, & county law libraries. She attended the NELLCO directors' meeting at the Univ. of Connecticut Law Library in October, in Hartford, CT.

• Pat Court was the Acting Director during Claire Germain’s sabbatical leave in January-February and again in May-

June 2004.

• Sasha Skenderija Nomination for the 2003 Outstanding Performance Award for Library Staff. The law library nominated Sasha for the 2003 Outstanding Performance Award for Library Staff, for his excellent contributions to the law library, in particular the redesign of the web site.

• Adopt a Family Program. Thanks to staff initiative, the law library adopted a family for the Holidays.

• Elizabeth Teskey continued to steer the United Way Campaign for CUL.

• A water cooler was installed in a corner of the Tech. Services room. Having addressed fire safety concerns, the

opening of the Tech. Services door during the day has led to enhanced communication between the various areas of the library, leading to better services to faculty and students.