Cabinet Manual

Today I learnt that the Cabinet Manual published this week by the Prime Minister, is the “ultimate user’s guide to government”.

According to the Cabinet Office website:

“The Cabinet Manual will for the first time provide a guide to the laws, conventions and rules on the operation of Government. The Manual is designed primarily as a user’s guide but has the potential to become a useful reference tool for all those with an interest in the workings of Government”.*

There are chapters on all aspects of government; the sovereign, the executive, the cabinet, devolved administrations, the EU, as well as financial & expenditure and official information. At 110 pages long, it is pretty comprehensive and I’m sure it will be a useful reference tool. All I need to do now is read it…

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/resources/cabinet-manual.pdf

* http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/new-cabinet-manual-be-ultimate-user%E2%80%99s-guide-government

The History of Lloyd's of London

Today I learnt that in 1904, when Lloyd's of London insured a motorcar for the first time, the car was described as a "ship navigating on land" by the marine underwriters.

This comes courtesy of the interactive history of Lloyd's timeline I found on the Lloyd's website whilst preparing for tomorrow's insurance trainee training session. I'm not sure how useful that factoid will be for the trainees...

http://www.lloyds.com/Lloyds/About-us/History/Lloyds-History

The British Library has Reinstated the Amazon Link on its Catalogue

Today I learnt that the British Library had removed the link to Amazon.co.uk from the Integrated Catalogue when I wrote my post about it on 20 October, following criticism from booksellers. That would explain why I couldn't find it. It has now been reinstated "because of its usefulness for library users seeking further information about collection items".*

My previous blog post about it:
http://ladyinladywell.blogspot.com/2011/10/british-library-integrated-catalogue.html

*Article on the Bookseller website about it:
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/british-library-reinstates-amazon-link.html

British Library Integrated Catalogue:
http://catalogue.bl.uk/F/?func=file&file_name=login-bl-list

FLAG: Foreign LAw Guide

Today I learnt that FLAG stands for Foreign LAw Guide.

According to the website FLAG is "a collaborative Internet gateway to the holdings of foreign, international and comparative law in UK universities and national libraries" and acts as "a gateway to foreign, international and comparative law collections held within UK university and national libraries".

You can search by country, international organisation, free text, type of legal literature, or location of contributing library. Your search results provide a description of the holdings, details of where it is held, and a link to the catalogue of library with the holdings.

FLAG won the Wallace Breem Memorial Award in 2002.

http://ials.sas.ac.uk/library/flag/flag.htm

British Library Integrated Catalogue Links to Amazon

Today I learnt that the British Library’s Integrated Catalogue now includes links to Amazon.co.uk. As well as the usual bibliographic details, each catalogue entry has a field called “This item in Amazon.co.uk” which redirects the user to the page on Amazon where they can buy the book. A British Library spokesperson said that they were providing links to Amazon (on a trial basis) so that users would be able to access a book if it wasn’t available in the BL’s reading rooms.

According to an article on the Bookseller.com, booksellers are, unsurprisingly, unhappy about this. James Daunt (Waterstones) has criticized the BL for driving the public away from public libraries and high street bookshops. Johnny de Falbe (Sandoe) commented:

"The British Library, a public institution, should not be offering this link to Amazon, which is not (last I heard) a public institution. And if the British Library, of all people, are not supporting British bookshops, and positively steering business away from independents, then why should anyone else have any faith, or interest, in independents?"*

The spokesperson explained that the links were to Amazon (rather than another bookseller) because the links come built-in to their library software supplied by ExLibris, and that the British Library wasn’t making any money out of the arrangement.

Since reading the article on the Bookseller website, I thought I'd take a look at the British Library Integrated Catalogue myself. However I have been unable to find a record which has a link to Amazon.co.uk so either I am doing something wrong, or BL has removed the links.

*The Bookseller article:

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/british-library-attacked-amazon-link.html

British Library’s Integrated Catalogue:

http://catalogue.bl.uk/

I read about this in CILIP’s Weekly Information World.

CILIP

http://www.cilip.org.uk/

What's The Big Deal About Delaware?

Today I learnt why we have a so many books on Delaware company law in the library.

I’ve often wondered why Delaware features relatively prominently in our collection. A quick Google search lead me to Wikipedia (of course!) which calls Delaware a “corporate haven”.

I then had a look at the State of Delaware’s website, which informed me that:

"More than 900,000 business entities have their legal home in Delaware including more than 50% of all U.S. publicly-traded companies and 63% of the Fortune 500.  Businesses choose Delaware because we provide a complete package of incorporation services including modern and flexible corporate laws, our highly-respected Court of Chancery, a business-friendly State Government, and the customer service oriented Staff of the Delaware Division of Corporations."*

You can even download a free guide called Why Corporations Choose Delaware from their website if you want to find out more.

Wikipedia entry on Delaware General Corporation Law:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_General_Corporation_Law

*Delaware Division of Corporations:

http://corp.delaware.gov/

Linking from PLC to Westlaw UK

Today I learnt that PLC users can opt to “link seamlessly” to legislation on Westlaw UK (provided you subscribe to both services).

Legislation references in PLC’s 'maintained' material will now be hyperlinked. You can choose to link to legislation.gov.uk or Westlaw UK (if you are a subscriber). The hyperlinks will be rolled out in the Corporate practice area first, and across all 'maintained' content by the end of the year.

Sounds interesting.

http://uslf.practicallaw.com/9-508-4108?source=rss

Saving Public Libraries

Today I learnt what can still be done to save public libraries from closure.

Today was the day campaigners lost their High Court bid to stop Brent Council closing half of its public libraries. This is bad news for Brent, but also for other campaigners across the UK who saw this as a test case.

Of course public libraries don't have a God given right to exist. But if - like me - you believe they are still relevant in today's society (perhaps more so than ever), offer valuable services - especially to those in deprived areas, who can't afford books or internet access - and that visiting the local library instills a love of reading and learning in children, you might be wondering what you can do to stop their closure.

CILIP and Voices for the Library both give guidance, links are given below. The main thing to do is to USE YOUR LIBRARY if you want to keep it open, spread the word to all who will listen, and write to your MP.

CILIP
http://www.cilip.org.uk/get-involved/advocacy/public-libraries/pages/getinvolved.aspx

Voices for the Library
http://www.voicesforthelibrary.org.uk/wordpress/?page_id=1331

John Betjeman Poetry Competition 2011 Winner

Today I learnt that Jennifer Burville-Riley is the 11 year old winner of the John Betjeman Poetry Competition 2011, with her poem Saint Wyllows Bridge.

I don't know much about poetry (although thanks to the excellent Rhyming Couplets blog, I know how to match poems to celebrities) but I know what I like, and I like this: http://stpancras.com/news/st-pancras-international-hosts-john-betjeman-poetry-competition

I also learnt that Sir John Betjeman saved St Pancras Station from demolition in the 1960s, so technically I learnt two things today.

OSCOLA (Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities)

Today I learnt that OSCOLA stands for the Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities.

OSCOLA, edited by Oxford University's Law Faculty is "widely used in law schools and by journal and book publishers in the UK and beyond."* How come I've never come across it before now? It covers legal authorities, journals, cases and legislation (from the UK and EU) as well as key secondary sources such as Halsbury's, Hansard and Law Commission reports.

You can download the fourth edition from the OSCOLA website as well as a separate guide to citing international law sources. Links to tutorials and quick reference guides are also helpfully provided.

* http://www.law.ox.ac.uk/publications/oscola.php

Westlaw UK's New "Appeal Outstanding" Status Icon

Today I learnt that Westlaw UK has launched an "Appeal Outstanding" status icon for UK case law.

The icon will display if a case is currently on appeal, or if an application to appeal has been submitted.

http://info.westlaw.co.uk/rp/43/Content.clsp?ContentId=1707#Appeal_tracker

Waterstone's is ending its 10 year old 3-for-2 promotion

Today I learnt that Waterstone's is ending it's 10 year old 3-for-2 promotion.

James Daunt, Waterstone's MD since June this year, is axing Waterstone's famous (and profitable) 3-for-2 offer. In an interview with the Daily Telegraph he calls the promotion "daft". Why? Daunt disagrees in principle with the idea that books are selected for 3-for-2 promotion on a financial basis, he doesn't believe price should be the number one factor when choosing a book to buy, he believes it demotivates staff and causes customers to lose "the ability to focus on a particular book".
The article suggests that the task of saving the high street bookshop falls soley on Daunt's shoulders. He admits the tactic may cause Waterstone's sales to fall, but only at first. What he is aiming for is "much nicer bookshops for the consumer to buy books in. They will come back more often and, ultimately, sales will go up". Hope so.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/8802588/Waterstones-starts-a-new-chapter-in-bookselling-under-James-Daunt.html

It's a myth! Gavels are not used in English Courts

Today I learnt that gavels are not used in English and Welsh courts. It's a myth! They're only used on TV.

http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/about-the-judiciary/introduction-to-justice-system/court-traditions#headingAnchor2