Wednesday 30 November 2011

Financial Times app for Android

Today I learnt there is a Financial Times app for Android.

Registered users can access up to 10 articles for free every 30 days.
Standard subscribers receive full access to all content except the FT’s Lex columns.
Premium subscribers receive full access to all content.

Unfortunately I can't get it to work on my phone as you need to have Android 2.2 or above.

Further information, including how to download the app, are available on the FT website at:
http://apps.ft.com/android/index.html

Tuesday 29 November 2011

Southwark's new "super library"

Today I learnt that the London Borough of Southwark has opened a "super library" at Canada Water.

The inverted pyramid shape library, designed by architect Piers Gough, is integrated with the underground station; the Tube station entrance and exit is incorporated into the library building and you can check the tube times on a plasma screen in the library.

The new library houses 40,000 books, CDs and films. 79 computers are available to use, but if that isn't enough for nearly 30 laptops are available to hire (and wifi is available). The library also has a theatre space, a coffee bar, and three separate learning spaces for evening classes.

According to the Southwark Council website, the library cost £14.1m and is "at the heart of Southwark Council's investment in the libraries service, which is being protected despite cuts in central government funding".

Southwark Council:
http://www.southwark.gov.uk/news/article/564/first_super_library_opens_in_london_as_southwark_council_looks_to_the_future

BBC News article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15912616

Thursday 24 November 2011

American Public Library Facts and Figures

Today I learnt that Americans spend more than twice as much on candy as they do on public libraries.

That, and other interesting facts about American public libraries, plus an interview with Molly Raphael, President of the American Library Association, available in this Huffington Post article: How Will We Read: In Public Libraries? by C. M. Rubin:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/c-m-rubin/how-will-we-read-in-publi_b_1103601.html

More comprehensive facts and statistics concerning American libraries can be found on the ALA website:

http://www.ala.org/ala/professionalresources/libfactsheets/index.cfm

Wednesday 23 November 2011

BIALL's Bursaries to Attend Job-Related Courses

Today I learnt that BIALL offers bursaries to attend any relevant, work-related course or seminar, even if it is not related to libraries or the law. It would be completely acceptable to apply for a bursary to attend a course on, for example, management skills or intranet software, as long as it is relevant to your job. To apply for a bursary you must be a personal member of BIALL. All you need to do is complete the application form on the website explaining why you would like to attend the nominated event.

The following factors are taken into consideration when the committee assesses your application:
  • the quality of application
  • whether or not you have received BIALL bursary in recent years
  • if there is an expectation of future commitment and performance in the law library profession
  • proven or potential contribution to and /or participation in the Association's activities
  • the ability to be a good ambassador for BIALL, including being prepared to participate in conference sessions and activities
If your application is accepted, you would be expected to write a report that may be published in the BIALL Newsletter or Legal Information Management.

Further information is available on the BIALL website:

PS. I'm cheating a bit with this one, as I knew about the bursaries before today. But it's good to spread the word...

Thursday 17 November 2011

Justis: Diagram of Court Hierarchy in the UK

Today I learnt that legal publisher Justis provides a breakdown of the UK court structure and hierarchy on its website. They also provide a helpful diagram (attributed to HMCS) which is particularly useful as I can't find one anywhere on the government's new justice.gov.uk website.

There is also a good diagram in the textbook Legal Skills (Finch and Fafinski) but I don't think I can use it in my PowerPoint presentation.

Justis' FAQs:
http://www.justis.com/support/faq-courts.aspx

Finch, E. and Fafinski, S., 2011. Legal Skills. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press: http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780199599158.do

Monday 14 November 2011

The Master of the Rolls - Who, What, Why, Which Rolls?

Today I learnt which rolls the Master of the Rolls is master of.

The Master of the Rolls (currently Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury) is the Head of Civil Justice, the most senior judge dealing with the civil work of the Court of Appeal in England and Wales. As President of the Civil Division of the CoA, he is also responsible for the organisation of the work of the other judges,* is in charge of documents of national importance, and also appoints members of the Solicitor's Disciplinary Tribunal.**

Geoffrey Rivlin gives an interesting account of the history of the office of Master of the Roles in his wonderful book Understanding the Law (5th ed, 2009, OUP). Rivlin explains that there was originally a Clerk or Curator of the Rolls who was "responsible for the safe-keeping of all charters, patents, and records of the most important judgments and decisions of the courts which were entered upon the Parchment Rolls". The role gradually developed, and he became the chief clerk (Master) who advised the Lord Chancellor in the Court of Chancery, and then the deputy judge in that court. "His combined duties as clerk and judge (Master) and keeper of records (Rolls) led to the title Master of the Rolls."**

* Ministry of Justice's information page on the Master of the Rolls:
http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/about-the-judiciary/the-judiciary-in-detail/judicial+roles/judges/profile-mor

** Geoffrey Rivlin's Understanding the Law (2009, OUP):
http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780199547203.do

Friday 11 November 2011

Virtual Tour of Wildy & Sons

It's a random one today.

Today I learnt that you can take a virtual tour around the Wildy & Sons bookshop courtesy of Google Maps. Perhaps it's not that useful but it is good if you are a bit nosy or have ever wondered where your books are dispatched from. I wonder who that chap at the desk is?

Wildy:
http://www.wildy.com/

Virtual Tour
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=&layer=c&z=17&sll=51.515217,-0.112847&cid=11595960215898088358&panoid=fRmNc1Ninyz98vCNuQAtJg&cbp=13,24.366199721917241,,0,0&ved=0CDYQ2wU&sa=X&ei=DVSpTq7pKIWIjwfrkrT-Dg

Wednesday 9 November 2011

Inner Temple Library's Current Awareness Blog

Today I learnt that Inner Temple Library produces a current awareness blog to keep lawyers up-to-date on changes to case law, legislation and legal news in England and Wales.

Items for the blog are selected by library staff (no automation here!) from a range of sources including newspapers, journals, law reports and key online resources. You follow the blog by RSS feed, daily email alert, or on Twitter. You probably already know this though, as @inner_temple already has 1955 followers. I'm obviously a bit slow on the uptake...

About the blog:
http://www.innertemplelibrary.com/about/

Sign up:
http://www.innertemplelibrary.com/about/subscribing-and-reusing/

Friday 4 November 2011

Free Access to the Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Forecasting Service

Today I learnt that the EIU makes some reports available for free.

Until now I had assumed you needed to pay for EIU reports (when they aren't available on Nexis). Today I ventured on to the EIU website and after I had registered I was able to access the Global Forecasting reports (which is what I needed) and also analysis and forecasts for 187 countries (which I didn't need, but it might be useful some other time).

http://gfs.eiu.com/about/

Wednesday 2 November 2011

The Mysteries of Lexadin

Today I learnt about Lexadin. It is a website that provides links to over 70,000 legal sites in 180 countries. You can search across it, or browse by country, organisation, journal, etc.

But there is so much more still to learn. Who maintains Lexadin site and why? The domain name suggests it originates in the Netherlands. The copyright statement suggests the site is up-to-date to 2011. The rest remains a mystery...

http://www.lexadin.nl/