Database

Database in Legal Information RetrievalThe following is a basic concept of Database in relation to information retrieval. In addition to this, Database may be applied to legal texts, including case law, legislation and scholarly works. Database is a relatively new word for a collection of data […]

Library

Interlibrary Loan in Law Libraries The follow definition of Interlibrary Loan is of use in law library research: Some Law School faculty may obtain materials not owned by the Law School through this free service. The Reference Librarian will assist in this procedure. Resources See Also […]

Copyright

Introduction to Copyright Copyright, branch of law granting authors the exclusive privilege to reproduce, distribute, perform, or display their creative works. The goal of copyright law is to encourage authors to invest effort in creating new works of art and literature. Copyright is one […]

Language

Language Language Model Syntax in Legal Information Retrieval The following is a basic concept of Language Model Syntax in relation to information retrieval. In addition to this, Language Model Syntax may be applied to legal texts, including case law, legislation and scholarly works. […]

Classification

Summary of Classification The process of determining which product category of the tariff schedules applies to a given imported item. There are more than 7,300 categories in the tariff schedules of the UNITED STATES (read this and related legal terms for further details) and, with very few […]

Thesaurus

A Thesaurus is an online database or a book of synonyms and near-synonyms in a written language, usually arranged conceptually, although dictionary arrangement is not uncommon. The first thesaurus of the English language, published in 1852, was compiled by Peter Mark Roget. For an online […]

Bibliography

Bibliographic Coupling in Legal Information Retrieval The following is a basic concept of Bibliographic Coupling in relation to information retrieval. In addition to this, Bibliographic Coupling may be applied to legal texts, including case law, legislation and scholarly works. Bibliographic […]

Annotation

Annotation in Law Libraries The follow definition of Annotation is of use in law library research: A brief description of an information source which follows a bibliographic citation. An annotation may include a summary of the key points addressed in the source, a description of the kind of […]

Manual

Style manuals in Law Libraries The follow definition of Style manuals is of use in law library research: Publications listing and describing specific guidelines for writing research articles, essays, and bibliographies. Many professional fields have their own style manuals. Style manuals are […]

Primary Source

Primary source in Law LibrariesThe follow definition of Primary source is of use in law library research: Primary sources are those records generated by a particular event or time period, by those who participated in or witnessed it. Primary sources contain original information and are usually […]

Periodical Index

Periodical index in Law LibrariesThe follow definition of Periodical index is of use in law library research: Periodical indexes list articles which have appeared in journals, magazines, or newspapers. They list author, title, name of periodical, volume, pages and date of publication. Abstracts […]

Issue

Issue number in Law LibrariesThe follow definition of Issue number is of use in law library research: An issue number is used in conjunction with the volume number to indicate a specific magazine or journal issue. In the example The American Journal of Public Health v87 no. 2, February 1997, […]

Boolean Operators

Boolean operators in Law LibrariesThe follow definition of Boolean operators is of use in law library research: A method of combining search terms by expressing the relationship of one concept to another, using the words AND, OR, and NOT. Most databases allow searching with these three Boolean […]

Truncation

Truncation in Law LibrariesThe follow definition of Truncation is of use in law library research: the process of typing a special symbol at the end of a word's root form to retrieve all possible endings of that word. Frequently used symbols for truncation include the asterisk (*), the pound […]

Reserve

Reserves in Law LibrariesThe follow definition of Reserves is of use in law library research: Materials which a professor has set aside for a class to use. These materials may be checked out at the Circulation/Reserve Desk. Loan periods will vary: some items circulate for 2 days, others for 2 […]

Oversize

Oversize in Law LibrariesThe follow definition of Oversize is of use in law library research: A book which is too large to be shelved in normal call number sequence on the shelves of a library. Oversize materials may be shelved in a separate location, as indicated in the entry in the online catalog.

Fair-use Guidelines

Fair-use guidelines in Law LibrariesThe follow definition of Fair-use guidelines is of use in law library research: The doctrine of fair use allows copyrighted works to be used for purposes such as criticism, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research. Fair use generally applies to […]

Desk

Circulation desk in Law LibrariesThe follow definition of Circulation desk is of use in law library research: A service desk where books and other materials are loaned or checked out to library users. Library materials which do not circulate (Reference books and periodicals, for example) can be […]

Serial

Serial in Law LibrariesThe follow definition of Serial is of use in law library research: Any publication issued in successive parts, appearing at intervals, (usually regular ones), and, as a rule, intended to be continued indefinitely. Examples would include newspapers, periodicals, annuals, […]

Secondary Source

Secondary source in Law LibrariesThe follow definition of Secondary source is of use in law library research: Secondary sources are those records generated by an event but written by non-participants or witnesses of the event. Secondary sources are based on or derived from primary sources but […]

Bound Periodicals

Bound periodicals in Law LibrariesThe follow definition of Bound periodicals is of use in law library research: A term referring to multiple issues of periodicals which have been covered by a binding to create a single volume. This process is used in libraries to preserve items for long-term use.