When a new administration enters office, there is a flurry of activity relating to Executive Orders, documents issued by the president to direct and govern the activities of government officials and agencies.  The incoming president typically issues a number of new Orders, many of which expressly revoke some of those of the outgoing president.

You can access every newly issued Executive Order in the Federal Register, usually a day or two after signature by the president.  They will also appear at roughly the same time in the Compilation of Presidential Documents.

The media has been reporting extensively about many of these orders—existing and anticipated—and will continue to do so both before and after the January 20^th inauguration. Why not read the actual documents themselves!

Hope you all had a relaxing and rejuvenating winter break. Alas, all good things must come to an end.

All of us at the Mendik Library wish for you a rewarding and fulfilling semester. We’d love to be a part of your success and hope you will let us help you with all your research projects and information needs.

Good luck and best wishes for a great semester! We’re looking forward to strengthening our partnership.

The Mendik Library Staff

First Week Pizza Survey Results

For the tenth consecutive year the Mendik Library surveyed 1Ls during First Week about some of their digital inclinations.  You can see the survey questions and the full responses here.

In addition to telling us their favorite pizza topping (answer below), 260 members of the classes of 2020/21 responded to questions about:

• their preferences in electronic communication;
• their usage of Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Twitter, Blogs & Podcasts;
• the digital devices they owned and used, including Smartphones, Tablets and E-Book Readers.

Just a few of the highlights:

• Communication
  • Email as a preferred means of electronic communication took a precipitous drop—only 17% of the class listed it as their preferred form of electronic communication, down from last year’s 39%.
  • Text messaging is the vehicle of choice for 77% of the class.

• Social Media
  • Although Facebook remains the dominant social networking platform for these students, at 41%, Instagram has gained ground, up to 27%.
  • The up and comer seems to be Snapchat, already the favorite of 15% of this year’s class, the first one surveyed about Snapchat.

• Preferred Devices
  • Continuing a steady trend, the popularity of Mac laptops versus PC laptops increased to 68%.
  • Ownership of iPhones surged to 84% of the class.

•  E-Books
  • More students are taking advantage of E-Books on a variety of devices.  Only 10% indicated they had not read or viewed any E-Books.
  • When asked if they had used an E-Textbook for any undergraduate or graduate classes, 58% responded yes.
    • Perhaps surprisingly, when those who had used an E-Textbook were asked if they preferred it to a print textbook, only 14% replied “yes,” while 80% said “no.”

• Pizza
  • Pepperoni reigns as students’ favorite pizza topping, pulling in 22% of the vote but closely followed by Extra Cheese with 19%.  Mushrooms and Bacon were tied for third place at 10%

As a Halloween Treat, here’s your opportunity to WIN one of more than a dozen great study aids, texts, NYLS swag, Starbucks gift cards, and much more!  Just answer any 3 of the 6 Haunted Halloween Info Hunt questions.  Answer all 6 or wear a costume to the drawing and we’ll double your chances to win by adding a second entry for you. Your answer doesn’t need to be perfect—just close!  Submit your answer sheet by 3 pm on October 31 and then join us outside the library at 5:30 pm for some treats and the drawing.

Click here to access the questions.  Each slide includes just one question, along with step-by-step instructions to get you to the answer.

Print this PDF answer sheet (or pick up a copy at the Reference Desk) and drop it in our Reference Desk Raffle Drum by 3 PM on Monday, October 31.  Drawing will be held on Monday, October 31 at 5:30 p.m. right outside the library.

We are nearing the end of September and that means the new Supreme Court term is right around the corner!  Every year, the first Monday in October marks the beginning of a new term.  This year is no exception: the new term begins on Monday, October 3rd.  As of now, the Court has agreed to hear 31 cases.  Only three of those are from state courts and five are from the Ninth Circuit.  Criminal law dominates the beginning of the  term with every case scheduled to be heard in October at least touching on the subject.

 

The first case set for argument, Bravo-Fernandez v. United States, discusses double jeopardy in a political bribery case.  In Moore v. Texas, not yet set for oral argument, the Court will confront mental capacity and the death penalty.  Pena- Rodriguez v. Colorado, set to be heard in October, deals with alleged racial bias in the jury room.  Specifically, can an evidentiary rule preventing a juror from testifying about statements made during deliberations, when offered to challenge the jury’s verdict, bar evidence of racial bias offered to prove a violation of the defendant’s Sixth Amendment right to an impartial jury?  We will find out the answer to this and many other pressing legal questions as the new Supreme Court term gets underway!

 

Besides the SCOTUS Blog, other places to go for Supreme Court information include the Supreme Court’s website, where you can listen to oral arguments, the ABA’s Preview of United States Supreme Court Cases, where you can find the parties’ briefs, and Supreme Podcast.