Library Information

Find Love in the Mendik Library

What are you looking for this Valentine’s Day?  Love? Adventure? Excitement?  Join our Find Love in the Library Info Hunt!  It’s simple (and free!). You’ll automatically be entered to WIN great prizes . . . study aids, Lexis points, law dictionaries, Bluebooks, NYLS commuter mugs, Lexis Stanley commuter mugs and more!

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

Just answer 7 of the 8 questions and submit them by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday February 14. Your answers don’t need to be perfect—just close!

The drawing will be held at 5:30 p.m. outside of the library. Although you don’t need to be present to win, those who are present at the drawing will receive a second entry form, doubling their odds of winning. Plus, there will be Valentine’s sweets.

And don’t forget to stop by the Reference Desk for some yummy Valentine’s Day chocolates.

 

Supreme Court Sound Recordings

The Moving Image and Sound Branch of the National Archives doesn’t just hold motion pictures.  It’s also home to over 300,000 sound recordings, including those from the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court began recording its proceedings in 1955, but the court’s opinions were not recorded until the 1980s.  The recordings are organized chronologically.  Since cases are often argued over multiple days, cases can be split up between different recordings.

Some newly digitized landmark cases include:

  • Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015 required states to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.  The recordings are divided into three parts: question one, question two, and the opinion.
  • Engel v. Vitale in 1962 decided that school-initiated prayer in public schools violated the First Amendment.
  • Gideon v. Wainwright from 1963 declared that indigent defendants must be provided legal representation without charge.
  • Perhaps the best known Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade was argued over two dates: December 1971 and  October 1972.  The court declared abortion to be a constitutional right.
  • Loving et ux. v. Virginia struck down state laws that banned interracial marriage in 1967.

The recordings divided into 3 series: Sound Recordings of Oral Arguments – Black Series, October 1955 – December 1972, Sound Recordings of Oral Arguments – Red Series, December 1972 – June 27, 2005, and Sound Recordings of Oral Arguments – Gold Series, October 3, 2005 – June 30, 2023.

You can also find searchable Supreme Court recordings by court term as early as 1955 on Oyez. Additionally, the Supreme Court website hosts recordings as early as 2010 on its website. Both sites include audio transcripts.

Government Publishing Office Recognizes Mendik Library

Government Publishing Office Recognizes Mendik Library

The U.S. Government Publishing Office recently recognized the Mendik Library as having been a participating member of the Federal Depository Library Program for 44 years.  Depository libraries receive selected government materials without charge to facilitate public access to digital and print books, maps, microforms, journals and periodicals as well as historical information back to the early days of the United States. Currently there are 1,150 depository libraries in the United States and territories, which collaborate with each other to store and share this information.  For access to any of these government materials, please contact the Mendik Library Reference Desk at reference@nyls.edu, stop by the Reference Desk or call 212-431-2332.

 

 

Get ready for exams with the Library

Four important Library resources to keep in mind as you prepare for upcoming exams.

First: The Library’s Study Aids guide contains links to digital study aids and locations of print versions) to help you review particular subjects and enhance or test your understanding of a particular topic or point of law.

Second: Check out our complete collection of digital study aids on the LexisNexis Digital Library. Log in with your network ID.

Third: One of the best ways to prepare for a professor’s exam is to see what they have done in the past! It’s a great way to understand how your professor thinks. The Library maintains an archive of previous years’ exams for most courses. To access, log into the NYLS Portal. Under the Student Resources tab, select “Exams, Grades, and Registration.” You can access these exams by course or professor name.

Fourth: The Library’s Exam Preparation Resources guide offers a host of materials containing practical advice and strategies designed to help you navigate the exam process. They include NYLS resources, the LexisNexis Digital Library, CALI Lessons, exams tips and podcasts and videos.