September 17 marks Constitution Day, commemorating the 1787 date on which thirty-nine of the Philadelphia Convention’s delegates signed the new Constitution.
Stop at the Reference Desk in the Mendik Library to pick up a free pocket-size constitution (while supplies last!).
September 11, 2023 marks the twenty-second anniversary of “9/11,” the horrific terrorist attacks on America that took nearly 3,000 lives.
New York Law School sits just blocks away from what became known as ground zero, the site of the former World Trade Center’s “twin towers,” which collapsed after being struck by two hijacked jetliners.
In the weeks immediately following the attack, NYLS students, staff, and faculty—eyewitnesses all—were asked to put their thoughts about what they had experienced that day on paper. These essays and reflections were compiled and published as Eight Blocks Away: Memoirs of September 11, 2001.
A PDF of Eight Blocks Away is available on the NYLS Digital Commons. You may access it for free here.
If you would like to pick up a free copy of the book, please stop by the Mendik Library Reference Desk. Only a limited number of copies are available.
The Mendik Library will be closed on Labor Day, Monday September 4, 2023. It will be reopened for its regular hours on Tuesday September 5, 2023. Check the Library’s home page for all hours information:
How can you find unclaimed money owed in New York State? Need to get a birth certificate for someone born in New York City? Find all sorts of vital statistics about persons, companies, government, building codes, attorneys and other licensed professions, police and fire department data, incarcerated persons and more in New York State and New York City by checking the Public Records Research LibGuide. Get there by accessing the Library home page/Academics/Resources and Services/Research Tools. In the left column, choose Research Guides. Scroll down to Public Records and you are ready to find all that elusive information. And most of it is free.
During the summer, continuing students retain access to all of NYLS databases (HeinOnline, ProQuest, TaxNotes, etc.) including Lexis and Bloomberg Law. Westlaw access for current students includes some restrictions.
LEXIS
You will automatically have free unlimited use of your law school Lexis ID this summer. This includes workplace related research (but check with your employer first; many firms prefer summer associates use a firm-issued Lexis ID for client work). If you have any questions, please contact our account manager, Nejat Bumin.
WESTLAW
You can use Thomson Reuters products, including Westlaw, Practical Law, and the Practice Ready solutions, over the summer for non-commercial research. You can turn to these resources to gain understanding and build confidence in your research skills, but you cannot use them in situations where you are billing a client. Examples of permissible uses for your academic password include the following:
If you have any questions, please contact our Westlaw Account Manager Shawn Lopez.
BLOOMBERG LAW
You may continue to use your Bloomberg Law account for any purpose. If you haven’t already signed up for a Bloomberg Law account, go to www.bloomberglaw.com and click on “Academic Registration” (you must use your NYLS email).
For assistance using Bloomberg Law, students and graduates continue to have free access to the 24/7 Help Desk at (888) 560-2529 or help@bloomberglaw.com. You can also contact our Bloomberg Law Relationship Manager, Stefanie Schuette.
OTHER DATABASES
Continuing students have full access over the summer to most other online library resources. You’ll need to login with your NYLS network password. If you need HeinOnline, Law360, Proquest Congressional or most other databases, you’re all set!
QUESTIONS? Please contact the Reference Desk with any questions about summer access, or any other research related questions over the summer:
T 212.431.2332
Chat With the Reference Desk
Log in to Microsoft Teams with your NYLS network ID, and use Microsoft Web App to connect.
The first floor of the Library will be open for studying on Monday June 19 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Just a quick reminder to register now for the June Summer Research Challenge and Research Skills Workshops. These sessions will help you brush up on all the tools you can use for your summer externships and your upcoming Fall semester course research needs. Click here for details.
Ramp Up Your Research Skills!
This summer, take advantage of multiple opportunities to up your research game and learn more about tools you’ll need in practice through our popular Summer Research Challenge! See the attached flyer for details. Each virtual session begins at 6:00 p.m., with a short introduction to the research area, and then moves on to a concrete research problem where you need to efficiently identify the law bearing on your client’s situation. The sessions are two hours long and will wrap up with a discussion of results and strategies.
Attend whichever sessions most interest you, but researchers who successfully complete all four will receive a certificate signed by both Associate Dean William LaPiana and Associate Dean & Library Director Camille Broussard recognizing this achievement. It’s a great practical skill certification for your resume.
June 7: Researching Congressional Documents: Statutes and Legislative History
June 14: Where in the World is the Law: Tools and Strategies for International Law Research
June 21: Research on the Road to Trial: Experts, Juries, Discovery and More
June 28: Navigating the Regulatory Maze: Research in Administrative Law
For more information and to register, click this link, scroll down to the June calendar, and select the sessions you would like to register for. You will then be taken to the registration page for that session.
Research Skills Workshops
In addition to the Summer Research Challenge, we will also be offering our regular Research Skills Workshops. These virtual sessions are intended to give pointers on how to handle research situations you might face this summer. The workshops are 30 minutes long and will be offered on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 5:15 p.m., from June 6 through June 29, 2023. To register, click this link, scroll down to the June calendar, and select the sessions you would like to register for. You will then be taken to the registration page for that session.
