Mendik Library Research Skills Sessions

From March 1 through March 25, the Mendik Library’s Reference Staff is offering a number of Research Skills Workshops focusing on the practical skills you will need in order to do research for class or for the workplace.

All sessions will be held in Electronic Research Classroom L203.

Each session is limited to 16 attendees.

Advance Online Registration is required for ALL sessions.

Sessions for which no one has registered will be cancelled 24 hours prior to the scheduled start of that session.

To Register for a Research Skills Workshop:
1. Click on the name of the class in which you are interested.
2. The calendar will highlight the date or dates on which sessions for that class are offered. Click on date of the session you wish to attend.
3. Click on the Time Slot box.
4. Enter your name, e-mail and an easily remembered password. You will be sent a confirmation e-mail immediately and a reminder e-mail before your session.
5. Submit Your Request.
6. Click on SAVE.

If you discover you will not be able to attend a session for which you registered, please use the link contained in either the confirmation or reminder e-mails to cancel or re-schedule your appointment.

 

Agency Law: Rules, Regulations & More  March 3rd (Wed.) from 5:00 – 5:50 pm.

Not all law is made in Congress. Focusing on the CFR and Federal Register, learn the basics of researching Federal Agency rules and regulations. (50 minutes)

CALR: Bring in your Problems (Lexis, Westlaw or anything else)*
March 1st (Mon.), March 18th (Thu.) and March 22nd (Mon.) from 5:10 – 5:50 pm.
If you have any questions regarding Westlaw, Lexis or any other type of Computer Assisted Legal Research, you should definitely come to one of these sessions.
* Note: Attendance DOES NOT satisfy the1st Year CALR requirement.

Citation Workshop
March 2nd (Tue.), March 9th (Tue.) and March 25th (Thu.) from 5:10 – 5:50 pm.
Uncomfortable with the Bluebook? This workshop focuses on some of the common citation problems faced by people trying to use the Bluebook.

Encore: You Will be Surprised at What Is in Our Catalog
March 8th (Mon.) from 5:10 – 5:50.
The catalog used to just tell you what books a library owned. Now it is a sophisticated 21st century program that is the gateway to many kinds of electronic and paper resources. Find the catalog search secrets that will give you the research edge.

Getting Started on a NY Legal Research Project
March 4th (Thu.) and March 17th (Wed.) from 5:00 – 5:50.
What is the NYCRR, the Green Book, the CLS? Get a quick overview of the major sources used in researching New York legal questions.

Loislaw: A Low-Cost Alternative to Lexis and Westlaw
March 16th (Tue.) from 5:10 – 5:50.
While having fewer databases than Lexis or Westlaw, Loislaw can be a viable CALR alternative for the solo practitioner or small firm.


Power Googling

March 11th (Thu.) from 5:10 – 5:50.
Don’t restrict yourself to the tip of the Google iceberg! Learn to use wild cards, phrases, connectors. Set up electronic Google Alerts. Check out Google Scholar and Google Print.

Premium Databases for Specialized Research
March 23rd (Tue.) from 5:10 – 5:50.
A large number of very useful subscription databases can be accessed by members of the NYLS community. Learn what is available to you and how to use these valuable research tools.


Tax Workshop

March 15th (Mon.) from 5:00 – 5:50.
An introduction to many of the tools with which the Federal Tax researcher needs to become familiar. Learn about Looseleaf Services, the tax databases on Lexis & Westlaw and internet tax research resources to which the library subscribes.

Using the West Digest System
March 24th (Wed.) from 5:10 – 5:50.
Using the West Digest System can make researching easier. Come to the session and learn how to use Headnotes, Digest Topics and Key Numbers to your best advantage.


What Is a Legislative History and Why You Should Care

March 10th (Wed.) from 5:00-5:50.
What is a Legislative History? Why is it important? How is one complied? Come to the session and see.

 

One-on-One Research Appointments

If you have a specific research question or problem that can’t be dealt with adequately within the time framework of a scheduled class, or, if you would like to spend some time talking with a Reference Librarian about any aspect of Legal Research, contact the senior reference librarian (Michael McCarthy or 212.431.2384).