Take a break from the tedium of law study and enjoy the pleasures of punctuation!

September 24 is National Punctuation Day: “A celebration of the lowly comma, correctly used quotation marks, and other proper uses of periods, semicolons, and the ever-mysterious ellipsis.”

How do you celebrate such an event? Enter the 2018 National Punctuation Day contest, the topic of which will be posted here on September 24.

Constitution Day is observed each year on September 17 to commemorate the date on which thirty-nine delegates to the Constitutional Convention, held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, signed the United States Constitution in 1787.  The Convention was convened as a result of dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States.  For deeper coverage on the world’s longest surviving written charter of government, download the Library of Congress’s free app containing the official, annotated version of the United State Constitution, U.S. Constitution: Analysis and Interpretation.

The original Constitution is held at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. but you can pick up your own pocket-copy at the library’s reference desk!

Following the aftermath of September 11, the L, one of NYLS’s student-run newspapers, devoted its October/November 2001 issue to those affected by the tragedy.  It offers poignant and meaningful accounts from members of the Law School community.

To read additional issues of this and other NYLS student newspapers through the years, visit our Digital Commons at  https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/newspapers/.

September 4 marks the first day of Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. President Donald Trump nominated the D.C. Circuit Court judge to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. Check out the SCOTUSblog for live blogging of the hearing. For articles, books, congressional materials, and web resources by and about the Supreme Court nominee, visit the Law Library of Congress’ Brett M. Kavanaugh page. To track the public statements made by United States senators about how they plan to vote, visit SCOTUS Watch.

Does your phone or laptop need a charge? Stop by the Library’s Circulation Desk and the juice is on us; no charge to charge – it’s free! Charging is limited to 30 minutes if another student needs the charger too. Otherwise, you can fill ‘er up.

Have you submitted your Legally Clueless Info Hunt entry? The drawing take place on Thursday August 23 at 5:45 pm, just outside the Library. We plan to award lots of prizes, including OneCards (with pre-loaded cash values), First Year course study aids, books, NYLS swag, and who knows what else!

The lime colored entry form is in the blue folder you received and worked on during your First Week Finding the Law class. If you need another copy, you can pick one up at the Reference Desk. Spend a few minutes learning more about research and the library’s resources. You don’t even need to get the right answers, and you should always feel free to ask one of the reference librarians for help.

Good luck to all!

On behalf of the Mendik Library, I want to extend my welcome to the Class of 2021-22.  We are all looking forward to meeting you as you embark on this challenging and exciting journey.

We have worked hard to make your library a comfortable study and learning environment.  The Mendik Library is a vibrant and dynamic information and research center.  You can be assured that you are getting the benefit of an outstanding collection of information and technology resources, an extensive offering of services, and an excellent and dedicated library staff.

We describe our resources and services in great detail on our web pages and handouts. What you might not realize from these publications is the outstanding quality of the Mendik Library Staff and why that is important to you.  Our staff includes ten professionals with master’s degrees, six of whom also have J.D. degrees from law schools around the country.  They have been where you are going.  Your librarians have many years of experience working in law libraries and teaching legal research.  Many also have years of legal practice experience.  They can help you with your library and research needs, of course, but their value to you goes far beyond that.  Do not hesitate to ask us questions about the law school, particular courses, or any of the extracurricular activities available.  We can help you, or we will direct you to the best person to give you the help you need.

Law school is a new experience for each of you, and we are committed to making that experience a rewarding one.  We welcome the opportunity to work with you throughout your law school career and thereafter as alumni.

Welcome!  We hope the library will quickly become your second home.

Sincerely,

Professor Camille Broussard

Library Director & Associate Dean

On Monday, July 9, 2018, President Donald Trump nominated Brett M. Kavanaugh of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy on the United States Supreme Court. This nomination has given President Trump his second nomination in his first two years in office. Many legal observers opine that this might be one of the most crucial nominations to the Court and could portend a fundamental shift in the court. The resources below will help you learn more about Judge Kavanaugh and the Senate confirmation process.

Law Library of Congress: Resources: Brett M. Kavanaugh
Summary: Articles, books, congressional materials, and web resources by and about the Supreme Court nominee.

SCOTUSblog: Nomination of Brett Kavanaugh
Summary: SCOTUSblog provides comprehensive Supreme Court coverage and commentary.

SCOTUS Watch
Excerpt: SCOTUS Watch tracks the public statements made by United States senators about how they plan to vote on the Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, and tallies them into a likely vote count.

The Challenge is On!

 Join us next Wednesday June 6 (and on any or all of the following Wednesdays through June 27), for the Mendik Library’s 2018 Summer Research Challenge! Hone your research skills with real issues you’ll encounter in practice and have some fun at the same time. Get all the details here and follow this link to register.

Remember to take a look at the Library’s Exam Preparation Resources guide.  It will link you to sample and practice exams available on the NYLS portal, advice from professors and law students (including videos), and many other useful resources.  Give it a try!