90th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage

“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”

The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which was ratified on August 18, 1920 and took effect ninety years ago today (August 26), enfranchised more than 26 million women.  The campaign for female suffrage officially began in 1848 at the Seneca Falls Convention but it took more than 70 years for Congress to pass the amendment in 1919. Ratification by the states would require just over one year, despite strong Southern resistance.  Ultimately, Tennessee provided the necessary 36th vote (three-quarters of the then 48 states).  It was not until 1970 that the last of the then 48 states ratified the amendment.

Read more:

Exploring Constitutional Conflicts

ourdocuments.gov


Add us to your buddy list

Remember that you can IM with the librarians at the Reference Desk (AIM, Yahoo Messenger and GoogleTalk screen names:   nylslib).  We welcome your IM inquiries about library services, facilities, and legal research.  A librarian is available to answer IMs whenever the Reference Desk is staffed (M-F 9 AM to 9 PM and Sat-Sun 11 AM to 6 PM).  Please take advantage of this service, but remember that for some things, an in-person visit to the reference desk will still be your best bet.


Welcome from the Library Director

On behalf of the entire staff of the Mendik Library, I want to extend my welcome and congratulations to the entering classes of 2013/14.  The library staff is looking forward to meeting you.  You are about to begin a challenging and exciting journey.   For most law students, the law library quickly becomes a constant feature of their lives. We welcome the opportunity to work with you throughout your law school career.

You are entering NYLS at a special time in our law school’s and library’s history.  Last summer, we moved into our new permanent home here at 185 W. Broadway.  We have been hard at work settling into our new space.  You can be assured that you are getting the benefit of an outstanding library collection, an extensive offering of services, and an excellent library staff.

We describe our collections and our services in great detail on our web pages and numerous handouts.  What you might not realize from these publications is the outstanding quality of each and every person on the staff of the Mendik Library, and why that is important to you.  Our staff of twenty-two includes sixteen professionals with master’s degrees, nine of whom also have J.D. degrees from law schools both in the region and around the country.  They all have many years of experience working in law libraries and teaching legal research. Most of our librarians have been at New York Law School for several years.  They can all help you with your library and research needs, of course, but their value to you goes far beyond that.  Do not hesitate to ask your librarians 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.

We all realize that law school is a new experience for each of you, and we are committed to making that experience a rewarding one.

Sincerely,

Professor Camille Broussard

Library Director


ADA’s Twentieth Anniversary

July 26, 2010 marks the twentieth anniversary of President George H.W. Bush’s signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), thereby enacting one of the landmark laws of the twentieth century and providing important legal protection to those with physical or mental disabilities. Despite previous federal legislation that had addressed discrimination against these individuals, many remained unprotected in areas such as private employment, public accommodations, and transportation. Introduced in Congress in 1988, the ADA was the first disability-related legislation to also apply to private employers and businesses.  Senator Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. (D-Conn), one of the ADA’s sponsors, wrote in 1991 that the intention of the Act was to “establish a broad-scoped prohibition of discrimination against people with disabilities and describe specific methods by which such discrimination is to be eliminated.”

In response to two subsequent Supreme Court decisions, Sutton v. United Air Lines (1999) and Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky v. Williams (2002), which were viewed as imposing overly restrictive interpretations of the ADA, Congress passed the ADA Amendments Act, which was signed into law on September 25, 2008. The new legislation made several revisions and clarifications to the law, including expanding the definition of what constitutes a disability.

Further reading:

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-336, 104 Stat. 327.

ADA Amendments Act of 2008, Pub. L. No. 110-325, 122 Stat. 3553.

Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., Historical Background of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 64 Temp. L. Rev. 387 (1991).

Ann K. Wooster, Annotation, Actions Brought Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C.A.  §§ 12101 et. seq.—Supreme Court Cases, 173 A.L.R. Fed. 369 (2001).

Alex B. Long, Introducing the New and Improved Americans with Disabilities Act: Assessing the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, 103 Nw. Univ. L. Rev. Colloquy 217 (2008).

Kate S. Arduini, Why the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act is Destined to Fail: Lack of Protection for the “Truly” Disabled, Impracticability of Employer Compliance and the Negative Impact it Will Have on Our Already Struggling Economy, 2 Drexel L. Rev. 161 (2009).

Categories: Law



Follow the Kagan Confirmation Hearing

You can follow the ongoing Kagan confirmation hearing via webcast from the Senate Judiciary Committee’s web page.

You can find same-day hearing transcripts from C-SPAN on the University of Michigan Law Library’s Elena Kagan web page. The Michigan page also includes biographical information about Kagan, links to her authored works, transcripts of speeches and links to her confirmation hearings for her nomination as Solicitor General.

The Law Library of Congress offers a similarly comprehensive web page here.


The Challenge is On!

Join us next Wednesday June 23 (and on any or all of the following Wednesdays through July 28), for the Mendik Library’s 2010 Summer Research Challenge! Hone your research skills and have some fun at the same time. Get all the details here.


How to Succeed as a Summer Associate

The Practicing Law Institute, a premier continuing legal education organization, is offering this free program on Monday, June 7.  You can register to either attend the live event or view the Webcast. The relevant information is set out below.

PLI’s 4th Annual How to Succeed as a Summer Associate (Monday, June 7th, 5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m. ET) program will provide law students with a unique opportunity to get practical advice from law firm partners on making the most of your summer associate experience. Students who can come to New York City for this event will have the added advantage of a networking reception with the faculty and other attendees after the program.

To register by phone, please call PLI’s Customer Relations Department at (800) 260-4754. Be sure to mention your Priority Code: YAK0-8LSN1 and Customer ID Number when registering:

I look forward to seeing you at the program.

Mark Dighton, Esq.
Director of Law School Relations
PLI (Practising Law Institute)
(888) 296-5973
www.patentbarreview.com
www.pli.edu


Important Information About Westlaw Passwords

Beginning last November, Westlaw started prompting you at sign in to create or update your Westlaw OnePass account to conform with new security requirements. Patrons who declined to do so, however, were still allowed to access Westlaw.

Please note that after Monday, May 31st, that option will no longer exist and you will be required to create or update your OnePass account before you are able to access Westlaw.

Please go to http://lawschool.westlaw.com and click on the “Register Password” link on the bottom left side of the screen. Click on “Updating Your Account Information”, enter your Username and Password (or your Westlaw Password) at the next screen, and then create (or update) your OnePass custom ID and password.

If you need additional assistance, please contact the Reference Desk.