The Mendik Library is experiencing technical difficulties with the Online Journals, Databases and Indexes that we make available through our Home Page and through links from the NYLS Library’s Online Catalog.  These problems will result in service interruptions that will persist through this weekend (Oct. 20 – 21) and into early next week.  When you click on the links to access these services, you will get either a page with an error message or a page that asks for a username and password that you do not have.

Please note that these problems are NOT effecting Lexis or Westlaw for users with NYLS passwords.  Both Lexis and Westlaw are functioning properly.

We on the Mendik Library staff apologize for the inconvenience caused to our users by these service disruptions.  We are working hard with our vendors to correct the technical problems, and we will send a follow-up message when the problems are resolved.

Online renewal of books is once again available. Please go here to renew your books or view your Library record:

http://lawlib.nyls.edu/patroninfo

Students are temporarily unable to renew books online by logging into their patron record.

Please call the Circulation Desk at 212-431-2333 and a staff person will help you renew any books you hae checked out.

We’re posting new signs in the Bar Study Room, rm. 1417 on the 14th floor, reminding our users of its special purpose. This room has  been designated as a quiet enclave for NYLS graduates who are  studying for the upcoming Bar Exam. Students are asked to yield  seats in this room to Bar studiers, and all users of the room are  admonished to maintain the strictest silence. Our graduates’ special  need for quiet study space at this time should be obvious to all.  The New York Bar Exam will be administered on February 27 and 28.  After this date, the room will revert to an ordinary quiet study
space for all students.

The Library now has a subscription to the RIA Checkpoint database, an electronic tax research service which provides access to primary tax law sources as well as editorial content and explanations of tax law. It can be accessed via the Library’s Online Databases page.

Room 1417 at 40 Worth St. has been designated as a study room for NYLS graduates who are preparing for the Bar exam in February.  The
room is intended as a quiet enclave; we ask that its users maintain the strictest silence.  The Library administration welcomes our  graduates, and wishes them good luck on the exam.

It’s often said that the best technology is simple, intuitive, and does just one thing well.  The Mendik Library has just initiated a new Web-based service that fits this description to a T.  We call this new service Journal Titles, A-Z.  Here’s what it does:

When you click on the “Journal Titles, A-Z” link in our Online Catalog, you get a screen with a field that says “Find e-journals by title.”  The default setting is “Title begins with…”  If you type in some words from the beginning of the journal title you’re looking for, you get a screen that tells you where you can get articles from the journal in electronic form through services that our library subscribes to.

Let’s say you were looking for a 1991 article from the Buffalo Human Rights Law Review.  Using Journal Titles, A-Z if you typed in <buffalo human rights> you’d find out that Lexis has issues of this journal from 1995 to present, but HeinOnline has them from 1988 to 1999.  You could then click on the “HeinOnline” link, and you’d be taken to that service, where you could identify the specific article you were looking for, and download it in PDF format.

There are other ways of searching Journal Titles, A-Z.  For example, you can search by typing in words that you know appear somewhere in the title, without knowing the exact title.  But we think most of our users will use it in the way we’ve just described.

Journal Titles, A-Z can’t take you directly to the article you’re looking for.  Nor can it be used to find journals that our library holds in paper.  It does just one thing:  It identifies journal titles for which we have electronic access.  And it does it well.  It keeps track of new content added to the various services to which we subscribe.  It includes all journals found on Lexis and Westlaw.  And it’s updated frequently.

Try it out yourself. [http://lawlib.nyls.edu]  You’ll probably be surprised at the number and scope of titles that we subscribe to in electronic form, both in law and other disciplines.  If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask us.  But this service is so simple, we’re not really expecting many inquiries!

Click here to view the Mendik Library’s fall semester hours.

On behalf of the entire staff of the Mendik Library, I want to extend my welcome and congratulations to the entering classes of 2009/10.  You are about to begin a challenging and exciting journey, and the library staff is ready and available to assist you in achieving the maximum benefits from your law school career.

You are entering NYLS at a special time for us:  By the time you graduate we will have moved into the new building (which includes a new Library) currently under construction.  This means that you will have the benefit of two “new” libraries—our temporary space on the 4th, 7th and 14th floors of 40 Worth St, and our permanent home on West Broadway.  But even though we are not yet in our permanent quarters, you should be assured that you are already getting the benefit of an outstanding library collection, package of services, and library staff.

Our large collection and extensive list of services are described in great deal 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 24 includes twelve professionals with master’s degrees, eight 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 most have also been at New York Law School for a number of 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 anyone your questions about the law school, particular courses, or any of the extracurricular activities available.  Someone will help you, or be able to direct you to the best person to give you the help you need.
 

For most law students, the law library quickly becomes one of the constant features of their lives.  You will soon find your favorite place to study, and will begin to recognize staff members and learn names.  And we look forward to meeting you.
 

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

Sincerely,

Prof. Joyce Saltalamachia
Library Director

We are in the process of upgrading our online catalog to add additional search capabilities. Certain functions may be unavailable at this time (e.g., Words in the Title search). We expect full functionality to return by the end of the day.