On behalf of the Mendik Library, I want to welcome everyone back for another exciting year. And, in particular, welcome to the entering Class of 2022-23!  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 guides. What you might not realize from these publications is the outstanding quality of the Mendik Library Staff and why that is important to you.  Your librarians have many years of experience working in law libraries and teaching legal research.  Many have J.D. degrees from law schools around the country and years of legal practice experience.  They have been where you are going.  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.

Welcome!  We hope the library will quickly become your second home.  To our new 1L community members, we recognize that law school is a new experience for each of you, and we are committed to making that experience a rewarding one.  We look forward to the opportunity to work with you throughout your law school career and thereafter as alumni.

Sincerely,

Professor Camille Broussard
Library Director & Associate Dean

For the eleventh consecutive year, the Mendik Library surveyed 1Ls during First Week about some of their digital inclinations. For the complete survey results (along with the questions) and how they compare to results over the past ten years, here.

Spoiler alert—pepperoni once again repeated as the most popular pizza topping, this time based on the preferences of 347 members of the classes of 2020/21. These students also responded to questions about:

• their preferred platforms for electronic communication;
• their usage of Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Twitter, Blogs & Podcasts;

• the digital devices they owned and used, including Macs v. PCs, Smartphones, Tablets and E-Book Readers.

Here are some of the highlights:

Communication

• Email remained decidedly less preferred as a means of electronic communication, with only 19% of the class preferring it over text messaging (72%). Social media apps were the preferred means of electronic communication for just 9%.

Social Media

• For the first time in ten years, Facebook is no longer the dominant social networking platform for these students. Instagram was the choice of 36%, up from last year’s 27% figure. Only 29% of this class labeled Facebook as the social networking platform they used most often.

• Snapchat also continued to gain ground over Facebook, increasing from 15% in 2016 to 18% this year.

Preferred Devices

• Continuing the previous ten-year trend, the popularity of Mac laptops versus PC laptops increased to 73%, up from last year’s figure of 68%.

• Ownership of iPhones increased to 86% of the class, with 14% owning Android phones.

E-Books

• Students are taking advantage of e-books using a variety of devices, though the large majority (79%) have done so on a computer (desktop or laptop), nearly twice as many as those using iPads (43%) and nearly four times as many as those using Kindles (20%). Only 10% of respondents indicated they had not read or viewed any e-books.

• Perhaps most significantly, students continue to manifest an aversion to the use of e-books for classes. Asked whether they had used an e-textbook for classes, only 41% said yes, a steep decline from last year’s 58% figure.

• When those who had used an e-textbook were asked if they preferred it to a print textbook, 86% said “no,” a slight increase over last year’s 85% figure.

Pizza

• Pepperoni continues to reign supreme as students’ favorite pizza topping, pulling in 29% of the vote, up from last year’s 22% number. The only other toppings in double figures were Extra Cheese at 17% and Mushrooms at 12%.