1. Online vs print legal research tools:
Convincing the Google generation to step foot in the library
Annie Rochette, Assistant Professor
Director, Legal Research and Writing Program
UBC Faculty of Law

2. Overview Comparison of print and online tools
Looking up secondary sources
Locating primary sources
Noting up
Advantages of each from a teaching perspective
Challenges in teaching the google generation
Strategies to address those challenges
Conclusions?

3. Locating secondary sources
Texts & looseleafs
Encyclopedias
Journal articles & periodicals
Digests

4. Texts Print online Canada: US: UK & Australia Canada: US:
Texts, CLE, CCH, loose-leafs
US:
Texts, Restatements, Uniform Codes
UK & Australia
Texts
Canada:
Canada law book (on QL), CCH
US:
Good selection of texts on given topics ( e.g. corporate,securities, tax, internet, etc.) (Lexis & WL)
Restatements & Uniform Codes (Weslaw & Lexis)
UK & Australia 

5. Encyclopedias Print online
Canada:
CED
US:
Am.Jur, Corpus Juris Sec
ALR
UK & Australia:
Halsbury’s Laws of England & Australia
Canada:
CED: Cd-Rom & WLeC
US:
Am.Jur. 2nd (Lexis & WL)
ALR (Lexis & WL)
Corpus Juris Sec. (Lexis & WL)
UK & Australia:
Halsbury’s monthly and weekly updates (Lexis)

6. Journals Print online Indexes: Index to Canadian legal literature
Full-text:
Extensive collection at UBC law library
Indexes:
Index to Canadian legal literature (QL)
Legal Trac
Index to foreign periodicals
Full-text searching:
QL 
WestLaweCarswell 
Lexis 
WL 
UBC e-journals 

7. Digests Print online Canada: US: UK & Australia: Canada: US:
Abridgment
US:
West key number digest system
UK & Australia:
The Digest
The Australian Digest
Canada:
Abridgment (WLeC)
US:
Westlaw
Search advisor on Lexis
UK & Australia: 

8. Primary Sources – Statutes Print online
Revised Statutes of B.C.- consolidated (up to 18 months out of date)
Consolidated BC Regs
Revised Statutes of Canada – no official print consolidation!
No official Federal regs in print
Queen's Printer(free, up to 18 months out of date)
Justice Canada (free)
QP LegalEze (subscription,current)
BC Statute Service (subscription)
QL (current)
WLeC (current)

9. Primary Sources – Cases Print online
Finding the text of cases:
Different law reports
Finding the text of cases:
Directories:
UBC Law library
Canlii (Canada)
Findlaw (US)
Austlii (Australia, NZ)
Bailii (UK)
Court websites: SCC, BCCA, BCSC
QL, WLeC, WL, Lexis

10. Noting Up Print online Keycite Canada (CCC and CSJC on WLeC)
Canadian Case Citations
Statutes Judicially Considered
The Digest annotations (UK, Australia)
Sheppard’s (not available at UBC library)
Keycite Canada (CCC and CSJC on WLeC)
Quickcite (QL)
Sheppard’s (US -Lexis)
Keycite (US-WL)

11. Advantages of online tools
Some online tools enable the user to move from secondary to primary back to secondary sources seamlessly;
Noting up: reminder on the page (indicators) about noting up and quicker since access to the cases with a single click;
Accessibility;
BUT…

12. Advantages of print tools
Research strategy
Limits of many online tools based on boolean searching
“Buffoon” search
Understanding the conceptualization and lay out of the online tools such as encyclopedias, digests, …
Comparison between tools from different jurisdictions
Understanding the legislative process
Costs $$ of online tools after law school

13. Challenges Overcoming the google approach to legal research
Information overload: recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of each online and print research tool in order to maximize the use of each
Consequence of the case method in teaching: thinking about applicable statutes
Free access to commercial databases while in law school
Time and space issues (LRW in 1st year is 1.5 hours/week from September to March)

14. Strategies to address the challenges
Using reverse psychology: WebCT Legal Research and Writing website & Legal Research Process website
Online version of legal research handbook
Legal Research Journal: getting students to reflect on their research strategy
Legal Research Record software –
Focus on print sources in class; cover commercial databases outside of class

15. Conclusions
Students should realize (and internalize) the costs of commercial databases after they graduate.
We should ask them to report on the time spent on these databases in research log or give them limited time on them;
Have law librarians come to talk to individual small groups in 1st year to talk about the costs;
Print sources are still invaluable tools and we should keep teaching students on how to use them.