1. The library’s research resources for postgraduate lawyers at Oxford Ruth Bird September 2009

2. This is us

3. Welcome from all at the BLL  At Oxford, computing is managed by OUCS, and the library service by OULS  The Law Library is part of OULS but we work closely with the law faculty  You will probably use OULS services daily, even if you rarely visit a library, because as well as books, we provide the e-resources

4. OULS is a big library system….  Over 500 staff  Nearly 40 libraries  A budget of over £30million  10 million volumes  30,000+ e-journals  800+ databases  And there are another 60 plus libraries in colleges, university departments, and non- affiliated bodies in Oxford!

5. The Bodleian Law Library (BLL)  One of the largest UK law libraries  5200 sq metres across 4 floors  430,000 vols on 17km of shelving  Over 70 specialist law databases  Over 25 staff able to assist you

6. Other libraries to note… The Bodleian in Broad Street Social Sciences Library – next door.. Rhodes House in Parks Road Official Papers in the Rad Cam Philosophy in Merton St

7. Using the libraries  Your University card gives you entry to OULS libraries  The Law Bod does not lend books, but the SSL & many other libraries do  Stack books can be ordered to the BLL via the online catalogue OLIS  We are a copyright deposit library – we should have everything published in the UK  If we haven’t got it, an inter-library loan costs just £4  To access most databases you need your Single Sign On (SSO) – register at OUCS http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/registration/oxford http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/registration/oxford

8. Copying, printing, scanning  Your copying card works in all OULS libraries; you need to purchase it first time, then add value as needed.  The same card works for copying, printing and for scanning.  The present system will change mid year, and copying will be cheaper then  Write your name on the card  A lucky dip is available for orphan copy cards – ask at the library desk

9. Services we provide for postgrads  Courses on research resources related to specific legal subject areas  Allocated research desks for research postgrads  A separate reading room away from undergrads for taught postgrads  A regular library newsletter  New journal issue display shelves

10.  One of the best collections of legal resources – in the last year we have updated editions of core text books in over 100 jurisdictions!  A superb collection of legal databases with extremely wide coverage  Knowledgeable and helpful reference librarians  Great value added, authorised and organised content on our website  Extended opening at the end of the academic year for BCL/MJur exams

11. Some courses we offer …  In Michaelmas term:  Research tools for Competition law  Tax  EU law  UN Docs  Treaties  Journal indexes  US law  Legal History  Using Westlaw & Lexis  Other courses are offered by OUCS & OULS through WISER sessions

12. Law Library news

13. The main tools for locating resources  SOLO – Search Oxford Libraries Online  Online catalogue - OLIS  List of electronic journals – OU e- Journals  Guide to databases in ALL subject areas – OxLIP+

14. Your e-gateway to legal resources www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/law

15. What’s there?

16. Just a brief glimpse of the subscription law databases…….

17. This is where you can access the legal databases

18. and this is where you can get help…

19. Highlights of the BLL website  Our collections  http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/law/collections http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/law/collections  E-resources  http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/law/e-resources http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/law/e-resources  Some services  http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/law/services http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/law/services  Research Guides  http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/law/guides http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/law/guides  Opening hours, etc..  http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/law/about http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/law/about

20. The Law Bod Blog… http://lawbod.wordpress.com/ http://lawbod.wordpress.com/ Features include our del.icio.us list of great legal websites and links to our Twitter and Facebook sites

21. Additional features of the blog… The Tag Cloud lists databases which have been written up or otherwise noted on the blog

22. We’re on Facebook too http://www.facebook.com/lawbod

23. And Twitter, of course..

24. Subscribe to the BLL New Book feed on Library Thing!

25. Starting your research - some basics to keep in mind … Paper and internet are different; anyone can publish on the net. Remember to check:  Scope  Authority  Objectivity  Accuracy  Timeliness

26.  Scope of coverage - the extent to which a source explores a topic. Consider time periods, jurisdiction and coverage of related or narrower topics

27.  Authority - the expertise or recognized official status of a source, the reputation of the author and publisher. When working with legal or government information, consider whether the source is the official provider of the information

28.  Objectivity – be aware of the use of persuasive language, the source's presentation of other viewpoints, it's reason for providing the information and any related advertising.

29.  Accuracy of the editing and publishing policy of the source. Is it peer-reviewed? Does it fact-check before publishing?

30.  Timeliness – what are the publication, creation and revision dates? Beware of Web site scripting that automatically reflects the current day's date on a page

31. Organise your research material!  Keep your references in order – from the start with a list of sources consulted, so that you can easily prepare a research bibliography  E-tools to help you organise the references include:  Endnote (buy from OUCS)  RefWorks, free to you, web based  Zotero – free Firefox add on (but no good for Westlaw/Lexis) !Attend the courses run by Sandy, & by OUCS!

32. And finally ….  Always save your work – on a USB key*, on Google Docs, somewhere you can find it again!  Remember a different way to search is via Google Scholar  “New lawyers, who for the most part have grown up with the explosion of electronic information, often miss relevant information because they lack research skills. BUT if the proficiency of the 35+ generation was greater at the same stage in their career, it is likely to be because the research tools they used were fewer; and mostly, they were tangible. Information overload did not have the significant and lasting impact it has today.”

33. *Your Law Bod USB key..

34. Happy law postgrads last year celebrating successfully navigating the resources of the Law Bod