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September 2009 Newsletter |
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September Library Closures
All branches of the Law Library will be CLOSED on Monday, September 7th in observance of Labor Day. Normal hours of operation will resume on Tuesday, September 8th.
Labor Day is a national holiday set on the first Monday in September commemorating "the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country."
New York City was first to celebrate Labor Day on Tuesday, September 5, 1882. Oregon passed the first state bill making Labor Day an official holiday on February 21, 1887. Congress followed by passing an act on June 28, 1887, making the first Monday in September of each year the official legal holiday.
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Featured New Resource &
New Materials Added to the Collection
by Isabel E.
Featured new
resource this month:
How to Use a Short Sale to Stop Home Foreclosure and Protect Your Finances
Is a Short Sale Your Best Option? A short sale is when a house is sold for less than the balance owed on the mortgage. Robert Irwin, a real estate expert and author of this informative resource, provides the tools you need to avoid foreclosure, as well as protect your credit, your wealth, and your peace of mind.
In his book, he discusses how a short sale can help and if it will work for you. He covers how to find a good short sale agent, how to communicate with the lender, loan modifications, tax consequences and alternatives, such as renting the property, a deed in lieu of foreclosure, bankruptcy, etc. Lastly, Irwin points out scams to avoid.
This new resource is currently available at our Main and North County branches.
New Materials Added to the Collection
The Law Library regularly adds new materials to its collection. To see new books added to the collection in the last month, click here.
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VerdictSearch Database Now Available!
by Gina C.
We are pleased to announce that "VerdictSearch" electronic database is now available at all of our library locations.
The information in VerdictSearch can be used to assess the strength of a potential case and gain the upper hand in negotiations. The database gives users access to over 140,000 detailed case reports from around the nation, with 600 cases added monthly.
The reports in VerdictSearch provide essential case details and can be searched in a variety of ways. In addition to full-text keyword searching, other options include searching by: attorney, experts, judges, insurance carrier, specific injury, and case type. The reports retrieved can be further narrowed by: verdict, settlement, arbitration, or mediation. Users can even limit searches to a specific court jurisdiction.
All Library users will enjoy free access to VerdictSearch from any of our patron computer stations. You also have the option of either emailing reports for free or printing your results for .20 cents per page. Just ask a Reference Librarian for assistance in logging into the database!
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Upcoming Classes for September & October
Pre-registration is required for all classes, as seating is limited. Please sign up by calling the appropriate branch location.
For a complete description of the classes and the most up-to-date information, visit our Calendar of Events.
The following classes are free to Law Library members and $5 for non-members.
SEPTEMBER
South Bay Branch (619) 691-4929
Main Branch (619) 531-3900
OCTOBER
North County Branch (760) 940-4386
- Using Westlaw: Overview of the Latest Research Techniques*
by Westlaw Representative Trevor Covington, Esq.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
12:00 - 1:00 pm
South Bay Branch (619) 691-4929
- Using Lexis*
Thursday, October 22, 2009
12:00 - 1:00 pm
Main Branch (619) 531-3900
*MCLE Participatory Credit hour(s) available for these classes.
The San Diego County Public Law Library is
a State Bar approved MCLE provider.
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Car Sellers Beware
by James M.
Under San Diego Municipal Code 86.23.1(b), as of July 25th, it is unlawful to park vehicles on certain public streets "when, because of a sign or placard on the vehicle, it appears that the primary purpose of parking the vehicle at that location is to display to the public that the vehicle is for sale."
Violators are subject to a $50 fine, which may be assessed twice daily if the car is not moved. Repeat offenders can have their vehicles towed and impounded under certain conditions.
The San Diego Police Department is currently granting a warning period, but will begin issuing citations on September 5, 2009, during Labor Day weekend. After that date, if you have a "For Sale" sign on your window, use street parking with caution!
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Free Access to Government Reports Database
by Kelly K.
The Law Library has acquired STAT-USA, the largest database of government reports anywhere. This service of the U.S. Department of Commerce offers access to over 4000 current statistical reports, including: daily interest and foreign exchange rates; state and regional housing, employment, and personal income statistics; energy analyses and forecasts; current industrial reports; and the Statistical Abstract of the United States.
STAT-USA also features the State of the Nation archive with over 43,000 historical and archived versions of the current statistical reports.
The Library has access to the GLOBUS and NTDB databases, as well. GLOBUS is the GLObal BUSiness database and the NTDB is the National Trade DataBase. These resources are primarily business-related sites which contain foreign market and industry profiles, international energy reports and agricultural reports by country, World Bank publications, commodity price data, comparative tables and fields between countries, and the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) World Factbook.
Free access to these sites is available on all Library patron computer stations. All you will need is a password to enter the site, so ask a reference librarian for assistance. You also have the option of printing your results for .20 cents per page.
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From the Director
by Robert R.
Strategic Plan
I am happy to report that we are interviewing candidates to assist us with our first ever Strategic Plan. We hope to conclude interviews in the next few weeks and start working on the Plan, with the goal of completing it by the end of June. We are taking a "holistic approach," linking it to both our Marketing and Renovation plans.
Renovation Update
The Board will be discussing new strategies to address the current negotiations stalemate with the County on the renovation of our downtown location. We also will be assessing what facilities work can be done relatively easily to improve the look and comfort of this Library branch, prior to a major renovation. Among the ideas so far are the purchase of art work, improvement in signage, and providing a more comprehensive "Information Desk" to make it easier for patrons to receive reference and circulation assistance. Meanwhile, I'm happy to report that repairs were completed last weekend on the Main branch's air handler system.
Witkin Event
The Events Committee is completing work on the selection of award recipients for the March 4, 2010, Witkin Event. The Committee will soon be notifying the winners. We are currently seeking event sponsors, including a lead sponsor to assist us with purchasing Adaptive Technology, so the visually impaired have sufficient access to our Library resources. We firmly believe that, as the only Public Law library in San Diego County, we have an obligation to make our resources available to all our local citizens.
Please contact me if you have any sponsorship ideas and I will connect you to the appropriate Committee member. Our goal is to make this coming year's event the best and most successful one yet. Stay tuned for further information.
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Cartoon by Stu Rees
Stu's Views are "Cartoons About Law and Lawyers." Stu Rees is a local entertainment lawyer who represents mostly visual arts creators.
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We hope you've enjoyed our newsletter! If you are a guest and would like to subscribe, please CLICK HERE.
We're hard at work on the next edition. In the meantime, please visit us online at www.sdcpll.org or stop by one of our four locations.
For more information or to send comments about this newsletter, contact Tina Jagerson, Media Coordinator and South Bay Branch Manager.
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