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September 2010 Newsletter (Note changes to upcoming classes) |
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Thomson Reuters Launches International Pro Bono Web Portal
Interested in pro bono work with international agencies or looking for an anti-corruption resource? Thomson Reuters recently launched a free Web portal, TrustLaw, to help "spread the culture and practice of pro bono legal assistance around the globe." TrustLaw is intended to provide an avenue to assist attorneys in connecting with social entrepreneurs, non-governmental organizations, and other groups that need assistance. Currently, the focus is on anti-corruption and good governance, but there are plans to expand the focus in the future to include women's rights. The web site has a pro bono zone where there are case studies and legal resource centers available. Also, TrustLaw provides good governance resources which include national legislation from various countries, international conventions, and news reports. Lastly, the web site has country profiles which include a short history, and descriptions of the government and legal system. TrustLaw can be found at http://www.trust.org/trustlaw/connect/.
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Matthew Bender Continues as Official State Publisher
On July 15, the California Supreme Court announced a new contract with Matthew Bender to have them continue publishing the Official Reports for California. In a press release issued by the Administrative Office of the Courts, Chief Justice Ronald M. George stated: "The new contract is noteworthy for providing unprecedented pricing stability for Official Reports subscribers, particularly state and local government that are affected by the state's budget crisis." The Official Reports include all decisions of the California Supreme Court, all published decisions of the Courts of Appeal, and decisions of the Commission on Judicial Performance. Matthew Bender will be enhancing the public access site for the Official Reports, www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions. Currently, the site provides access to all California published cases since 1850. They have not announced the enhancements yet. Matthew Bender, part of the LexisNexis Group, has been the official publisher since 2003.
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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 Class Calendar.
The following classes are free to Law Library members and $5 for non-members.
SEPTEMBER
North County Branch (760) 940-4386
- Using Lexis*
by Eronda Taylor, Esq./Lexis Rep
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
12:00 - 1:00 pm
East County Branch (619) 441-4451
OCTOBER
North County Branch (760) 940-4386
- Bankrupcty Basics*
by Pam Kleinkauf, Esq.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
12:00 - 1:00 pm
- Domestic Violence Temporary Restraining Orders*
by Laura Handler, Esq.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
5:15 - 6:15 pm
*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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New Resource & Materials Added to the Collection
This month's featured resource:
Navajo Courts and Navajo Common Law
by Raymond D. Austin
The Navajo Nation court system is the largest tribal legal system in the United States and has been called the "flagship" of American tribal courts. Since the landmark 1959 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Williams v. Lee that affirmed tribal court authority over matters arising on tribal lands, tribal courts have moved towards the use of traditional values to address current legal issues. The Navajo Nation has been at the forefront of this jurisprudential movement among Indian tribes in North America.
Justice Raymond D. Austin was a justice on the Navajo Nation Supreme Court for sixteen years. In this book, Justice Austin discusses the history and implications of how the Navajo Nation courts apply foundational Navajo doctrines to modern legal issues. He explains major Navajo concepts like Hózhó (harmony), K'é (peacefulness and solidarity), and K'éí (kinship) both within the Navajo cultural context and, using the case method of legal analysis, as they are applied by Navajo judges in virtually every legal area.
New Materials Added to the Collection The Law Library regularly adds new materials to its collection. To see the new books added to our collection in the last month, click here.
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I Can See Clearly Now. It's the End of the World...
Coming up with a theme song for our renovation project is a tricky thing. First, you have to reveal a shocking aspect of your cultural roots -- the songs that you actually know -- and that dates you accurately as to place and time in the continuum of human experience. Yes, by choosing the songs I have, it shows that I am getting old. But not only that -- I am mundane. I have little range in my tastes outside the Top 40. But at least -- I am consistent!
OK, let me describe my thought process. The song has to carry us through a 6 month period of not-so-pleasant accommodations, limited patron interaction, and a bit (a lot?) of confusion. It has to be upbeat, happy -- but it also has to convey a message of transformation and re-invention that has a deeper, more substantial meaning.
Talking Heads' "Burning Down the House" got me humming right away. Yeah, let's burn this sucker to the ground! Then again, maybe I was a little off track with that one.
Next up: "It's the End of the World (As We Know It)," the R.E.M. anthem to change, upheaval and having the spirit and motivation to make things different. I like it. We are getting somewhere now, I tell myself. But there is a bit of a dark edge about "ending the world" -- kind of apocalyptic, if you know what I mean. No, I told myself, let's keep trying.
Suddenly it was 4 am and I bolted out of bed, singing at the top of my lungs! Well, that is not actually true but it has a nice imagery to it. Instead, it was 5 am after about 2 hours of thinking about other things. Other things like: How are we going to serve the public in our downtown location with only a small space and a few computers? How can we get materials to the people who need/want them in a timely way from this interim branch? What will the loan period be, and what materials will we be taking and which will be stored? How do we stage the project in phases so that all of our 300,000+ volumes, materials, equipment and furniture can be protected, preserved, and returned to their correct spots so people can find them again? Will the design stand up to the criticism of the few and the snarky comments of the ignorant? And will it stand the test of time (which is the real test knowing that we face an uncertain future for public law library funding in this state)? What becomes of the cohesive, involved staff team that we have built at the Main library when we disperse to our different branch locations? Will our patrons come back to us after the difficulties of having limited access to materials and training over a 6 month period of closure?
So, that perfect theme song finally emerged: "I Can See Clearly Now, The Rain Is Gone." Yes, I can clearly see all obstacles in my way, but I have complete confidence that together our team will knock them down and create order out of chaos, clarity out of confusion, and service from out of nowhere. Because that is the kind of people they are: they have the grit and determination to get the job done, because they care.
Yes, and also because they are confident, as am I, that at the end of all this bother, inconvenience, and exceptionally difficult decision-making, the end result is going to be a bright, bright sunshiny day when you stop and think about it.
John Adkins, Director of Libraries
We shape clay into a pot, but it is the empty space within
that holds whatever we want.
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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 Victoria Williamson, Assistant Director, Public Services.
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