A common problem for legal researchers in cite checking and ordering interlibrary loans is to have incorrect or incomplete journal citation information. Fortunately, in this age of computerization, this problem can be solved quickly in many instances. Below are some suggested steps to follow in Cumberland-accessible databases which are likely to help in finding that illusive citation.

When dealing with articles on a legal topic, a quick search of LEGALTRAC is well worth your time as a first step. This database is available from the pull-down screen of each online catalog in the Law Library. The first step is to click “search options” at the top of the screen, then highlight “LEGALTRAC” and click the “go” button. You will then be presented with a default keyword search; type in a combination of keywords (the order of entry is unimportant) from the article title, author’s name and/or journal title that you feel reasonably certain are correct, and click “search” for an index entry with a citation. The significant advantage in trying a LEGALTRAC search, aside from its relative ease of use, is the large list of journal titles that it searches. This database has one significant drawback, however; it has no information for articles prior to 1980.

In the event that you are searching for article citations prior to 1980, an indexing and full-text database which provides superb retrospective coverage of legal periodicals (with articles in some journals going back to the nineteenth century) but indexes significantly fewer journal titles is HeinOnline. As a result, this service may be of particular value to researchers who suspect they are looking for pre-1980 article citations in prominent journals (although many not-so-prominent journals can be found here as well). HeinOnline may be accessed from the Samford campus by going to http://lawlib.samford.edu and clicking on the “Research Aids” button. From the resulting screen, you will click “HeinOnline,” then “Subscribers....,” and then “Law Journal Library.” The resulting screen will allow the researcher to choose an author and/or title search of all of its indexed journals or of a particular journal title. Positive results will first yield a highlighted citation which can be clicked on, resulting in a print-image of the article itself. Other than the author/title search, HeinOnline allows a word or phrase search of its full-text, indexed articles. While LEXIS and WESTLAW users will note that these same search strategies can be accomplished on those respective database services, the significant advantage for using HeinOnline is, again, its historical coverage; LEXIS and WESTLAW periodical coverage begins only in the 1980s.

LEXIS and WESTLAW can certainly be of benefit in this type of research problem, however. While the historical coverage of periodicals is quite limited in both systems, their coverage of periodicals published in the last twenty years is very broad, though some periodicals listed are given only “selected coverage.” The services’ full-text searching features can be of particular value in finding missing citation information when the researcher formulates a keyword search with known bibliographic information designed to find footnotes from other articles providing the needed cite.

If, after checking the resources listed above and full information is still elusive but the periodical title is known, another resource to check is JAKE. JAKE, found at http://library.samford.edu/refshelf/jakeframe.html, allows the researcher to discover which indexing databases, among those held by Samford’s Davis Library and the Law Library, indexes the needed journal. This database includes legal as well as non-legal periodical indexes. Another print publication held by the Law Library, ULRICH’S INTERNATIONAL PERIODICALS DIRECTORY (Z6941/.U5 Bibliography Shelves, First Floor) can also help in determining which services index the needed periodical.

If you have any questions, please ask a reference librarian.

Feel free to seek help from the Computer Services Librarian (Grace Simms, room 251A, ext. 2687) for help troubleshooting computer problems in the Law Library labs or with personal computers/software. Among the services provided are: free McAfee virus protection, Adware/Spyware scanning, proxy settings, and document recovery

Samford offers free McAfee to all students. If on campus, the program may be downloaded from http://www.samford.edu/busafair/cts/support/windowsvirus.htm. If not on campus, McAfee may be burned to a CD or saved to a USB drive for installation. It is necessary that any virus protection already on a laptop or desktop be removed before installing McAfee.

Adware/Spyware can cause many problems. It is often the culprit when a student can’t get the Internet to work properly. It is also often the cause for slowness on a computer.

A good definition of Spyware may be found at Webopedia, http://www.webopedia.com: "Any software that covertly gathers user information through the user's Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising purposes. Spyware applications are typically bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware programs that can be downloaded from the Internet; however, it should be noted that the majority of shareware and freeware applications do not come with spyware. Once installed, the spyware monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else. Spyware can also gather information about e-mail addresses and even passwords and credit card numbers."

Two free programs that are recommended are Spybot and Adaware. These programs may be downloaded at http://www.download.com. Just search for Adaware and Spybot to locate the downloads.

The proxy on a laptop to be used on campus must be set up so that it may access the Internet. In Internet Explorer, the proxy address is proxy.samford.edu and the port is 8080. In Netscape, the proxy address is http://proxy.samford.edu/proxy.pac.

Law students may need help recovering data from floppy drives or USB drives. Software that may assist in the recovery of documents is available from the Computer Services Librarian.

Please call 726-2687 or e-mail Grace Simms (glsimms@samford.edu) for help with any of the above or other troubleshooting needs.

A new library is soon to open in Springfield, Illinois. It is a library that is devoted to the world’s largest collection of Abraham Lincoln documents. The move to the new location is only a block down the street from the old library, but coordinating the move required years of planning. A company that specializes in moving libraries is being paid $109,000 to pack the material and move it to the new location. The library’s collection contains roughly 12,000 cubic feet of manuscripts, letters and prints and the books, when lined up, are approximately 2.6 miles long. The documents include a handwritten copy of the Gettysburg Address and the only photograph of Lincoln lying in state after his assassination. It also includes the Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation Proclamation, and Lincoln's Second Inaugural Speech. Information about the new location can be found at: http://www.alincoln-library.com/Apps/Information.asp.

Full text: Lincoln Documents on Their Way to New Home at http://www.abc3340.com (Sept. 8, 2004).

The U.S. Blue Pages project is devoted to helping you connect with your federal government agencies and services. The U.S. Blue Pages are funded by the federal government and administered by the U.S. General Services Administration. The site provides an easy and fast way to search for phone listings by state, city, area code, agency or service and keyword. The web site is: http://www.usbluepages.gov/gsabluepages.

The National Legal Center for the Public Interest (NLCPI) provides current information on key legal, regulatory, legislative, and economic issues. According to its website (www.nlcpi.org), this nonprofit foundation does not litigate. Rather, it seeks to develop public debate and policy through educational publications, programs, and forums. Practicing lawyers, corporate general counsel, and others serve on NLCPI’s board of directors and its advisory council. In a series called "Briefly," NLCPI covers current topics in legislation, regulation and litigation. Typically, the pamphlets run twenty to eighty pages and offer a business-oriented, conservative perspective on the issues. For a full listing of the eighty-eight items in the series, run a title search on the online library catalog for "Briefly." The following selected "Brieflys" are on the Second Floor of the Law Library, shelved in call number order.

A DAY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. KF5107/.D28/2004.

Allman, Thomas Y. ELECTRONIC EVIDENCE DISCOVERY: A PRIMER. KF8947/.A55.

Baker, Stewart A. A PATCH IN TIME SAVES NINE: LIABILITY RISKS FOR UNPATCHED SOFTWARE. KF3024/.C6/B355.

Barfield, Claude E. ANTIDUMPING REFORM: TIME TO GO BACK TO BASICS. KF6708/.D8/B35.

Boutrous, Theodore J. SUCCESSFULLY CHALLENGING PUNITIVE DAMAGE AWARDS: WINNING STRATEGIES AFTER STATE FARM V. CAMPBELL. KF1250/.B68.

CAPITALISM AND CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP: PROFILES OF AMERICAN BUSINESS IN GLOBAL MARKETS. HD60.5/.U5/C37.

Jarrell, Kent. LITIGATION COMMUNICATION: A ROAD MAP TO AN EMERGING ART. KF390.5/.P8/J47.

Liang, Bryan A. MEDIATION AND CONFIDENTIALITY: UNEASY RIDERS ON THE ROAD TO CONFLICT RESOLUTION. KF9084/.L53.

Remington, Michael J. CYBERSQUATTERS BEWARE: TRADEMARK OWNERS ARE FIGHTING BACK. KF3194/.R46/2004.

Rodriguez, Sabino. REPRESENTING THE PUBLIC COMPANY: A POST-SARBANES-OXLEY GOVERNANCE PARADIGM FOR IN-HOUSE LAWYERS AND OUTSIDE COUNSEL. KF1423/.Z9/R65.

Schwartz, Victor E. CLOSING THE FOOD COURT: WHY LEGISLATIVE ACTION IS NEEDED TO CURB OBESITY LAWSUITS. KF3875/.S38.

Schwartz, Victor E. SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHT TO A REPRE- SENTATIVE JURY: THE NEED FOR IMPROVED JURY SERVICE LAWS. KF9680/.S39.

Vinson, Donald E. THE AMERICAN JURY'S VIEW OF CORPORATE AMERICA: IT'S NOT A PRETTY PICTURE. KF8972/.V565.

WHAT CORPORATE AMERICA NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT BIOTERRORISM. UG447/.W45.

If there are any questions or problems regarding the CD burners, e-mail Grace Simms (glsimms@samford.edu) or call 726-2687.

Think you have a good knowledge of baseball historical trivia? What about Supreme Court historical trivia? If you know some of both, you will probably be a great batter in Oyez Baseball, available at http://baseball.oyez.org. This game allows you to reach base with correct answers to questions that compare Supreme Court justices to legendary baseball players.

One more issue of CHECK IT OUT will be published this semester. If you have any ideas or suggestions as to ways we can improve, contact Becky Hutto at rmhutto@samford.edu.We welcome new ideas!