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Posted by: Barbara Bavis
While for years immigration has been a much-debated political topic, several issues have caused a recent increase in press attention, including: (1) numerous attempts to pass the DREAM Act in Congress; (2) the recent success of Question 4 in Maryland; and (3) the June 15, 2012 memorandum by Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security …
Posted in: Law Library, Research Guide
Posted by: Robert Brammer
We have written about many different kinds of libraries in the past, from libraries abroad to libraries on wheels, but this has to be the smallest library we have ever discussed. Situated on North Limestone Street in Lexington, Kentucky, this colorful box houses a small assortment of books, including a legal thriller by John Grisham. …
Posted in: Pic of the Week
Posted by: Nathan Dorn
If you’ve been wondering whether your polygamous marriage to three Tarascan women was still valid after you converted to the religion of the conquistadors, look no further. A title recently acquired for the Rare Book Collection of Law Library of Congress answers this and other burning questions on the topics of marriage, canon law …
Posted in: Collections, Law Library
Posted by: Barbara Bavis
This week’s interview is with Monica Greene, a Library Technician in the Law Library of Congress Reading Room. Describe your background. I consider Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, home, although I moved around a bit growing up and spent four years in Kyoto, Japan. After coming back to the U.S. I always wanted to return to Japan, so …
Posted in: Interview, Law Library
Posted by: Tina Gheen
This month marks the 10th anniversary of Science.gov. This free gateway to government science information and research results from 13 federal agencies provides a search of over 55 scientific databases and 200 million pages of science information, including Library of Congress information from THOMAS, the Prints and Photographs Division, and the Science, Technology, and Business …
Posted in: Gov 2.0
Posted by: Jeanine Cali
The following is a guest post by Constance A. Johnson, Legal Research Analyst with the Law Library. Connie is chair of the Law Library’s planning committee for Human Rights Day and has previously blogged about Law and Longitude, Water Rights at Star Island, and our Guide on Legal Translation. On December 6, 2012, the Law Library celebrated International Human Rights Day with a …
Posted in: Event, Guest Post
Posted by: Robert Brammer
Continuing with our unusual laws series, we turn to Tudor Vermin Acts. These acts allowed officials to hinder the growth of vermin by placing a bounty on nuisance animals, creating an incentive for private citizens to take it upon themselves to eradicate what were believed to be agricultural pests. Since the United States inherited its common …
Posted in: Education, Law Library
Posted by: Robert Brammer
The Law Library of Congress houses approximately 60,000 rare items, 25,000 of which are contained in a climate controlled vault. To be classified as rare, an item generally must have been published prior to 1801. One of our interesting rare items is a petition for a writ of process handwritten by a young lawyer named …
Posted in: Collections, Education, Law Library
Posted by: Donna Sokol
This is a guest post by David Mao, Law Librarian of Congress. Recently, I had the chance to drive fast—Autobahn fast—and it was legal. Most drivers (typically male) dream of driving with no limit to speed; however, unless one is on a race track or private road (as I was), that generally is not possible …
Posted in: Education, Guest Post, Law Library