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Archive: April 2021 (20 Posts)

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Happy Walpurgis Eve!

Posted by: Elin Hofverberg

Today, April 30, marks Walpurgis or Valborgsmässoafton. A holiday celebrated in, among other places, Germany and Sweden. The name is derived from the Saint Walpurgis. In Sweden, the Swedish form of Walpurgis, Valborg, has her name day on May 1, making April 30 the Eve of Walpurgis. The holiday, marked by bonfires, singing, and a welcoming …

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Law Librarian of Congress Jane Sánchez and American Bar Association President Patricia Lee Refo Discuss the Importance of the Rule of Law

Posted by: Robert Brammer

To celebrate Law Day, the late Law Librarian of Congress and Deputy Librarian for Library Collections and Services Jane Sánchez interviewed American Bar Association President Patricia Lee Refo. Law Day is a national day set aside to celebrate the rule of law and an opportunity to understand how law and the legal process protect liberty …

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Join Our Newest Crowdsourcing Campaign: Historical Legal Reports from the Law Library of Congress

Posted by: Kelly Goles

Calling all students of history, government, law, public policy, international relations, and other interested members of the public – help us expand access to hundreds of previously unreleased legal reports and other publications from the Law Library of Congress dating back to the 1940s! We are excited to launch our second crowdsourcing campaign with By …

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50 Years of Women’s Suffrage in Switzerland

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

This year, Switzerland celebrates 50 years of women’s suffrage. In a referendum held on February 7, 1971, 65.7 % of (male) voters approved the right of Swiss women to vote and stand for election at the federal level. As a result, article 74 of the Swiss Constitution was amended to state in paragraph 1: Bei …

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The Federal Paper Chase: A New Library Guide for the Federal Courts

Posted by: Kelly Goles

The following is a guest post by Ryan Reft, a historian of the modern United States focusing on domestic policy and law in the Manuscript Division at the Library of Congress. Ryan previously contributed three other posts to In Custodia Legis - Federal Courts, Judge Gerhard Gesell, and the Security State, Simon Sobeloff and Jewish Baltimore, …

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Research Guides in Focus – Disability Law in the United States: A Beginner’s Guide

Posted by: Anna Price

The following is a guest post by Louis Myers, the current Librarian-in-Residence at the Law Library of Congress. Louis has recently authored blog posts for In Custodia Legis, including New Acquisition: The Trial of Governor Picton, A Case of Torture in Trinidad, Research Guides in Focus – Municipal Codes: A Beginner’s Guide, and Research Guides …

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An Interview with Jason Zarin, Legal Reference Librarian

Posted by: Margaret Wood

Today’s interview is with Jason Zarin who joined the Public Services Division of the Law Library of Congress last fall. Due to the pandemic, Jason has been onboarded almost entirely remotely but he was able to spend one day in his office so far. Describe your background. I’m originally from Texas but have lived on …

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Stuck in the Suez Canal – What are the Legal Implications?

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

The following is a joint guest post by Elizabeth Boomer, an international law consultant, and George Sadek, a foreign law specialist, from the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress. On March 29, 2021, the engineers of the Suez Canal Authority were finally able to restore passage through the Suez Canal after a 1,300-foot, 220,000-ton …