Top of page
Posted by: Margaret Wood
This week’s interview is with Ann Hemmens, a legal reference librarian with the Public Services Division of the Law Library of Congress. Describe your background. I grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. My parents were transplants from Illinois and I inherited their interest in travel and living in different parts of the country. I’ve …
Posted in: Collections, Guest Post, Interview, Law Library
Posted by: Jeanine Cali
The following is a guest post by Elissa C. Lichtenstein, director of the Division for Public Services of the American Bar Association. On August 8, 2014 in Boston, Massachusetts, the American Bar Association (ABA) will unveil a unique exhibit celebrating Magna Carta. MAGNA CARTA: ENDURING LEGACY 1215-2015 explores the history of the “Great Charter” and …
Posted in: Event, Guest Post
Posted by: Barbara Bavis
This post is coauthored by Barbara Bavis and Robert Brammer, legal reference specialists. Everyone has a favorite lawyer joke. Robert encountered his favorite in the waiting room of a law office. Sitting on a table was a book titled, “Lawyer’s Book of Ethics.” It was blank. Notwithstanding this perception, the reality is that law is …
Posted in: Law Library, Research Guide
Posted by: Margaret Wood
James (Jim) Martin, Andrew Weber and I were talking about Christmas movies several weeks ago. Jim describes himself as a cynic, who “developed a taste for what I call ‘alternative Christmas,’ films such as The Lion in Winter and Desk Set.” Jim defines alternative Christmas films as “films that take place during the holiday period, but …
Posted in: Education, In the News, 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: Margaret Wood
The following is a guest post by James Martin, Senior Legal Information Analyst at the Law Library of Congress. The Chicago Legal News has the distinction of being the first legal publication in the United States that was edited by a woman, Myra Bradwell. In 1868, Myra submitted a prospectus for a legal newspaper for …
Posted in: Collections, Guest Post, Law Library, Pic of the Week
Posted by: Margaret Wood
The following is a guest post by Jim Martin, Senior Legal Information Analyst at the Law Library of Congress. The city of Chicago has produced many leaders in the American bar. Among one of the most influential attorneys from Chicago was Myra Bradwell, a prominent social reformer from the later third of the 19th century. …
Posted in: Collections, Guest Post, Law Library
Posted by: Andrew Weber
The following is a guest post by David Mao, Law Librarian of Congress. He has previously guest posted on Rebellious Children and Witches. David has been previously interviewed in his role as the Deputy Law Librarian of Congress. Moving into my new office, I came across two curious artifacts in a drawer: a pair of old keys. One …
Posted in: Guest Post, Law Library
Posted by: Clare Feikert-Ahalt
This weeks’ interview is with Judith Gaskell, former Librarian of the Supreme Court of the United States. Judy is currently volunteering at the Law Library and is working in the office next door to mine. I couldn’t resist popping over and asking her to do an interview for our blog. She kindly and graciously accepted. Please …
Posted in: Collections, Interview, Law Library