Wisconsin State Law Library

The Wisconsin State Law Library, Milwaukee Legal Resource Center, and Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on Friday, December 31st for a state holiday.

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library while we are closed, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online.

We will respond to questions and requests the following week.

This guide is a gold mine of information for anyone interested in acquiring and maintaining legal information resources, written primarily for solo practitioners and attorneys in small to medium sized law firms operating without a law librarian.

Not only does the Legal Information Buyers Guide & Reference Manual provide a comprehensive list of cost-saving strategies, it also provides detailed information on the major legal treatises and reference works in a wide variety of subject areas. Author Kendall Svengalis, who for over twenty years was the Rhode Island State Law Librarian, provides a description of each included title and online resource and pricing history for supplementation and selected cost-saving tips.

An attorney whose practice is focused in federal court would do well to read the chapter on Federal Practice and Procedure before deciding whether to purchase Wright and Miller or Moore’s. Likewise, anyone wishing to develop an immigration law practice should review the resources annotated in this book before making any purchases. Accompanied by tables that detail the rise in the cost of legal publications, this book provides anyone working with law library budgets reliable data to use in planning future law book spending.

This guide also provides a state-by-state review of primary legal publications and sources for practice materials for each state, as well as leading websites for state-specific law research. And for those interested in legal publishing history, Mr. Svengalis provides a history of the industry accompanied by annotated entries for all of the current leading legal publishers.

State Law Library staff use this book frequently – not only to assist in developing our budgets but also to help direct us to the best sources when working on research questions.

The Wisconsin State Law Library, Milwaukee Legal Resource Center, and Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on Friday, December 24th and Friday, December 31st. Both days are state holidays.

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library while we are closed, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online.

We will respond to questions and requests the following week.

Have you used print or online government documents at the Wisconsin State Law Library? Please tell us about your experience by completing the following survey: Federal Depository Library Program: User Survey

The Library collects government documents that complement and supplement the library's other collections. In addition to legal materials, the library collects annual reports, laws, decisions, regulations, selected handbooks, manuals and general publications of various legislative, judicial and executive branch agencies.  Some of our government document collection is shelved in our Government Documents section, while others are in microfiche or shelved by subject in our regular Treatise collection.

You may have used a government document without knowing it. Here are a few examples from our collection:

• 9/11 Commission report : final report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States
• Code of Federal regulations
• Inmate behavior management : the key to a safe and secure jail 
• Making sense of DNA backlogs : myths vs. reality 
• Statistical abstract of the United States
• Toward a drugs and crime research agenda for the 21st century
• United States code 
• Voter's guide to federal elections
• World factbook

The December issue of the library newsletter, WSLL @ Your Service, has been published.

Highlights include:

• What's New: WSLL Holiday Open House; Holiday closings; After Hours Service; Upcoming classes; WSLL librarians speak out;
• From 307A to G10-1: MLRC relocates within courthouse;
• This Just In: New and updated library materials; Monthly new titles list and RSS link;
• Tech Tip in Brief: Technology Law: Highlights from 2009-2010 Wis. legislative session;
• WSLL Recommends: Wisconsin Attorney's Desk Reference;
• Odds 'n' Endings: "Found" money

Wisconsin Attorneys: Would you like the convenience of using the State Law Library later in the evening or on weekends? If so, subscribe now to our After Hours Service. Are you already a subscriber? Now is the time to renew for 2011!

A calendar-year subscription includes access to the library from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, and a key fob for convenient entry into the building.

As an After Hours subscriber:

• Gain access to the general library collection
• Use the electronic resources available on our public access PCs
• Make photocopies
• Check out circulating library materials

See our After Hours page for more details, or download a first-time subscription or renewal form now.

The Wisconsin State Law Library, Milwaukee Legal Resource Center, and Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on November 25th and 26th. Thursday, November 25th is a state holiday and Friday, November 26th is a state furlough day.

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library while we are closed, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online. We will respond to questions and requests the following week.

The Wisconsin Attorney's Desk Reference, published by the State Bar's division of Continuing Legal Education, provides the main substantive and procedural elements of 11 diverse subjects. General practitioners can use this as a quick reference on a particular point of law. It also provides a useful overview for attorneys expanding into a new practice area or for attorneys out of practice looking for a refresher.




Wisconsin Attorney's Desk Reference



• Administrative Law,
• Appellate Procedure,
• Business Law,
• Civil Litigation,
• Creditor/Debtor,
• Criminal Law,
• Estate Planning and Probate, Family Law,
• Intellectual Property,
• Real Estate and Property,
• Miscellaneous (Mental Health Act, Animal Law, How to Cite)

Circulating copies of the current edition are available at the Wisconsin State Law Library, the Milwaukee Legal Resource Center, and the Dane County Legal Resource Center.

Sign up now for our free December CLE class, Ethics Research via Westlaw. 

Details: 
Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010 
9:00 - 10:00 a.m. 

Review Westlaw sources and learn online searching techniques for researching ethics and professional responsibility questions. Westlaw offers many legal ethics databases, including ABA opinions, case law, and Restatements. This hands-on class will provide you with an opportunity to try searching techniques while learning about specialized databases on Westlaw.

Registration is limited to 8 people, so register now - sign up online or print and send in a registration form.

Please tell us what additional classes we should offer! Contact Heidi Yelk, Reference/Electronic Services Librarian.

On Tuesday, November 9th, from 5-6 p.m., the library catalog may be unavailable due to scheduled server maintenance. 

If you need assistance, contact the Wisconsin State Law Library at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online.

The Milwaukee Legal Resource Center (MLRC) is in a new location within the Courthouse: Room G10-1, on the ground floor near the cafeteria and across the hall from the Civil Division of the Clerk of Courts office.

MLRC's hours, phone and fax numbers remain the same.

The November issue of the library newsletter, WSLL @ Your Service, has been published. 

Highlights include: 

• What's New: MLRC relocates; Holiday closings; Library staff attend LLAW institute; 
• This Just In...: New and updated library materials; Monthly new titles list; 
• Tech Tip in Brief: Web tools worth checking out - Leechblock, Converting PDF to Word; 
• WSLL Recommends: Wisconsin Crimes: Elements, Definitions and Penalties; 
• Odds 'n' Endings: Elections Division website; Keeping up with state agency news

We have completed our scheduled server maintenance.  The library catalog and journal databases can now be accessed.

Contact the Wisconsin State Law Library at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online with questions.

On Thursday, October 28th, the library catalog may be unavailable due to scheduled server maintenance. 

If you need assistance, contact the Wisconsin State Law Library at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online.

When researching criminal acts, attorneys know that jury instructions enumerating the elements of the crime and statutes generally include a description and various penalties. A new, one-volume acquisition, Wisconsin Crimes: Elements, Definitions and Penalties, references statutes, elements, and penalties all in one place.

The book is organized by statute number, listing crimes as they appear in the criminal code. Each entry includes the statute number and heading, elements of the crime, the penalty, and any collateral consequences. If a uniform jury instruction is available, the entry includes a reference to the instruction number. If an entry includes a term that is defined in the statutes, for example, "property of another" that term appears in bold print and is defined in the Definitions section of the book.

This book was originally intended for use by judges but is also a handy, easy-to-use reference guide for attorneys and researchers. Originally published by Judge Dennis Flynn of Racine County in 1997, Professor David E. Schultz updated and expanded the concept to arrive at the current 2009 edition, published by CLEW, UW Law School.

The Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on Friday, October 22nd, a designated Dane County furlough day. 

The Wisconsin State Law Library and Milwaukee Legal Resource Center will remain open.

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online.

We are very pleased to roll out this long-awaited service and hope you will take advantage of it!

The October issue of the library newsletter, WSLL @ Your Service, has been published.

Highlights include:

• What's New: WSLL now accepts credit card payments; Upcoming classes;
• This Just In: New and updated library materials; Monthly new titles list;
• Click To It: CLE Books Unbound: Advanced search techniques;
• WSLL Recommends…: Employment Law Manual for Wisconsin Employers;
• Tech Tip in Brief: Voice recognition software and voice-activated search;
• Odds ‘n' Endings: October notable dates

Renewing your books online is easy! 

Step 1: From the library home page, select "Renew Library Materials"





Step 2: Enter your name (last name only, or first and last) and library card number (barcode number on your library card)





Step 3: Check the box next to the items you wish to renew and select the "Renew Selected" button.  If you want to renew all the books you have checked out, simply select the "Renew All" button.




Congratulations, you have renewed your library checkouts online!

When researching employment law compliance, remember the Employment Law Manual for Wisconsin Employers. Authored by Milwaukee attorney Thomas P. Krukowski and published by Krukowski & Costello law firm, the 2010 edition contains over 1,300 pages arranged into 31 chapters that cover everything from the hiring process to employee discharge, benefits continuation, and recordkeeping and retention requirements. Here are just a few of the many features:

• Detailed checklists to assist in auditing employer policies
• A sample employee handbook, for drafting or auditing your own
• Computers and privacy in the workplace
• How to conduct employee background checks
• COBRA health insurance continuation rules and forms
• Termination checklist and recommendations
• Which records to keep and for how long

The companion CD-ROM, also revised in 2010, contains all the sample forms and policies provided in the manual, including the sample employee handbook. To help researchers stay up to date, Krukowski also publishes two e-newsletters covering a current topic in employment law and OSHA compliance each month. Free registration and archives of both newsletters are available on the Krukowski & Costello website.

The Wisconsin State Law Library and Milwaukee Legal Resource Center each own the Employment Law Manual for Wisconsin Employers. Visit today to use or borrow it.

This fall is full of legal research classes at the Wisconsin State Law Library. There is still time to sign up for our last September class, Researching Wisconsin Legislative History: Sources & Strategies.  


October offers up three free CLE classes - an encore of legislative history and our Westlaw double-header - all with space still available.

In November, make plans to attend our free annual refresher on Wisconsin briefs online: Accessing Wisconsin Briefs via the Internet.

You can learn more and pre-register for our classes right now by going to our Classes page.  Register online, or mail in a registration form.

The Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on Friday, September 17th, a designated Dane County furlough day. 

The Wisconsin State Law Library and Milwaukee Legal Resource Center will remain open.

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online.

Have you checked our catalog and online databases and still not found the book or article you need?  You may want to send us an interlibrary loan request.

Interlibrary loan is a way for the Wisconsin State Law Library to borrow materials from other libraries - for you!  We'll use our extensive interlibrary loan connections to borrow books, journals, or order copies of articles.

Learn more about interlibrary loan and browse FAQs on our website.  If you have a library card, place a request online or call a librarian for more help.

The September issue of the library newsletter, WSLL @ Your Service, has been published. 

Highlights include: 

• What's New: Staff news; Deputy Law Librarian's Iraq experiences; Upcoming classes;
• This Just In...: New and updated library materials; Monthly new titles list;
• WSLL Recommends...: American Law Reports;
• Tech Tip in Brief: Make your own "fillable" form;
• Odds 'n' Endings: Murder & intrigue at the library; Battle of the Barristers

The Wisconsin State Law Library, Milwaukee Legal Resource Center, and Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on Monday, September 6th, in observance of Labor Day.

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library while we are closed, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online. We will respond to questions and requests on Tuesday, September 7th.

A new electronics recycling law, 2009 Wisconsin Act 50, becomes effective today. Learn more about "e-cycling" at the WI Dept. of Natural Resource's E-Cycle Wisconsin page.

See how this law affects consumers and where you can recycle your old electronics. Check out this list of locations all around the State of Wisconsin.

Do you use Westlaw at your office, or the free Westlaw available at the Wisconsin State Law Library and Milwaukee Legal Resource Center?  If you need a refresher, be sure to sign up for both of our Westlaw classes on October 6th: Ethics Research Via Westlaw, followed by Westlaw at WSLL.

For more details, and to register for these and other classes, check out our list of available classes.

Consulting American Law Reports (ALR) can be an effective way to begin your legal research. This annotation service, published by West, summarizes legal issues and provides citations to relevant cases, statutes, regulations, law review articles, and legal treatises. Continue your case law search by using the recommended Westlaw search query or broaden your research in one of listed topical databases.

You may locate an annotation by searching the ALR Index or the ALR Quick Index. Citations to ALR annotations can also be found in other research resources such as Am Jur2d and CJS.

The State Law Library has a complete ALR collection including ALR - ALR6th, ALRFed, and ALRFed2d. You may also access annotations using the ALR database in Westlaw, which is available at the State Law Library and the Milwaukee Legal Resource Center.

You might already login to the catalog to renew materials, but did you know that you can save your favorite catalog searches, using the "Preferred Search" feature?

With preferred searches, you can log in and rerun any saved search without having to remember and recreate it. Setting up saved searches also allows you to get email updates whenever a new title matching your search gets added to the catalog.

Set Up and Use Preferred Searches

Step 1: Login to catalog
Step 2: Run a search (e.g. keyword search for "civil rico")
Step 3: Choose "Save as Preferred Search"

Choose "Save as Preferred Search" to save your search terms and settings

Viewing and Rerunning Preferred Searches

1. Login to catalog
2. From your account screen, choose the "Preferred Search" button on the right
   
   
3. If you have already created some saved searches, you will see them listed.  Select the "Search" link to the right of each saved search to rerun that search.

Getting Email Updates from Your Search

1. Login to catalog
2. From your account screen, choose the "Preferred Search" button on the right
   
3. Look for the check boxes next to your saved search.  Check the box under the "Mark for Email" column, then click the "Update List" button.
4. Are you unsure if you have an email address on your account?  Contact the Circulation Desk at 608-266-1600 or select the "Modify Personal Info" button on the right to add or change your email address.

Remove Preferred Searches

If you've finished with the project for which you set up saved searches, preferred searches are easy to remove.

1. Login to catalog
2. From your account screen, choose the "Preferred Search" button on the right
   
3. Look for the check boxes next to your saved search.  Check the box under the "Mark to Remove" column, then click the "Update List" button. 

Any questions?  Feel free to ask a librarian for assistance by phone or email.

Our County Resources database has recently grown.  We have added new links to agencies, like child support, district attorney offices, and legal assistance organizations.  Changes also include new court forms and guides developed by individual counties, court fees, county clerk guides and more!

The database offers access to county departments, forms, procedural guides, sources for legal assistance, court rules and ordinances.

From the start page, select a county or leave the drop down at "All Wisconsin Counties". Choose whether you wish to view everything (leave all boxes selected), or whether you would only like to see certain information, like agencies, or forms. Then simply click "Go"!

This database is updated weekly. If you have corrections or suggestions for your county, contact the webmaster.

The August issue of the library newsletter, WSLL @ Your Service, has been published.  

Highlights include: 

• What's New: Staff news; Upcoming classes;
• This Just In: New and updated library materials; Monthly new titles list; 
• Tech Tip in Brief: CiteGenie Firefox add-on; Smartphone research;
• WSLL Recommends: United States code congressional and administrative news;
• Odds 'n' Endings: Updated title alerts with HeinOnline; New Westlaw legal research blog

Since our first free Westlaw class on August 11th filled up quickly, we have added a second session.  The second session will be from 10:30-11:30 am on August 11th.  See the full details below: 

Westlaw at WSLL
Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2010, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Come learn about FREE Westlaw available at the Wisconsin State Law Library! This class will showcase Westlaw Patron Access, a Westlaw service offered on the library’s public access computers. This service includes free searching of state and federal primary law - cases, statutes, codes and legislation. Library patrons also have access to KeyCite, online forms and treatises, such as McQuillin: The Law of Municipal Corporations; Norton Bankrtupcy Law and Practice, 2d; Fletchers Cyclopedia of the Law of Private Corporations and much more. This class will offer useful tips on effective searching in both Boolean and Natural Language modes.

FREE Class. 1 CLE credit applied for. Registration is limited to 8.
Register Online | Print Registration Form
Location: Wisconsin State Law Library

Sign up now for our new fall legal research classes.  All of our fall classes are free, and space is limited!

In September make the best use of the library's subscription database, HeinOnline.  Learn how to research ethics and professional responsibility issues on Westlaw in October. This November, learn how to streamline your search for briefs using free internet sources.

Seats are also still available for our two August classes on researching Wisconsin legislative history and using Westlaw.  (EDIT 7/29: a second session of the Westlaw class has been added: Aug 11, 10:30-11:30)

Sign up today!

All WI State Law Library classes are held at the Wisconsin State Law Library, 120 MLK Jr. Blvd., 2nd floor, in downtown Madison.

The United States Code Congressional and Administrative News (USCCAN), published by West, collects selected Congressional and administrative legislative history materials from 1941 onwards. The title is issued in pamphlets and bound session bundles with a subject index and Table of Laws Enacted. Recent pamphlets include current session highlights about pending legislation as well.

This series includes the full text of new Federal laws, selected committee reports, proclamations, executive orders, committee rosters, and more. The legislative history section also includes citations to the Congressional Record and bill numbers. Hearings are not included.

Library has:

Paper: 1944 - Current
Public Westlaw: 1948 - Current (database ID: USCCAN-REP)

If you need a little vacation, be sure to stop by the Wisconsin State Law Library to browse our donated collection of legal fiction and movies relating to courts and the criminal justice system.

Browse our video list, which includes popular movies like Erin Brockovich, People vs. Larry Flint, and the entire series DVDs of the West Wing.

Our fiction collection is even larger, and includes bestselling authors Tom Clancy, John Grisham, Patricia Cornwell, and more.

Do you have something you would like to donate?  Bring it by any of the library locations or contact us for more information.

The July issue of the library newsletter, WSLL @ Your Service, has been published.  

Highlights include:  

• What's New: Staff news; Upcoming classes; 
• This Just In…: New and updated library materials; Monthly new titles list; 
• WSLL Recommends: Timely Compilation on Health Care Reform: Staff-recommended books; 
• Tech Tip in Brief: Tips for the casual Microsoft user, including outlines and autocorrect; 
• Odds 'n' Endings: New Search Screen for HeinOnline Law Journal Library; Travel Wisconsin

The Wisconsin State Law Library, Milwaukee Legal Resource Center, and Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on Monday, July 5th in observance of Independence Day.

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library while we are closed, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online. We will respond to questions and requests on Tuesday, July 6th.

A new addition to our collection, Health Care Reform Special Alert delivers an analysis of the recent Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Reconciliation Act of 2010. Accompanying this analysis are issue-focused white papers on hospitals, employee benefit plans, fraud and abuse, taxation, and more. Use this as a quick reference to the US Code with its "sections affected" table, or refer to the compiled US Code sections spanning the two volumes. A comprehensive subject index rounds out this new resource.

Last week we talked about the free Westlaw access on public computers in the Wisconsin State Law Library and Milwaukee Legal Resource Center, provided by the library subscription to Westlaw Public Access.

In order to help you learn to make the most of this valuable resource, we are offering a second helping of our free class, Westlaw @ WSLL, in August.

Space is limited, so sign up today!

Details:

Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2010, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
FREE Class. 1 CLE credit applied for. Registration is limited to 8.
Location: Wisconsin State Law Library

Register Online or Print Registration Form

Come learn about FREE Westlaw available at the Wisconsin State Law Library! This class will showcase Westlaw Patron Access, a Westlaw service offered on the library’s public access computers. This service includes free searching of state and federal primary law - cases, statutes, codes and legislation. Library patrons also have access to KeyCite, online forms and treatises, such as McQuillin: The Law of Municipal Corporations; Norton Bankrtupcy Law and Practice, 2d; Fletchers Cyclopedia of the Law of Private Corporations and much more. This class will offer useful tips on effective searching in both Boolean and Natural Language modes.

All WI State Law Library classes are held at the Wisconsin State Law Library, 120 MLK Jr. Blvd., 2nd floor, in downtown Madison.

Did you know that free Westlaw is available at the Wisconsin State Law Library and the Milwaukee Legal Resource Center? Thanks to the library's subscription, Westlaw Public Access is available to our patrons for free on library computers.

Search primary law databases (case law, statutes, codes) at the Wisconsin and federal level plus all 50 states. In addition, access law reviews, forms, and a host of treatises. KeyCite, a citation verification tool, is also included.

Here are just a few popular databases to get you started:

McQuillin Law of Municipal Corporations (database ID: Municorp)

Contains the full text of the leading authority on municipal law, McQuillin Law of Municipal Corporations 3d consisting of 30 indexed, annotated volumes that study all aspects of the law of municipal corporations, including analysis of all significant cases on essentially every critical point of law.

Wisconsin Practice Series - Insurance Defense (database ID: WIPRAC-IDF)

Consists of material that relates to insurance & tort law and is compiled from the Wisconsin Practice Series

Wisconsin Headnotes (database ID: WI-HN) coverage 1849-present

Remember scanning pages and pages of Key Number Digest entries, searching for the perfect case? Now, you can accomplish the same result in minutes with a simple keyword search in the Wisconsin Headnotes database. With headnote summaries, a precise search may include just one or two terms.  This file contains headnotes to cases from Wisconsin Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.

Are you located outside of Madison, but need to borrow something from our library? If you are a judge or attorney licensed to practice in Wisconsin, you can use our Borrow by Mail service to get library materials shipped directly to you.

Step 1: Check our catalog (or ask us) for the item in question

Step 2: Fill out our online request form (or call us) to place a request. Check our Borrow by Mail guidelines for shipping information and loan times.

Step 3: When you're done with the book, simply ship it back to us! (You may renew online if you need more time.)

The June issue of the library newsletter, WSLL @ Your Service, has been published. 

Highlights include: 

• What's New:  Shelf layout updates; Upcoming classes; Free Westlaw access; The Young and the Restless in court; Library closings in July;
• This Just In: New and updated library materials; Monthly new titles list;
• Start Here: Resources on Agriculture: Animal Law
• Tech Tip in Brief: Microsoft Office Templates
• Odds 'n' Endings: New look for PACER; Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan

The Wisconsin State Law Library, Milwaukee Legal Resource Center, and Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on Friday, May 28th for a designated furlough day, and Monday, May 31st for the Memorial Day holiday.

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library while we are closed, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online.  We will respond to questions and requests on Tuesday, June 1st.

Space is still available for our June class, Researching Wisconsin Legislative History: Sources and Strategies.  Make plans now to attend LegalTrac at the Wisconsin State Law Library in July, and learn how to make the most of of this accessible tool.  Get a Westlaw research refresher at our Westlaw at WSLL class in August.
Researching Wisconsin Legislative History: Sources and Strategies
Wednesday, June 9, 2010, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

"I need the legislative history of a Wisconsin statute. Where do I start? What do I do?" Get answers to these questions and more during this hands-on class. Participants will look at the primary resources used to research Wisconsin legislative history; navigate the online Wisconsin legislative drafting files; and learn some time saving tips and tricks along the way.
Fee: $50. 1.5 CLE credits applied for. Registration is limited to 8.
Register Online | Print Registration Form
Location: Wisconsin State Law Library

LegalTrac at the Wisconsin State Law Library
Wednesday, July 21, 2010, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Locating law reviews and bar journals online is easy – when you use the right tools! LegalTrac is a tool that makes legal research easier. This proprietary database provides access to major law reviews, bar journals, legal newspapers and international legal journals. And it’s free through the Wisconsin State Law Library. Come learn how to search this database, which includes 30 years worth of content and over one million articles. Hands on class.
FREE Class. 1 CLE credit applied for. Registration is limited to 8.
Register Online | Print Registration Form
Location: Wisconsin State Law Library

Westlaw at WSLL
Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2010, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Come learn about FREE Westlaw available at the Wisconsin State Law Library! This class will showcase Westlaw Patron Access, a Westlaw service offered on the library’s public access computers. This service includes free searching of state and federal primary law - cases, statutes, codes and legislation. Library patrons also have access to KeyCite, online forms and treatises, such as McQuillin: The Law of Municipal Corporations; Norton Bankrtupcy Law and Practice, 2d; Fletchers Cyclopedia of the Law of Private Corporations and much more. This class will offer useful tips on effective searching in both Boolean and Natural Language modes.
FREE Class. 1 CLE credit applied for. Registration is limited to 8.
Register Online | Print Registration Form
Location: Wisconsin State Law Library

Use our Library Catalog to retrieve articles from any of the more than 8,000 electronic full text journals available. Our Articles and Journals page opens up access to even more articles and online books. The best part? Research from your own office, at home, or wherever and whenever you're searching the web!

Legal Databases

HeinOnline Law Journal Library: an archive of law reviews, Federal legislation, codes, regulations, and even legal treatises and government documents. HeinOnline boasts a number of additional databases, including Legal Classics, English Reports, and US Attorney General Opinions. 
See our tutorial: Find and Print a Law Review on HeinOnline

LegalTrac: a searchable index of law reviews, bar journals, and legal newspapers, covering articles since around 1980.

We recommend: Search our catalog for the journal or newspaper title to see what is available online and in print.

Journals and News

In partnership with Wisconsin's BadgerLink, we also provide access to a number of other article databases. We highlight the following on our Articles & Journals page:

• Academic, MasterFile, and Business Source Premier
• Newspaper Source Plus and Regional Business News

Check out BadgerLink for much more!

Log In From Home or Work

Use your library card to log into HeinOnline or LegalTrac from home or work. If you have questions, please ask a librarian.

Be sure to watch our tutorial:  Accessing HeinOnline From Your Office or Home Computer

You can also use your library card to access BadgerLink databases, though you might already be able to use them with another Wisconsin public library card, or over a Wisconsin internet service provider's network.

Wisconsin State Law Library cards are unique to our libraries. If you already have a card from your public library or another law library, you'll need one of our cards in order to borrow books from any of our three locations, or to take advantage of remote access to great databases, like LegalTrac and HeinOnline.

If you're eligible for a free library card, visit any one of our three locations to register in person - it takes just a few minutes. Or, to receive your card by mail, simply fill out our online application. To find out if you are eligible for a library card, check our borrower page.

More information is available in recent newsletter articles:

• Click to it: Congressional and U.S. Agency Research
• Click to It: Using LegalTrac for Article Research
• Click to it: Legal Research at Your Fingertips - Using the Library Catalog
• Click to It: Legal Research at Your Fingertips - HeinOnline Legal Classics

The annual convention for the State Bar of Wisconsin is in Madison, from May 5-7.

We cordially invite attendees to visit the Wisconsin State Law Library. The library is located at 120 MLK, Jr. Blvd., just one short block from the Monona Terrace Convention Center. Hours are 8-5 M-F.

Relax with a book from our Prose & Cons legal fiction collection as you enjoy the views of downtown and Lake Monona.  The library also offers free access to computers and wireless internet.

We look forward to your visit!

The May issue of the library newsletter, WSLL @ Your Service, has been published. 

Highlights include:

• WSLL Welcomes State Bar Convention Attendees;
• What's New: Library closings in May; Upcoming classes; National Library Week wrap-up; Staff news;
• This Just In…: New and updated library materials; Monthly new titles list;
• Click To It: Case Law Research with Google Scholar: Tips and tutorial on searching Google Scholar for legal opinions and articles;
• Tech Tip in Brief: Lawyers and cloud computing; Before the iPad...

Just in time for summer projects, we are offering Researching Wisconsin Legislative History: Sources and Strategies in June.  Take LegalTrac at the Wisconsin State Law Library in July, and learn how to make the most of of this accessible tool.  Get a Westlaw research refresher at our Westlaw at WSLL class in August.

Researching Wisconsin Legislative History: Sources and Strategies
Wednesday, June 9, 2010, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

"I need the legislative history of a Wisconsin statute. Where do I start? What do I do?" Get answers to these questions and more during this hands-on class. Participants will look at the primary resources used to research Wisconsin legislative history; navigate the online Wisconsin legislative drafting files; and learn some time saving tips and tricks along the way.
Fee: $50. 1.5 CLE credits applied for. Registration is limited to 8.
Register Online | Print Registration Form
Location: Wisconsin State Law Library

LegalTrac at the Wisconsin State Law Library
Wednesday, July 21, 2010, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Locating law reviews and bar journals online is easy – when you use the right tools! LegalTrac is a tool that makes legal research easier. This proprietary database provides access to major law reviews, bar journals, legal newspapers and international legal journals. And it’s free through the Wisconsin State Law Library. Come learn how to search this database, which includes 30 years worth of content and over one million articles. Hands on class.
FREE Class. 1 CLE credit applied for. Registration is limited to 8.
Register Online | Print Registration Form
Location: Wisconsin State Law Library

Westlaw at WSLL
Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2010, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Come learn about FREE Westlaw available at the Wisconsin State Law Library! This class will showcase Westlaw Patron Access, a Westlaw service offered on the library’s public access computers. This service includes free searching of state and federal primary law - cases, statutes, codes and legislation. Library patrons also have access to KeyCite, online forms and treatises, such as McQuillin: The Law of Municipal Corporations; Norton Bankrtupcy Law and Practice, 2d; Fletchers Cyclopedia of the Law of Private Corporations and much more. This class will offer useful tips on effective searching in both Boolean and Natural Language modes.
FREE Class. 1 CLE credit applied for. Registration is limited to 8.
Register Online | Print Registration Form
Location: Wisconsin State Law Library

I love being able to check out books and other materials. So this Love Your Library Card post is dedicated to exploring our collection.

Check out our comprehensive collection of materials, designed to serve current legal research needs. Popular resources include the Wisconsin State Bar "brown books", National Business Institute seminar materials, and the Nolo and Nutshell series. And don't forget our wide general treatise collection, periodicals, and resources for other states.

These are just a taste of what we have to offer:

Media Collection

The Media Collection has trial practice materials on family law, estate planning, real estate, business law, and other legal areas, in audio and video formats. Check out CLE seminars from the State Bar of Wisconsin and National Business Institute along with instructional materials from the American Bar Association and other legal training sources.

Drug Court Collection @ DCLRC

Designed for pro se litigants, attorneys, advocates, and court staff, the Dane County Legal Resource Center's drug court collection contains both legal and medical books as well as resources on rehabilitation, drug court operation manuals, memoirs, judicial education materials, and medical dictionaries.

Court and Judicial Administration

Check out seminar materials produced by the Wisconsin Court System's Office of Judicial Education. Find State Justice Institute reports on a wide variety of court-related topics. We also collect publications from the National Center for State Courts.

Federal Government Documents

Discover government documents that complement and supplement the library's other collections. We collect annual reports, laws, decisions, regulations, selected handbooks, manuals and general publications of various legislative, judicial and executive branch agencies.

Prose & Cons

Looking for something a little lighter to read? The Library has a collection of donated legal fiction and DVDs relating to courts and the criminal justice system.

Many Ways to Explore

To begin: Search the Catalog. Be sure to check out our monthly New Titles lists and newsletter articles highlighting the collection, like this one on the Prose & Cons and Management collections.

And even if you can't check out everything in the library, it's worth exploring our Rare Books and other archival collections.

Wisconsin State Law Library cards are unique to our libraries. If you already have a card from your public library or another law library, you'll need one of our cards in order to borrow books from any of our three locations, or to take advantage of remote access to great databases, like LegalTrac and HeinOnline.

If you're eligible for a free library card, visit any one of our three locations to register in person - it takes just a few minutes. Or, to receive your card by mail, simply fill out our online application. To find out if you are eligible for a library card, check our borrower page.

Check out what the Wisconsin State Law Library has to offer!

Librarians are my heroes.  This is a response we received recently at the reference desk, and what a terrific way to begin National Library Week!

This week, libraries across the country promote the value that libraries and librarians bring to their communities by offering a wide variety of activities and events.  WSLL, MLRC and DCLRC are pleased and proud to join in that tradition again this year.

Visitors to our libraries will find a variety of legal resource displays, treats, and even some library and law themed games with chances to win prizes! This year we're also providing an opportunity to help make a difference in the lives of incarcerated parents and their young children.

DCLRC has organized a book donation drive to support Kids Connection, a volunteer student-run project of the UW-Madison SLIS Jail Library Group. Kids Connection promotes family literacy and communication between locally incarcerated custodial parents and their children, by giving inmates the opportunity to record themselves reading a children's book aloud. Both the book and the recording are sent as a gift to the inmate's child(ren), who can then listen to Mom's or Dad's voice while following along in the book. We hope you'll consider supporting Kids Connection by donating a book or two.  Drop off your donated book at WSLL and get a small treat and an entry to win a prize.

Donations of new or very gently used children's books for Kids Connection may be dropped off Monday through Friday April 12-16 at the Dane County Legal Resource Center or the Wisconsin State Law Library. Kids Connection is especially in need of books for toddlers and preschoolers, but they will accept donations appropriate for infants through 5th grade (ages 10-11). To get some ideas, see this list of suggested notable and popular children's books categorized by age.

So – remember to visit us April 12-16 to drop off your children's book donation, enjoy a treat, enter a quick and fun contest, and help us celebrate National Library Week 2010. The more the merrier, so invite your colleagues, too!

New classes are now available!  Registration is limited, so sign up today.

Just in time for summer projects, we are offering Researching Wisconsin Legislative History: Sources & Strategies in June.  Take LegalTrac at the Wisconsin State Law Library in July, and learn how to make the most of of this accessible tool.  And finally, if you missed Westlaw at WSLL in April, you will have another chance to take this valuable class in August.


Researching Wisconsin Legislative History: Sources & Strategies
Wednesday, June 9, 2010, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

"I need the legislative history of a Wisconsin statute. Where do I start? What do I do?" Get answers to these questions and more during this hands-on class. Participants will look at the primary resources used to research Wisconsin legislative history; navigate the online Wisconsin legislative drafting files; and learn some time saving tips and tricks along the way.
Fee: $50. 1.5 CLE credits applied for. Registration is limited to 8.
Register Online | Print Registration Form
Location: Wisconsin State Law Library

LegalTrac at the Wisconsin State Law Library
Wednesday, July 21, 2010, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Locating law reviews and bar journals online is easy – when you use the right tools! LegalTrac is a tool that makes legal research easier. This proprietary database provides access to major law reviews, bar journals, legal newspapers and international legal journals. And it’s free through the Wisconsin State Law Library. Come learn how to search this database, which includes 30 years worth of content and over one million articles. Hands on class.
FREE Class. 1 CLE credit applied for. Registration is limited to 8.
Register Online | Print Registration Form
Location: Wisconsin State Law Library

Westlaw at WSLL
Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2010, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Come learn about FREE Westlaw available at the Wisconsin State Law Library! This class will showcase Westlaw Patron Access, a Westlaw service offered on the library’s public access computers. This service includes free searching of state and federal primary law - cases, statutes, codes and legislation. Library patrons also have access to KeyCite, online forms and treatises, such as McQuillin: The Law of Municipal Corporations; Norton Bankrtupcy Law and Practice, 2d; Fletchers Cyclopedia of the Law of Private Corporations and much more. This class will offer useful tips on effective searching in both Boolean and Natural Language modes.
FREE Class. 1 CLE credit applied for. Registration is limited to 8.
Register Online | Print Registration Form
Location: Wisconsin State Law Library

 

The April issue of the library newsletter, WSLL @ Your Service, has been published. 

Highlights include: 

• What's New: WSLL staff news; National library week 2010; Upcoming classes;
• This Just In: New and updated library materials; Monthly new titles list;
• Start Here: Selected resources on credit / debt;
• Tech Tip in Brief: Use advanced search to improve results;
• Odds 'n' Endings: Five day mail service; April notables

Are you curious about the spring election on Tuesday, April 6th? 

Positions up for election include appellate court judge in Districts II and IV.  To learn more about the candidates, see the State Bar of Wisconsin's news article: Elections are next week: Meet districts II and IV Court of Appeals candidates. 

Go to the State Elections Division for the full list of offices to be elected, and candidates on the ballot for April 6, 2010.

Visit the State Law Library's Politics and Elections legal topic page for links to other pertinent resources on voting laws.

The Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on Friday, April 2nd, a designated Dane County furlough day. 

The Wisconsin State Law Library and Milwaukee Legal Resource Center will remain open.

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online.

The library is pleased to host Westlaw representatives as they demonstrate the new WestlawNext, a redesigned Westlaw search interface.

You are invited to stop by the library today, Tuesday, April 1st, anytime from 10 a.m. through 3 p.m. for a sneak peek at this new product.  Door prizes and food will be provided.

Starting this week, Wisconsin residents will be able to record their organ donation intentions using a secure online registry at yesiwillwisconsin.com.  The launching of this registry coincides with National Donate Life Month (April).  To commemorate both of these events, we have added a new legal topic: Organ and Tissue Donation.

Learn more about the law of organ donation and how you can donate life.

New links include:

• Agencies and Organizations
• WI Organ and Tissue Donor Program, WI Dept of Health Services
• Yes, I Will Wisconsin
• Forms
• Family Notification Card (Donate Life)
• Becoming an Organ Donor (WI Dept of Transportation)
• Organ and Tissue Donation Fact Sheet (Donate Life)
• Organ Donation Legislative Brief (WI Legislative Reference Bureau)
• plus, local information, statutes, and more!

Ah, Wisconsin State Law Library Card.  How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways.

1. One is for checking out books, videos, seminar materials, and more.
2. Two is for getting articles and treatises online from anywhere both I and the internet happen to be.
3. Three is for borrowing materials by mail
4. Four is for saving searches in our catalog
5. Five is for getting my summer thrillers from Prose & Cons
6. Six is for borrowing from other libraries with Interlibrary Loan
7. Seven is for...   Well, you'll just have to wait and see!

This spring and summer we will be running a series of short articles on what your Wisconsin State Law Library card can do for you.  Be sure to tune in - and get a library card now to get in on the fun.

Much as we would like to, we cannot guarantee a solid week of sunshine.  But, March 14-20 is designated as Sunshine Week, a national initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. Participants include print, broadcast and online news media, civic groups, libraries, nonprofits, schools and others interested in the public's right to know. The annual observance takes place around March 16, the birthday of James Madison, who was the fourth President of the United States, a staunch advocate of openness in government, and is widely regarded as the "father of the U.S. Constitution."

If you'd like to join the celebration, then consider registering for the 5th Annual Sunshine Week webcast, sponsored by the American Association of Law Libraries and OpenTheGovernment.org.

Take some time this week to watch a tutorial at our online Learning Center.  Whether you are looking for research tips or you just need a quick introduction to a topic, our tutorials are geared to give you quick help in just a couple minutes. 

Tutorial topics include:

• Foreclosure
• Hiring a Lawyer
• Accessing HeinOnline
• and more

Try one today!

Finding Wisconsin Briefs




Is there a topic for which you would like to see a new tutorial?  Let us know! 

While you're researching, remember our Start Here handouts: subject-specific guides to library books and website resources.

The March issue of the library's newsletter, WSLL @ Your Service, has been published. 

Highlights include:

• What's New: Upcoming classes;
• Click to It: Congressional and U.S. Agency Research;
• This Just In: New and updated library materials; Monthly new titles list;
• Tech Tip in Brief: The ins and outs of cell phone recycling;
• Odds 'n' Endings: Tax preparation and March notables

The Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on Friday, February 26th, a designated Dane County furlough day.

The Wisconsin State Law Library and Milwaukee Legal Resource Center will remain open.

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online.

Space is still available for next month's free class on the government-centered WisconsinEye network. 

Watch, Learn, and Listen with WisconsinEye
Wednesday, March 17, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
FREE Class. 1 CLE credit applied for
Location: Wisconsin State Law Library

WisconsinEye has been dubbed "Wisconsin's C-SPAN," providing live coverage and archived video of various government happenings. The website and television channel are valuable tools for anyone following state and local government. In this one-hour educational session, Christopher Long, CEO and President of WisconsinEye, will discuss the history and mission of the network, lead a tour of the website and take questions pertaining to this unique service. Legislative hearings, floor sessions, Supreme Court oral arguments, local public board meetings and news conferences are just some of the offerings on WisconsinEye. Join us to learn about these and more!

Register Online or Print Registration Form

Please tell us what additional classes we should offer. To make a suggestion, contact Heidi Yelk, Reference/Electronic Services Librarian.

Explore our most recent additions to HeinOnline! We now subscribe to HeinOnline's U.S. Congressional Documents and U.S. Federal Agency Documents, Decisions, and Appeals libraries.

The U.S. Congressional Documents Library includes full text access to:

• Congressional Record;
• Congressional Directory;
• Statutes at Large
• Government directories

The U.S. Federal Agency Documents, Decisions, and Appeals includes full text access to:

• Environmental Administrative Decisions
• FCC Record (& previous title FCC Reports)
• Federal Trade Commission Decisions
• Internal Revenue Cumulative Bulletin and Internal Revenue Bulletin
• National Labor Relations Board Decisions
• Reports of the U.S. Tax Courts
• Securities and Exchange Commission Decisions

For a complete listing of new titles in the Library Catalog, visit the HeinOnline Congressional and HeinOnline Federal Agency resource lists.

The Wisconsin State Law Library, Milwaukee Legal Resource Center, and Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on Monday, February 15th, a designated furlough day.

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library while we are closed, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online.  We will respond to questions and requests the following day.

The February issue of the library's newsletter, WSLL @ Your Service, has been published. 

Highlights include:

• Mastering the Art of Legal Research...a look at 2009;
• Milwaukee Legal Resource Center: 2009 Highlights;
• Dane County Legal Resource Center: 2009 Highlights;
• What's New:  Upcoming library closures; HeinOnline update; Upcoming classes;
• This Just In...: New and updated library materials; Monthly new titles list

Seats are still available in the following upcoming classes.  Sign up today! 

• February 18: Lawyers and Social Media;
• March 17: Watch, Learn, and Listen with WisconsinEye;

Please tell us what additional classes we should offer. To make a suggestion, contact Heidi Yelk, Reference/Electronic Services Librarian.

Bar journals are now available on HeinOnline.  To better serve our customers, the library has purchased full text access to HeinOnline's Bar Journal collection.  This means our patrons now have full text, electronic access to over 50 leading bar journals with coverage dating back to the early 1900's. 

Let the library come to you - learn how to access HeinOnline from your home or office.

The Wisconsin State Law Library, Milwaukee Legal Resource Center, and Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on Monday, January 18th in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library while we are closed, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online.  We will respond to questions and requests the following day.

The January issue of the library's newsletter, WSLL @ Your Service, has been published.  

Highlights include: 

• What’s New: Document delivery fee changes; Upcoming library closings; Upcoming classes;
  
• This Just In...: New and updated library materials; Monthly new titles list;
  
• Tech Tip in Brief: Password protection for USB drives;
  
• Odds ‘n’ Endings: Snow related facts and websites; January notables