Using the Coleman Karesh Online Law Library Catalog

David Lehmann, J.D., M.I.L.S. Electronic Resources & Reference Librarian Coleman Karesh Law Library University of South Carolina School of Law (803) 777-1666 - [email protected]

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This presentation utilized several base images and text slides from an earlier version done by Stacy Etheredge.

What You Need to Know

• How to use the catalog to find resources; • How to get to resources once you have found them.

How to Find Them

We’ll Focus on Secondary Sources

– Books and Treatises – Journal Articles

How Do We Find Books?

The answer is …

… the Law Library’s online catalog

So where is this online catalog? …

… it all starts with the Law Library’s main webpage …

Using the Law School’s Catalog

• Steps: 1. www.law.sc.edu/library 2. Click on “Law Library Catalog” 3. “Columbia Law Library” (or “Columbia Campus Libraries”)

Click On

Library Search Page

Click On

The Different Methods To Search Catalog

• • • • • Keyword Title Author Subject Advanced Keyword

Keyword Searches

• • • Great for when you are just starting your research Don’t need to use “and” as a connector; the search engine will do it for you Words will be searched across the entire catalog record, but, keep in mind that

catalog records are not meant to be a description of the book

Law Library Catalog

Title Searches

• When you are looking for a specific book and you know the title • The most important thing to remember – It operates as a “string search”, i.e., what you type in is exactly what it looks for!!

Law Library Catalog

Author Searches

• • • When you are looking for a specific book and you know the author’s name When you want to see other books written by an author Names need to be entered in a certain order (last name, first name); however, the catalog will usually suggest an alternative Law Library Catalog

Subject Searches

• Best to avoid this unless you’re a licensed library professional • Except – it’s great when you “go in through the back door” (i.e., do a “subject search” after you have search results from a previous search) Law Library Catalog

Advanced Keyword Searches

• • • More options are available Can do combinations of options The only place where can do “keyword” type searches within the title, author, and subject fields (i.e., are not string searches) • Thus, searching is much more powerful Law Library Catalog

Important!

Always remember …

the law library catalog does not include individual articles from journals and law reviews

All you can do is check to see if the library has a specific law review

How Do We Find Articles?

Need to use databases of articles p.s. print indexes for articles are also in the Law Library, - Index to Legal Periodicals (ILP) - Current Law Index (CLI)

Databases of Articles on the Law Library’s Website

• LegalTrac

(an indexing service)

• HeinOnline

(a full-text service)

(There are also databases of non-legal articles on the

USC Libraries Website – See Legal and Non-legal

Database presentation on the library website page)

Where are These Databases of Articles?

LegalTrac

• • •

Pros

Search screen is easy to use Searching is fast Subject classifications available for “back door subject searches” • •

Cons

Usually just citations and sometimes abstracts; almost no full-text content in LegalTrac itself (although often links to the articles in other USC Libraries databases) Doesn’t go back very far in coverage (1980)

Finding LegalTrac

• www.law.sc.edu/library/ • “Online Resources” • “Electronic Indexes” • Choose “Law” as a subject • “View Sources” • “LegalTrac”

 “Electronic Indexes”  Choose “Law” as a subject

Search Limits

HeinOnline

• • •

Pros

Over 600 law journals Coverage back to their starting dates Articles are .pdf files (thus, includes official pagination, photos, graphics) • •

Cons

Searching is a little slow (.pdf files) Navigation is not always intuitive

(caveat - it keeps getting better and better)

Finding HeinOnline

1. Go to www.law.sc.edu/library 2. Click on “Online Research – Limited Access” 3. Click on “HeinOnline” 4. “Subscribers, Please Click Here to Enter” 5. “Law Journal Library” 6. “Search”

Hein Basic Search Screen

Search

Hein Advanced Search Screen

Search Tips and Guides

REMEMBER……

The library’s limited access resources and electronic index contain many useful databases besides the material available in the online catalog. See Legal and Non-legal Databases presentation on the library website page for many of the other material that are available to you.

Non-Library Resources

There are specific procedures to follow when: 1. The materials are located in our campus Libraries but not the law library; 2. The materials are not located in our Libraries. [Interlibrary Loan]

Interlibrary Loan Requests

• Forms for requesting Interlibrary Loans are available at the Circulation desk or may be submitted online: [ Request an Article ] [ Request a Book ]. • Law Library website: http://www.law.sc.edu/library/student_services.shtml

• There are rules on Interlibrary Loan requests. To check the status of an interlibrary loan request, contact Katie Holtz at 777-1726 or [email protected]

or Karen Taylor at 777-3367 or [email protected]

The End

Remember to ask the Reference Librarians for help if you need assistance