News from the law library
Posts about the UVic Law Library: hours updates, library news, events, etc.
Brief 30-minute refresher sessions will be offered in the law library computer lab in the next 2 weeks to assist LRW students with with the research aspect their open memo assignments. Here are the dates and times:
The first week will emphasise using secondary sources, and the second week will emphasise finding case law.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released its final report into the history of Canada’s residential school system on Tuesday, December 12. The TRC’s Executive Summary and Calls to Action were released earlier this year. The report consists of the following volumes:
All volumes are freely available online.
Food for Fines: Is an annual food drive put on by UVic Libraries and Campus Security Services (CSS). Each year UVic Libraries offers relief from library fines in exchange for non-perishable food items or personal needs items which are then donated to the Mustard Seed Food Bank and the UVic Student Society’s Food Bank.
How it works: For every non-perishable food item or personal item, like toothbrushes or soap, we will take $2 off your fines up to $20. You can also ‘pay’ for your fines, but ask that up to $20 of your fines be donated to the food banks instead of the libraries. Even if you don’t have any fines, we encourage on campus and off campus donations to help fill local food bank shelves.
When and where: The Food for Fines drive runs until December 11th. Donations can be dropped off at any library branch.
As we enter the last week of term, we wish all students the best for exams, papers, and assignments. We wish to ensure we offer all law students the support and study environment that is needed at this time. We alert all library users to the following updates and reminders:
Many thanks
Please note that the Law Library will be closed next Wednesday November 11 (Remembrance Day). Full details of our hours of operation are available here.
The 7th Annual UVic Libraries Diversity Writing Contest is now officially underway.
A joint initiative of the UVic Libraries and VPAC office, the UVic Libraries Diversity Writing Contest aimed at fostering and continuing campus discussions around diversity, equity, and inclusion. UVic students may submit their written work relating to themes of diversity, equity, or inclusion in one of four categories:
In addition to cash prizes for first and second place (in each category), winners also receive an invitation to a writer’s workshop with this year’s celebrity judge Ali Blythe and public recognition of their award-winning entry at the UVic Diversity Research Forum on January 21-22, 2016.
Submissions are open from October 5, 2015 until January 4th, 2016.
For more information about the contest and past winning entries, including winning entries from UVic law students, visit: http://blogs.library.uvic.ca/uvic.ca/diversitywritingcontest
Professor John Borrows has been appointed to the Nexen Chair in Indigenous Leadership at The Banff Centre. “The Nexen Chair leads research and reporting on critical success factors among Indigenous communities and organizations across Canada at the Peter Lougheed Leadership Institute at The Banff Centre,” reports The Muskrat, which also captured his reaction:
I am grateful for what I have learned about leadership from many Elders over the years. I am really looking forward to working with The Banff Centre, and putting these teachings into action. […] My work has focused on how Indigenous peoples’ own laws and values play a role in understanding leadership. I hope to continue to learn and share what I have learned about Indigenous peoples’ own laws during my tenure as the Nexen Chair in Indigenous Leadership.
Borrows has produced a number of groundbreaking works in the past 10 years including:
Working on a group project or have a video that you want to watch? The group collaboration and media viewing room (room 184) of Law Library is now open for bookings.
The room includes several tools to assist your group in developing its collective vision. The room includes a 46” TV display with five VGA ports for laptops so you can collaborate on the same screen. The room is also equipped with a white board and dry erase markers so you can take notes while your other work is displayed on the TV.
You may also book the room to watch a video – either by streaming the video from your laptop or using the DVD, VHS, and Blu-ray player located in the room.
The room is available to all UVic students and community members for two hours, with renewals subject to availability. Priority is given to those needing the equipment in the room. Booking the room and assistance with the equipment is provided by staff at the loan desk. Food and drink are not permitted.
Please note that the Law Library will be closed next Monday October 12 (thanksgiving Day). Full details of our hours of operation are available here.
Students and Faculty will be interested to learn about the Free Access to Law Movement.
The movement was initiated in 1992 with the establishment of the Legal Information Institute at Cornell University, which aimed to act on the belief that “everyone should be able to read and understand the laws that govern them, without cost.”
The movement has expanded since, and now there are 54 members and multiple national and regional “LIIs” around the world, including CanLII (Canada) BaiLII (Britain and Ireland), AustLII (Australia) and many others.
In 2002 in Montreal the Declaration on Free Access to Law was formulated.
CanLII offers perhaps the best user interface of all the LIIs. It provides very current and deep historical content, including all the decisions of the SCC; intuitive search features; citation- and printer-friendly formats; and a “compare” feature that allows the user to see older and newer legislation side by side, with differences highlighted. Because Canadian law depends on English historical law, it is also helpful to know that the full text of the English Reports (1220-1886) is available at BaiLII.