Like its counterpart, Lexis Nexis, Westlaw provides researchers with all things legal as well as comprehensive access to news and business information. The question begs to be asked: why have we picked up a new database that seemingly offers duplicate access. The answer is two-fold. The library subscribes to several print resources from the West publishing company: NJ Law Finder, Education Law Reporter, NJ Statutes Annotated, NJ Digest, NJ Rules of Court. The online Campus Research product from West includes all of these resources and more! By going with the online product, we will recognize considerable savings by stopping all these print materials, not to mention the improved easy access to these materials. Also, West includes two big options-shepardizing and NJ Administrative Code-for free; we have been paying extra for these with Lexis. We will be able to cancel these options.
As in Lexis Nexis, news sources in West include transcripts, newswires, and foreign publications. Its business coverage includes Hoover's Company Records as well as SEC filings. Court cases can be searched either by citation or by party names, or topic searching can be conducted. West includes "shepardizing" as a standard feature. Shephardizing is a tool that alerts researchers to any "activity" related to the findings of a given case. This activity can be the overturning of a case, the reaffirmation of the decision regarding a point of law, subsequent cases that have questioned the court's decision regarding the point of law, or the use of a given case in supporting subsequent cases. Unless one is studying the merits of a particular historic case, say Marbury v. Madison, this research tool is a fundamental necessity.
Unless you are interested in the particulars of a given case, law review articles will be more helpful in understanding legal principles. Searching for cases that center on that point of law may not provide the background necessary to understand the rationale for the legal principle; after all, a case will only report the legal positions of the parties, the court's discussion of the facts, the law, and its decision on the merits.
Print materials
Does cancellation of the print materials signify that the various legal periodicals in the movable shelves (bound periodicals) area will disappear, or stop overflowing on to the student desks?
Good question!
The legal material that has overflowed onto the study carrels is covered by this online subscription. However, we will not be withdrawing the print resources at least for a semester to give our patrons time to get comfortable searching online using WestLaw. It is quite a bit different form using the print materials.
As to the government documents (NASA Authorization bulletins), I cannot tell you a thing. This is the domain of our Government Docs librarian, Ms. Ella Strattis. It is government property and cannot be withdrawn without approval from a much higher authority.
If these materials bother you, please consider using one of the study carrels in another area of the library; you have floors from which to choose!!