CSU Law Library Blog

West’s Key Number system is familiar to many lawyers. However, as librarians who work with students, we sometimes fret that newer students are using it less in their research because of the availability of the Google-like search interface in Westlaw (and Lexis too).

The Key Number System was the first of its kind when created by West Publishing more than 100 years ago. It’s a classification system of U.S. law that organizes cases by corresponding legal issues and topics, which was especially helpful before computers. But while key numbers were invented in the analog world, they have made the transition to the digital world well and all users should look to them while researching.

Westlaw has a great handout on using the key number system, complete with screenshots.

The US Senate has confirmed Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. The overview of Barrett’s judicial work and other key information is available on Context from Lexis. You can find the key info easily on any SCOTUS Justice on Context, including Justice Scalia, whom Barrett clerked for, and Justice Ginsburg, whom she replaced.

Amy Coney Barrett (University of Notre Dame Law School via AP)

Our CSU Rec Center has a great schedule of virtual fitness classes that you can do from home. Classes include yoga, Zumba, bodyweight boot camp, WERQ, HIIT and more.

In addition to the classes offered by our CSU Rec fitness instructors, you can also take advantage of the Rec’s partnership program with nine other colleges and universities across the country. You can participate in additional virtual fitness classes, even if you aren’t a student of the university hosting the class. This week’s schedule offers classes such as POUND, Core focus, Pilates, Barre Burn, Hip Hop, and more. The following week’s schedule is posted at 5p.m. each Friday.

HeinOnline is an extremely useful database that includes a variety of resources. It can be accessed via the law library’s homepage under Quicklinks.

Consider using Hein when searching for ‘older’ information, especially if you’re experiencing difficulty finding results on Westlaw and Lexis. One particularly useful database is the Law Journal Library, which contains thousands of law and law-related periodicals with comprehensive coverage from the start of each publication.

After accessing the Law Journal Library, a publication search can be performed or publications can be browsed by letter of the alphabet. Once inside the needed periodical, a search can be run or the article citation can be used to go directly to the desired volume.

Check out previous posts on HeinOnline’s CFR and Federal Register Libraries,  US Congressional Documents Library, McGill Institute of Air and Space Law Publications, Gun Regulation and Legislation in America, US Presidential Impeachment, Executive Privilege, and COVID-19.

To wrap up our week of voting volunteering posts on the C|M|LAW Library blog, here’s one final opportunity. The Ohio Voter Rights Coalition, in conjunction with The Action Network, is organizing poll monitors to work on Election Day and during the early voting period. Poll monitors work outside of polling locations in safe low-contact settings. If you’re interested, you’d be expected to distribute “Know Your Rights” cards, answer questions on things like ID requirements, help voters help their correct precincts, and report on any problems they see outside the polling location. Once you complete a 90-minute online training, you’ll sign up for a minimum 3 hours shift on Election Day or a two-hour shift during the early election period.

Think this could be the Live Justice opportunity for you? Then find more information at Ohio Poll Monitoring 2020 or contact the host at camille@ohvoice.org.

Check out more voting information on the library’s Voting Guide.