Research in the real world – a primer for final year students.

Research in the real world – a Research in the real world – a primer for final year studentsprimer for final year students

Some harsh realities of life Some harsh realities of life after Emalusafter Emalus

Many institutions have poorly Many institutions have poorly resourced law librariesresourced law libraries

Library staff (where there are any) Library staff (where there are any) often without library qualifications and often without library qualifications and often without a background in lawoften without a background in law

Poor access to the internetPoor access to the internet Limited access to online subscription Limited access to online subscription

databases (Lexis, Westlaw etc.)databases (Lexis, Westlaw etc.)

What you need to know before What you need to know before you leave Emalusyou leave Emalus

Basic research skills - hard copy and Basic research skills - hard copy and onlineonline

Able to identify the most important Able to identify the most important research toolsresearch tools

What sources of assistance may be What sources of assistance may be available to you once you leave available to you once you leave Emalus?Emalus?

Pacific Legal GatewayPacific Legal Gateway

This website provides access to resources This website provides access to resources relevant to Pacific Islands legal researchrelevant to Pacific Islands legal research

Most of the links are to FREE legal sitesMost of the links are to FREE legal sites Government legal professionals also have Government legal professionals also have

free access to some subscription free access to some subscription databases such as Brookers Online (NZ), databases such as Brookers Online (NZ), The Laws of Australia and WestlawThe Laws of Australia and Westlaw

Pacific Legal GatewayPacific Legal Gateway

Gateway … more linksGateway … more links

Gateway … more linksGateway … more links

Gateway … Reference & Gateway … Reference & moremore

Gateway – News linksGateway – News links

Guides to basic research and Guides to basic research and access to legal resourcesaccess to legal resources

USE The Emalus Library Law Resources USE The Emalus Library Law Resources page - page - http://www.vanuatu.usp.ac.fj/library/Resourcehttp://www.vanuatu.usp.ac.fj/library/Resource%20Pages/Law.htm %20Pages/Law.htm Guides to legal research – including all Guides to legal research – including all

presentations in the Library’s ‘Information presentations in the Library’s ‘Information Literacy and Legal Research Skills’ lecture seriesLiteracy and Legal Research Skills’ lecture series

Freely available research tools – Pacific Law Freely available research tools – Pacific Law Pathfinder; Pacific Law Journal Index; Pathfinder; Pacific Law Journal Index; Recommended Internet Links Recommended Internet Links

* Subscription databases (Lexis, Westlaw etc.) * Subscription databases (Lexis, Westlaw etc.) and some online documents are only accessible and some online documents are only accessible to enrolled USP studentsto enrolled USP students

What you must have in a basic What you must have in a basic research collectionresearch collection

Legal dictionaryLegal dictionaryonline – try online – try define:define: on http://www.google.com on http://www.google.com

eg define:”mens rea”eg define:”mens rea” Index to Legal Abbreviations and CitationsIndex to Legal Abbreviations and Citations

online - online - http://www.legalabbrevs.cardiff.ac.uk/ http://www.legalabbrevs.cardiff.ac.uk/ Halsburys Laws of England [encyclopedia] Halsburys Laws of England [encyclopedia] oror American American

Jurisprudence 2edJurisprudence 2ed Law Reports [UK] and /or All England Law Reports – Law Reports [UK] and /or All England Law Reports –

including indices!including indices! Complete set of legislation and law reports for your Complete set of legislation and law reports for your

jurisdictionjurisdiction Relevant texts (including ‘old’ editions)Relevant texts (including ‘old’ editions) Reliable internet accessReliable internet access

Additional hard copy resources Additional hard copy resources that are very usefulthat are very useful

UK DigestUK Digest Abridgement of New Zealand Case Law (for Abridgement of New Zealand Case Law (for

current or former NZ territories )current or former NZ territories ) Laws of New Zealand [encyclopedia] for Laws of New Zealand [encyclopedia] for

current or former NZ territories current or former NZ territories English Reports [impt. Decisions before English Reports [impt. Decisions before

1865]1865] Commonwealth Law Reports [Aust.]Commonwealth Law Reports [Aust.] New Zealand Law ReportsNew Zealand Law Reports Encyclopedia of Forms and PrecedentsEncyclopedia of Forms and Precedents

Some recommended textsSome recommended texts Search the USP library catalogue for texts Search the USP library catalogue for texts

on areas of law your practice specialises inon areas of law your practice specialises in Refer also to texts recommended in the Refer also to texts recommended in the

Globalex guide ‘ Introduction to Globalex guide ‘ Introduction to researching South Pacific law’researching South Pacific law’seesee http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/South_Pacific_Law.hhttp://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/South_Pacific_Law.htmtm

Seek donations of superseded editions of Seek donations of superseded editions of

texts published as part of the Sweet & texts published as part of the Sweet & Maxwell ‘Common Law Library’Maxwell ‘Common Law Library’see http://www.sweetandmaxwell.co.uk/index.html see http://www.sweetandmaxwell.co.uk/index.html

Strategies for building a Strategies for building a research collectionresearch collection

Make a checklist of resources that you Make a checklist of resources that you require for your libraryrequire for your library

Don’t accept donations of materials that Don’t accept donations of materials that are of no relevance or use to youare of no relevance or use to you

Seek donor funding from NZ or Aust. High Seek donor funding from NZ or Aust. High CommissionsCommissions

Donated materials - Join the ALLA-anz Donated materials - Join the ALLA-anz email list – for more info go to email list – for more info go to http://lists.vicnet.net.au/mailman/listinfo/alhttp://lists.vicnet.net.au/mailman/listinfo/alla-anz (but be prepared to pay freight la-anz (but be prepared to pay freight costs)costs)

The Pacific Twinning The Pacific Twinning ProgrammeProgramme

Seek donations and assistance from ‘Pacific Seek donations and assistance from ‘Pacific Twinning Scheme’Twinning Scheme’ of the Australian Law of the Australian Law Librarians’ Association Librarians’ Association

Linking libraries in the Pacific with libraries Linking libraries in the Pacific with libraries in Australia – forms of assistance include in Australia – forms of assistance include donations of materials, advice, attachments donations of materials, advice, attachments for library staff and also document supply.for library staff and also document supply.

For more information contact the For more information contact the Coordinator – [email protected] – [email protected]

Useful addresses for Useful addresses for purchasing law texts and purchasing law texts and

materialsmaterials USP Bookshop (Suva) - USP Bookshop (Suva) -

http://www.uspbookcentre.com/http://www.uspbookcentre.com/ Legal Library Services (UK) - Legal Library Services (UK) -

http://www.legal-library.co.ukhttp://www.legal-library.co.uk// James Bennett Ltd (Australia) - James Bennett Ltd (Australia) -

http://www.bennett.com.au/http://www.bennett.com.au/ South Pacific Books (NZ) - South Pacific Books (NZ) -

http://www.southpacificbooks.co.nz/ http://www.southpacificbooks.co.nz/ Amazon - Amazon - http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.com Alibris rare and out-of-print books – Alibris rare and out-of-print books –

http://www.alibris.com/ http://www.alibris.com/