The old Lexis-Nexis had a nice box where you could input relevant pieces of a case citation. The new and improved version does not.
I had a student come to the desk with note that said: Texas v Johnson 491 V.(unreadable) 397 (1989)
The Legal tab was of no help. Nor was the Help. After talking to Dan for about 10 minutes we found this case by doing the following:
Go to “easy search”.
Type in “Texas vs. Johnson” and use the “s” in vs.
Select the legal box.
Leave year range to “Previous 2”
The actual case is: Texas vs. Johnson, 491 US 397 (1989).
Now to test the Dan method I found Johnson v. Quarterman in Lexis and tried to search for it.
Usign the “vs.” I could not bring it up. However, if I used just “v.” it will appear in the list.
So, when students start coming to the reference desk for legal cases you’ll have to try both methods.
-Brad
EBSCO databases have long used “alerts” to help you keep track of new materials that interest you. Now they’ve begun delivering those alerts via RSS feeds.
Users can now create an Alert directly
from the Result List, Search History, or the Publication list. Create
instant RSS feed Alerts by clicking on the orange RSS Feed icons.
What does this mean? It means you can create a search in any EBSCO database, grab the resulting RSS feed, and get information sent to you about new materials that have been added to that database that fit your search criteria. And without having to re-do your search every time.
(If you need an RSS reader, we recommend Google Reader or Bloglines.)
Butler Libraries currently subscribe to over 35 different EBSCO databases, including Academic Search Premier, Business Source Complete, ERIC, MasterFILE Premier, MEDLINE, Newspaper Source, PsycARTICLES, and SocINDEX with Full Text.
Reference Desk
I had a community patron inquiring about translation assistance for a newspaper article written in German. While I directed him to the Modern Languages department here, in a subsequent telephone conversation with Fred Yaniga, he said that they are not always able to directly help with such requests – due to the time it takes to properly translate materials. Also, students usually don’t have the proficiency needed to do an adequate translation. So, while it is okay to occasionally direct such patrons to their department, they may only be able to recommend local translation services – which we, at the desk, can help the patron to locate as well.
All:
Cardboard boxes are now being
regularly picked-up for recycling. If you want a box recycled, write
“recycling” on the box and place it near your trash receptacles. To ensure that boxes that you want do not get picked accidently for recycling or disposal, write “save” on them. – Heather & Sally
Computers in the library labs are regularly rebooted to clear off profiles and keep them running smoothly. When profiles are deleted, that includes all the MyDocuments folders that anyone has used on that machine. End Result: Local folders (including anything on the C: drive) are NOT a safe place to save your documents.
Instead, use BUFiles!
All Butler students, faculty, and staff are given some network space on BUFiles that they can access from any computer on the network. This is your own personal space that no one else has access to. It’s much safer, more secure, and more convenient than using the My Documents folder on any machine in a lab. Use BUFiles for storing all your assignments, papers, and other important documents. You can typically get to this folder by opening your H: drive under My Computer.
If you need more assistance working with BUFiles, visit the Networking & Accounts page on I.R.’s website.
Comments Off on Finding Cases in Lexis-Nexis 
Themocracy