Posts

Habeas Corpus Cried the Porpoise

Posted on by Troy Cook

One fine day in May at the Zief Law Library, a quite singular event took place. One might even call it unthinkable. To get right to it: a porpoise (and curiously enough, a harbor porpoise) slithered its way into the library; it quickly and brashly slid under the gate. But that’s not the most extraordinary thing about the whole affair; it shouted, “Habeas Corpus!” Of all the creatures to shout “Habeas Corpus”, it had to be a porpoise with a purpose. What are the odds?

At the circulation desk stood Randall drinking coffee from an L.L Bean coffee mug, Troy who was actually sitting not standing, Maddy wearing a cast on her arm, Steffi frowning a little bit, and Yuni waving her arms. In their offices, busily toiling away with their research was John, Tim, and Mike. Suzanne and Shannon were in their offices in the back. The porpoise interrupted the circ. staff debating the merits of a good toast rack; the sides were split on the benefits of this breakfast table necessity when the porpoise barged in.

“Habeas Corpus!” cried the porpoise.
Continue reading “Habeas Corpus Cried the Porpoise” →

Welcoming Zief’s New Research Librarian

Posted on by Mike Muehe

Zief Law Library is pleased to introduce you to its newest team member, Tim Sanzi. Tim joined us as a Research Librarian and Assistant Professor of Law. He earned his JD from Roger Williams University School of Law in Rhode Island in 2023, where he was the recipient of a Presidential Scholarship and received recognition for providing pro bono legal services. Tim demonstrated an interest in the library profession as an undergraduate and during law school, and completed an archival internship at Trinity College, University of Dublin, Ireland.

Throughout law school, Tim gained legal experience in a variety of positions, including: intern at the U.S. Air Force, Judge Advocate General’s Corps Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; Rule 9 Student Attorney for the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General; Rhode Island Sea Grant Law Fellow with the Marine Affairs Institute; and judicial intern for the Honorable Brian P. Stern, Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court.

In his free time, Tim is an avid longboard surfer, road race runner, and hiker.

We’re excited to have Tim join our team of research librarians! Please stop by to say hello next time you’re in the library – you’ll find him in Z103.

 

 

Zief Law Library Library Catalog and Software Maintenance

Posted on by Steffi Ando

Ignacio and Sierra Maintenance Scheduled for Monday, March 11th.

Wrenches

On Monday, March 11th, Zief Law Library’s digital catalog, Igancio, and library software system for checkout, Sierra, will be under maintenance. Patrons will not be able to search the digital catalog but will be able to check out materials from the Circulation desk. Any materials checked out on March 11th will be recorded manually and patrons will receive handwritten due dates and times, including for course texts. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Navigating the Library Catalog

Posted on by Steffi Ando

library card cataloglibrary card catalog

As research and writing assignment deadlines inch closer, you may be interested in exploring the print and digital materials the library offers. This week, learn to locate and request resources from the Zief Law Library collection or request an InterLibrary Loan (ILL) to borrow materials from other libraries! This post is meant to help you get familiar with the catalog. This is not a supplement to research advice from Zief librarians.

Getting Started

First, sign into the Ignacio catalog using your USF student ID and password. Access to the catalog is available on the Zief Law Library’ and the Gleeson Library homepages.

 

Ignacio Catalog homepage

If you’re not quite sure what you are looking for but have a general sense of the topic you’re interested in, a keyword search can get you started. Select “Keyword” in the left drop-down menu and type in the keywords that describe your topic. For example, searching “Criminal Procedure” will result in a list of digital and print materials related to criminal procedure. Scroll through the results and take note of the materials that catch your attention. You can also search by title, author, subject, or call number by making the appropriate selection in the drop-down menu.

Note: If you see a work you would like to borrow listed under “Gleeson Stacks,” don’t panic! As a student at the University of San Francisco School of Law, you are allowed to access to Gleeson Library’s collection.

Advanced Search

If you aren’t finding what you are looking for or have a specific book in mind, try Advanced Search! Select “Advanced Search” underneath the search bar.

Use the left-hand drop-down menus to search specific fields, such as keyword, author, title, etc. Then, review the “Search Tips” link underneath the search bars. This page will explain how to format your search for more precise results.

List of search tips from the site

Search and Sort

Choose to sort your results by relevance, date, or title.

Location

You can narrow your search by selecting their location within the library, including, “Law Open Reserve,” “Law Course Reserve,” etc.

Material type

Choose ANY if you do not have a preference, or choose from the list provided, including, E-book, Streaming Video, E-journal, Printed Material, Videos, Archival & MS, etc.

Looking for a digital course text or study guide?

You can find study aids and some required texts on Aspen Learning Library and Lexis Digital Library, located under “Featured Databases” on Zief’s A to Z list of databases. Sign in with your USF ID and password to begin searching!

Language

The drop-down menu offers English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Latin, Russian, or Hebrew. If you don’t see material in a language you need, contact a librarian!

Publisher and Publishing Date

If you know the publisher or publishing date you are looking for, enter the text in the appropriate search bars at the bottom of the page.

Completing Your Search

In the age of information overload in the digital landscape, it’s unclear if “completing” a search is even possible. Remind yourself what you set out to initially accomplish with your search and start by reviewing one resource. If you’re unsure or feeling stuck, please reach out to a research librarian or your professor. They are here to help you!

 

 

Tips and Advice for a Successful Law School Exam Period

Posted on by Troy Cook
Color illustration of a person rushing into another person, yelling, "MOVE IT! I'VE GOT FINALS!" The other person is falling and saying, "OOOMPH!"
Illustration by Troy Cook, 2023

With finals soon arriving, it is the perfect time to think about the strategies of a successful law school exam experience. By now, you may have figured out an effective study approach, but here are some additional tips in case there’s something new that could be helpful.

Create a schedule. It is helpful to create a finals study schedule, where you can factor in any additional time needed for reviewing concepts, and completing practice questions and exams. Perhaps create a game plan, or a day-by-day schedule for each class. Maybe you need to allot more for study time for your more challenging courses. But be sure to budget time for current assigned readings and assignments, so that you don’t fall behind.

Identify your strengths and weaknesses. Review your syllabus, class notes and highlighted sections of your casebook to create a ”hit-list” of topics to study. Flag the material that you find most difficult, so you can focus on any knowledge gaps. Then, you can prioritize topics you struggle with the most, over topics you’ve already mastered.

Team up with a great study group, partner, or study aid. Study groups can be a valuable learning tool. For some students, talking through material with classmates could help your understanding and retention of course materials. But if studying with classmates is not your thing, use the authors of the study guides as your friends and study partners. Additionally, try some study guides, available in print and as eBooks  through the library, such as as Glannon Guides, the Emanuel Crunch Time, and Questions & Answers. These can help you review material through flow charts and summaries; they also provide short-answer, multiple choice, and essay questions and answers, so you can test your knowledge.

Complete your outlines and then work on editing down and memorizing them. So much material is covered in law school that it can seem quite jumbled in your mind. The professors construct the exams to see how well you can link all of the concepts together; this shows that you can apply the skill of analyzing numerous concepts at the same time. Reviewing, editing down, and memorizing your outlines will help you recognize how all of the facets of the particular law class work together in building the overall meaning and understanding of the subject. Need help making an outline? Try one of the library’s Emanuel Outlines available online or in-print at the circulation desk.

Pay attention in class. One last piece of advice that seems to always work is to pay attention in class. Yes, this seems obvious, but paying attention in class will truly save you time because your class notes will make sense and save you from time spent having to learn new concepts and laws. Really focus on what the professor says in class; this will also give important hints about what is expected for the exam. Also participate in class; the discourse you have with the professor is great for the learning experience and professors love it. If you are nervous about talking in class, a good tactic is to go to class with a list of questions. These may be from the reading or questions that you had after evaluating the material from past classes.

Maybe if you follow these great tips, you will not end up like the poor chap below:

 

Illustration of person with raised fist, with a speech bubble stating, "AAARG FINALS." The person is looking down at books and a fallen chair nearby.
Illustration by Troy Cook, 2023

Music and Studying: Epic (Beneficial) or Gnarly (Adverse)

Posted on by Troy Cook
A record turntable with vinyl album covers placed behind it.
Troy’s turntable

A contentious (gnarly) debate is whether listening to music while studying is a bad idea or if it can actually be quite helpful. In the WebMD article “Can music Help You Study” by Cheryl Whitten and Dan Brennan discuss pros and cons of listening to music while studying. Even USF law students have had discussions about music being beneficial or distracting while studying. The argument of what type of music should be used is even a more passionate argument; this debate can sometimes broach the subject of good or bad taste in the listener (jokingly and good-natured teasing, we hope).

Even though there is a 1990s study in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine entitled “The Mozart Effect” stating that listening to classical music, specifically Mozart’s sonata for two pianos, improves spatial reasoning skills, problem solving, and test scores, it may just simply a matter of improving one’s mood during a stressful time. In the 2023 blog post “Music and Studying: It’s Complicated” Crystal Raypole states that music is helpful during finals because it can motivate; this probably has to do with the firing of neurons in the brain whether it’s slow music to relax or faster dynamic music to inspire. Raypole also discusses how listening to music while studying can be detrimental because students who listen to music with lyrics can become distracted. Even music without lyrics can hinder concentration.  Also, what about the idea that students who use music to help them memorize may need to create the same environment during the actual exam for it to work?

The best test to the music or no music debate is to find out for yourself. All students are different and study in a myriad of ways; music may help some and hinder others.  A good idea for finding out what works best for you is to experiment with different study music playlists on YouTube, Spotify, or your streaming service of choice. Do what’s best for you even if it’s only studying in the bathtub, wearing a wetsuit while listening to 1960s surf instrumentals.

Zief’s New Career Services Collection

Posted on by Steffi Ando

Zief’s New Career Services Collection

What is the Career Services Collection?

Grey notebook with "Let's Get Started" printed in small font. This summer, in collaboration with the Office of Career Services, Zief Research Librarians curated a collection of materials and resources to best help you prepare for your legal careers. From landing a job interview to navigating your first workplace conflict, the Career Services Collection can be a source of advice for your future legal professional journey.

Where is it located?

The print materials are currently available on the first floor of Zief Law Library, near the research librarians’ offices.

Newest additions

Here are some of the newest titles added to the Career Services Collection:

  1. Roadmap: the law student’s guide to meaningful employment by Neil W. Hamilton
  2. The introverted lawyer: a seven-step journey toward authentically empowered advocacy by Heidi K. Brown
  3. The all-inclusive guide to judicial clerking by Abigail L. Perdue
  4. Big law confidential: the comprehensive guide to the large law firm work experience in the U.S. by D.W. Randolph

Office of Career Services

For individual career counseling, speak to the Office of Career Services, located in Kendrick 335 and 336.

For help finding resources on a specific area of legal practice, talk to your Zief Research Librarians.

 

 

Time Management for Law Students

Posted on by Steffi Ando

Time Management for Law Students

Aerial view of person sitting in a black hooded sweatshirt. In center of a watch face.

 

Mastering time management in law school is essential for accomplishing your goals and lowering stress levels. There are people and tools that can help you organize your academic schedule in effective and rewarding ways. Try this strategy here to maximize your time and success in law school! 

Taking Stock

  1. Write down your required commitments for this semester. 
    • This includes: your class schedule, club meetings, and work. This will work as a skeleton for your calendar. 
  2. Write down goals you want to achieve this semester.
    • Be uncomfortably specific. Do you want to get to the library earlier? Do you want to learn a new skill? Balance working out and school? Read more for pleasure?
    • Don’t make any changes just yet. Write down your goal on a slip of paper and keep it at your desk. 
  3. For one week, perform a time management audit and write down what you did.
    • At the end of each day, ignore the to-do list you made and look at how you actually spent your time. Instead of “getting ready took 2 hours” look at what you did in those two hours. Did you brush your teeth, brush your hair, and eat? Did you scroll through Instagram for 30 minutes and then get out of bed? Without judgment, write down how you spend your time for one week.

First Steps

  1. Find your system.
    • Planners
      • Test out if you prefer digital or print planners. Don’t be afraid to try something new! If you’re looking for a new system, you might discover something you didn’t know existed or find your needs now are different from before. 
      • Physical planners that offer student discounts:
        1. Happy Planner
        2. Papier
        3. More options on Student Beans
      • Digital Calendars (Beyond Apple and Google)
        1. Microsoft 
        2. Fantastical 
    • Apps
      • Apple and Android phones come with apps for notes, reminders, and calendars. Carve out 15 minutes in your day to play around with the tools you might already have at your fingertips! You might learn a function you didn’t know about. 
      • If you’re looking for something more tailored to classes and assignments, there are apps designed for saving resources, creating mind maps, and more!
      • Screen time limits on your cell phone:
        1. Look at your most-used apps on your phone. Are these helping you achieve your academic or career goals? If not, use your Settings app to limit the amount of time you spend on distracting apps. 
  2. Prioritize.
    • Priority Lists vs. To-Do Lists
      • Each day, write down tasks you need to do.
      • Review your to-do list and select a maximum of three tasks you absolutely have to accomplish day. This is your priority list. 
      • The rest of the list consists of things you need to do but that do not necessarily have to get done that day. These can carry over to the next day. This is your to-do list. 
      • If there is a big project or task, plan ahead and break it down into smaller parts that can be completed each day. 
    • Personal Due Dates
      • By planning ahead, you can schedule personal due dates to achieve your goals and allow a grace period before the actual deadline. Life happens. External or internal pressures throw plans off. Give yourself time to adapt. 
  3. Organize your workspace.
    • Make your workspace at home or in the library something you look forward to occupying. Whether it’s fun stationary, a favorite coffee mug, or simply organizing the space, studying in a space you actually enjoy will help you stay on track with your goals.
  4. For one week, write down what you did again. Compare to how you spent your time before (refer to Taking Stock). 
    • Did anything change? Where are you spending the most time? Are there other ways to accomplish these goals?
    • For example, maybe writing your briefs takes longer than you expected. Try meeting with a research librarian to find different approaches or tools. Research librarians have a J.D.; they are well-equipped to help you!

Keep it Sustainable

  1. Find the patterns that stick.
    • Don’t force yourself to commit to any system that does not work for you! It’s okay if it doesn’t work out the way you expect it to the first time. Don’t give up and try again! Ask around, especially someone either farther along in law school or a research librarian, what works for them. It could inspire something for you! 
  2. One thing at a time.
    • If you are feeling overwhelmed, try making one small change and slowly build up from there. You don’t have to make the perfect system overnight. Be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day!
  3. Don’t forget about your health!
    • Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and sleep hygiene affect how well you are able to focus and perform in class! If you find yourself lost on how to manage self-care, explore USF CAPS resources for students. They offer therapy, recommend mental health apps, and direct you to free/affordable resources to maintain your mental and physical health.