Spotlight on the Times Digital Archive

The Times Digital Archive provides a facsimile of the newspaper from 1785-1985 and is one of the resources available via the Birkbeck eLibrary.

It is possible to search by keyword on topics as diverse as the abolition of slavery, the establishment of the UN, the debate surrounding Britain's entry into the Common Market and the miners' strikes of the 1980s.

Also available within the archive are the Times Law Reports, simply enter the party names to find a specific case, or try searching by keyword to find reports on a particular subject. (Use Advanced Search to limit your search to the Law section.)

I should add that I find this resource rather addictive, so not one to look at if you've an exam or essay deadline looming!

Free Access to Law Movement

You may be aware of BAILII (the British & Irish Legal Information Institute), which acts as a home for freely available public legal information, including cases, legislation & Law Commission reports. But did you know that it belongs to the worldwide Free Access to Law Movement?

Founded in 2002 by partners from Australia, Canada, South Africa, Hong Kong, the United States and the UK  & Ireland, the movement has grown since then to encompass representatives from across the globe.

One of its main aims is to maximise access to publicly available legal information in order to promote justice and the rule of law.

On a practical level, the member web sites can be a useful way of tracking down primary material from overseas jurisdictions. I've been grateful for the existence of AustLII and CanLII on more than one occasion.

The Free Access to Law Movement web site has a list of members and links through to relevant online resources. Alternatively you may like to start your search at WorldLII which covers material from 123 jurisdictions.

 

Summer term library workshops

This term we're offering Saturday workshops on a variety of topics. They are primarily aimed at postgraduate students, but all are welcome to attend.
The programme includes sessions on:

• Improving your search skills
• Finding and accessing theses
• An introduction to the Web of Knowledge
• Finding newspaper articles online
• Keeping up-to-date using current awareness services

For further details and to book, go to http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/global/workshop_timetable?orgunit=LIB 

Social Welfare Portal

The Social Welfare Portal, based at the British Library includes information on, and links to, reports, Parliamentary papers, government consultations and proposals. It also includes information on relevant books, journal articles and datasets held in the British Library's collections.

Subjects covered include, children and family, vulnerable adults, minority groups, offenders & the criminal justice system, housing and homelessness and education & the state.

It is possible to keep up-to-date with new material within these areas via email alerts, and via the monthly Welfare Reform Digest. To set up email alerts, you need to register, and this can be done from the front page of the portal.