This Week in the Law Library … Feb. 3, 2025
This week in the Law Library we're teaching Advanced Legal Research, spotlighting federalism, and celebrating Black History Month.
This Week's Research Sessions
Monday, Feb. 3, 2025
Advanced Legal Research: Transactional
Instructional & Reference Services Librarian Laura Dixon-Caldwell
Room 135
9:00am – 9:55am
Advanced Legal Research: Ohio
Associate Director Susan Boland
Room 135
10:05am – 10:55am
Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025
Lawyering II, Advocacy, Cohort 1
Research Instructional Services Librarian Shannon Kemen
Room 245
10:40am – 12:05pm
Research Review Using Federal Law
Technology Tuesdays
Research Instructional Services Librarian Shannon Kemen
Zoom
12:15pm - 1:15pm
Creating a Learner Centered Syllabus
Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025
Advanced Legal Research: Fiction and Fact
Research Instructional Services Librarian Shannon Kemen
Room 107
10:05am – 11:00am
2025 Robert S. Marx Lecture
American Constitutional Law: What Should Be National and What Should Be Local?
Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025
Room 160
12:15pm - 1:15pm
One question dominates every other in American history: What should be national and what should be local? For many years, society has tended to favor national answers over local ones when it comes to American constitutional law. But should we? Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, will discuss these issues during his lecture “American Constitutional Law: What Should Be National and What Should Be Local?”. Learn more.
Featured Study Aids
Constitutional Law: National Power and Federalism
Available online via the Aspen Learning Library, this is a problem-oriented guide to the principle doctrines of Constitutional law as covered in the typical course. This text walks the student through the provisions that protect individual rights. It combines textual material with examples, explanations, and questions to test the students’ comprehension of the materials and provide practice in applying legal principles to fact patterns.New to the Ninth Edition: inclusion of nearly 50 new Supreme Court cases, as well as expanded discussion of the freedom of association and the Richer treatment of the right to keep and bear arms.
Available online via the West Academic study aid subscription,this text analyzes and discusses the origins of judicial review and federal jurisdiction, sources of national authority, the growth of federal commerce and fiscal powers, and the limits on state laws that burden interstate commerce. It also explores and analyzes individual liberties and due process, including equal protection, freedom of speech and religion, federal powers to enforce the Bill of Rights, and limitations on the jurisdiction of federal courts. Finally, this one-volume treatise explores the separation of powers including the restrictions on the foreign affairs power and the recent cases on the war on terror.
Understanding Constitutional Law
Available online via the LexisNexis Digital Library study aid subscription, this study aid covers all of the central concepts and issues students encounter in any basic constitutional law course. Structure of Government issues revolve around the twin themes of federalism and separation of powers. Individual rights and liberties follow a concept organization-Due Process, Equal Protection, and First Amendment. Clearly written and authoritative, Understanding Constitutional Law addresses the central concepts and issues students encounter in most Constitutional Law casebooks. “Structure of government” issues revolve around the twin themes of federalism and separation of powers. Individual rights and liberties follow a concept organization – Due Process, Equal Protection, and First Amendment.
Featured Guide
Constitutional Law Study Aids: Exam Study Guide
Featured Treatise
Rotunda & Nowak’s Treatise on Constitutional Law Substance and Procedure
Available online via Westlaw, this multi-volume legal treatise provides up-to-date analysis of every area of federal constitutional law with a focus on the Supreme Court.
Featured Video
National Constitution Center, Federalism Overview
Constitution Hall Pass explores the relationship between the states and the national government; a system known as Federalism!
Featured Website
The Constitution Annotated provides a comprehensive overview of how the Constitution has been interpreted over time. It includes discussions of the Supreme Court’s latest opinions.
Celebrate Black History Month!
This year’s theme for Black History Month is "African Americans and Labor." According to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, “[t]he theme, 'African Americans and Labor,' intends to encourage broad reflections on intersections between Black people’s work and their workplaces in all their iterations and key moments, themes, and events in Black history and culture across time and space and throughout the U.S., Africa, and the Diaspora..”
2025 Black History Month Proclamation
Black History Month Origins
Dr. Carter G. Woodson, founder of the organization now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History External (ASALH), began Negro History Week in 1926. In 1975, President Ford issued a Message on the Observance of Black History Week. In 1976, ASALH and President Ford extended it to Black History Month and presidents presidents continued to honor Black History Month through messages. Public Law 99-244 designated February 1986 as "National Black (Afro-American) History Month.” Since 1996, presidents have issued annual proclamations for and Congress has passed resolutions honoring Black History Month.
5 Resources to Help You Celebrate Black History Month
ABA-Wide 21-Day Racial Equity Habit-Building Challenge
The 21-Day Challenge concept was conceived several years ago by diversity expert Eddie Moore, Jr. to advance deeper understandings of the intersections of race, power, privilege, supremacy and oppression. The goal of the Challenge is to assist each of us to become more aware, compassionate, constructive, engaged people in the quest for racial equity. It transcends our roles as lawyers. Non-lawyers are also welcome to participate.
ABA, Black Lawyers in America Toolkit
The Black Lawyers in America Toolkit was created as a follow up to the original Black Lawyers in America Webinar Series, co-sponsored by the American Bar Association and hosted by Duane Morris. The toolkit includes facilitation guidelines, discussion questions, and continuing resources to engage in the work of uplifting Black lawyers’ experiences in the workplace and ending practices of implicit bias and anti-Black racism in the legal profession and educational pipeline. It also provides resources and tips for Black lawyers.
ABA Journal 14 Groundbreaking Black Lawyers
With a legal angle in mind, the ABA Journal chose to recognize 14 groundbreaking Black lawyers. These attorneys were pioneers in their fields, using their law degrees to make history in courtrooms, legislatures and even newsrooms. Continue reading to discover how each of these Black lawyers became trailblazers.
United States Courts, African American History Month
African American History Month in February honors the struggles and victories that changed, and continue to change, America. The federal courts join in the ongoing journey toward justice at every level of the Third Branch of government.
Posted Feb. 9, 2025 by Susan Boland