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National Data Privacy Day

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Today is National Data Privacy Day, observed annually on January 28th.  Begun in 2008, the United States and Canada first celebrated the day as an extension of Europe’s Data Protection Day, which commemorates the January 28, 1981, signing of Convention 108, the first legally binding international treaty dealing with privacy and data protection.  The congressional resolution was adopted on January 27, 2014, with S. Res. 337, 113th U.S. Congress’s non-binding resolution expressing support for the designation of January 28th as “National Data Privacy Day.”

The day’s focus is on making individuals and companies aware of the security and privacy of their online data.  Many people are unaware of and uninformed about how their personal information is being used, collected or shared in our digital society.  The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) uses their web site staysafeonline to promote STOP. THINK. CONNECT.™, their campaign which encourages global online safety to help all digital citizens stay safer and more secure online.

Penn State University encourages its students, faculty, and staff to consider their digital footprint with these tips from Penn State’s Privacy Office.  The Law Library also provides data privacy and online security information on its libguide, Cybersecurity Law.

 

Fall Acquisitions

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Cover ArtFamily Guide to Mental Illness and the Law : A Practical Handbook by Linda Tashbook
Call Number: KF3828.T37 2019
When a loved one with mental illness comes into contact with the law, trying to advocate for them can be an overwhelming and frustrating endeavor. Mental illness adds a layer of complexity to legal processes, and the justice system can be downright bewildering, even for the most well-intentioned. Family Guide to Mental Illness and the Law offers the nuts-and-bolts legal information and problem-solving steps families need. This accessible resource explains how common legal issues uniquely impact people with various forms of mental illness and what family members can do to help. Beyond the legal system, this book also guides readers in interacting with officials and authorities, lobbying for better laws, and working with local governments towards improving policies that affect those with mental illness.

Cover ArtClimate Change, Public Health, and the Law by Michael Burger; Justin Gundlach (Editors)
Call Number: KF3783.C59 2018
Climate Change, Public Health, and the Law provides the first comprehensive explication of the dynamic interactions between climate change, public health law, and environmental law, both in the United States and internationally. Responding to climate change and achieving public health protections each require the coordination of the decisions and behavior of large numbers of people. However, they also involve interventions that risk compromising individual rights. The challenges involved in coordinating large-scale responses to public health threats and protecting against the invasion of rights, makes the law indispensable to both of these agendas. Written for the benefit of public health and environmental law professionals and policymakers in the United States and in the international public health sector, this volume focuses on the legal components of pursuing public health goals in the midst of a changing climate. It will help facilitate efforts to develop, improve, and carry out policy responses at the international, federal, state, and local levels.

Cover ArtThe Supreme Court : An Analytical History of Constitutional Decision Making by Tom S. Clark
Call Number: KF8742.C53 2019
This book presents a quantitative history of constitutional law in the United States and brings together humanistic and social-scientific approaches to studying law. Spanning the history of constitutional law since Reconstruction, this book illustrates the way in which the law evolves with American life and argues that a social-scientific approach to the history of law illuminates connections across disparate areas of the law, connected by the social context in which the Constitution has been interpreted.

Cover ArtEquine Law and Horse Sense by Julie I. Fershtman
Call Number: KF390.5.H6F47 2019
What is “horse sense?” It is basic, practical common sense. It is the ability to apply sensible, reasoned approaches to problems in daily life, and “horse sense” belongs equally with horse activities. Having a general understanding of equine law can help avoid problems that create legal disputes. Equine Law and Horse Sense is designed for people, businesses, and organizations in the horse industry and for the lawyers who serve them.This book will equip you to assess your needs, plan ahead, and take precautions to avoid conflicts. This book will better inform you about the law and help you continue to use good “horse sense” for many years to come.

Cover ArtEnvironmental Law Handbook
Call Number: KF3775.E473 2019
The environmental field and its regulations have evolved significantly since Congress passed the first environmental law in 1970, and the Environmental Law Handbook, published just three years later, has been indispensable to students and professionals ever since. The authors provide clear and accessible explanations, expert legal insight into new and evolving regulations, and reliable compliance and management guidance. The Environmental Law Handbook, with this 24th edition, continues to provide individuals across the country–professionals, professors, and students–with a comprehensive, up-to-date, and easy-to-read look at the major environmental, health, and safety laws affecting U.S. businesses and organizations. Because it is written by the country’s leading environmental law firms, it provides the best, most reliable guidance anywhere.

Cover ArtAutomating Legal Services : Justice Through Technology by Hugh Logue
Call Number: K487.T4L64 2019
The world’s fourth industrial revolution – automation through the growth of robotics, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and virtual ecommerce – will disrupt the legal industry. By being open to this change, lawyers can eliminate repetitive, inefficient processes so they can increase the speed, quality, and scale of their legal services. In addition to bolstering the business of law for both big and small firms, this automation will increase access to justice for those who need it most. This book sets out different models and details what firms, lawyers and society, can gain from automated legal services.

For more resources purchased for the Law Library collection, please see our Recent Acquisitions guide.

 

Government Resources for a Safe Halloween

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Halloween is a time for fun and celebration in the form of costume dress-up, festivities, and yummy treats, but the primary focus should always be on everyone’s health and safety. From decorative eyewear to in-the-moment decisions about social media posts, these selected online federal government resources may help ensure a safe and enjoyable Halloween for trick-or-treaters of all ages.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Department of Homeland Security

Transportation Security Administration

United States Census Bureau

Genocide Symposium and Book Launch

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Penn State Dickinson Law’s Responding to Atrocity Crimes Symposium and Book Launch takes place today, October 18th, beginning at 1:30 pm in Apfelbaum Auditorium.  The symposium features:

  • James Finkel, addressing The American Experience at 1:30 pm;
  • Max du Plessis, discussing The African Experience at 2:45 pm;
  • Judge Guénaël Mettraux, presenting Genocide: Its Purpose and Role in International Law at 4:00 pm; and,
  • The Book Launch will be held from 5:00 – 6:30 pm in the Ridge Commons to celebrate the first volume of Judge Mettraux’s series, International Crimes: Law and Practice. Volume 1: Genocide.

Honorable Guénaël Mettraux is currently an affiliate faculty member of Dickinson Law.

International Crimes: Law and Practice. Volume 1: Genocide by Guénaël Mettraux
Call Number: KZ7180.M48 2019
Judge Mettraux’s six-volume compendium, International Crimes: Law and Practice, will provide the most detailed and authoritative account to-date of the law of international crimes. It is a scholarly tour de force providing a unique blend of academic rigor and an insight into the practice of international criminal law. The compendium is unrivaled in its breadth and depth, covering almost a century of legal practice, dozens of jurisdictions (national and international), thousands of decisions and judgments and hundreds of cases. This first volume discusses in detail the law of genocide: its definition, elements, normative status, and relationship to the other core international crimes.

Stop by the Law Library to browse the current display of selected materials on genocide and featured book of the author.

Constitution Day 2019

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On this day, September 17th, in 1787, the Constitution of the United States was signed in Philadelphia’s Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall), the location of the Constitutional Convention. The fifty-five delegates who met between May 25 and September 17 of that year rejected the weaker Articles of Confederation, and produced a document that established the framework for a new form of republican government.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

— Preamble to the Constitution of the United States

In 2004, Congress passed legislation establishing Constitution Day, a federal holiday commemorating the signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787. This year marks the 232nd anniversary of the historic event.

The Law Library will again distribute free pocket-sized copies of the U.S. Constitution, courtesy of the Federal Depository Library Program (while supplies last). They are available at the circulation desk display area. Stop by to pick up one!

New Fall Acquisitions

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The Law of Artificial Intelligence and Smart Machines : Understanding A.I. and the Legal Impact by Theodore F. Claypoole
Call Number: KF1263.C65L28 2019
This new guide provides an in-depth examination of how artificial intelligence has evolved, how it will affect the legal profession, and how the law will be reformed to meet the new realities created by AI. Written by high-level industry experts, this guide discusses a wide-range of AI topics including a history and introduction, healthcare regulation, entertainment, labor laws, aviation, military applications, cybernetics and biorobotics, copyright law, cybersecurity issues, product liability, AI and the transactional law practice, the future of AI, and more.

Unstable Ground : Climate Change, Conflict, and Genocide by Alex Alvarez
Call Number: GF71.A48 2017
Unstable Ground looks at the human impact of climate change and its potential to provoke some of the most troubling crimes against humanity–ethnic conflict, war, and genocide. Alex Alvarez provides an essential overview of what science has shown to be true about climate change and examines how our warming world will challenge and stress societies and heighten the risk of mass violence. Drawing on a number of recent and historic examples, including Darfur, Syria, and the current migration crisis, this book illustrates the thorny intersections of climate change and violence. The author doesn’t claim causation but makes a compelling case that changing environmental circumstances can be a critical factor in facilitating violent conflict. As research suggests climate change will continue and accelerate, understanding how it might contribute to violence is essential in understanding how to prevent it.

The Archaeology of the Holocaust : Vilna, Rhodes, and Escape Tunnels by Richard A. Freund
Call Number: D804.3.F74 2019
In the summer of 2016 acclaimed archaeologist Richard Freund and his team made news worldwide when they discovered an escape tunnel from the Ponar burial pits in Lithunia. This Holocaust site where more than 100,000 people perished is usually remembered for the terrible devastation that happened there. In the midst of this devastation, the discovery of an escape tunnel reminds us of the determination and tenacity of the people in the camp and the hope they continued to carry. The Archaeology of the Holocaust takes readers out to the field with Freund and his multi-disciplinary research group as they uncover the evidence of the Holocaust, focusing on sites in Lithuania, Poland, and Greece in the past decade. Using forensic detective work, Freund tells the micro- and macro-histories of sites from the Holocaust as his team covers excavations and geophysical surveys done at four sites in Poland, four sites in Rhodes, and 15 different sites in Lithuania with comparisons of some of the work done at other sites in Eastern Europe. The book contains testimonies of survivors, photographs, information about a variety of complementary geoscience techniques, and information gleaned from pinpoint excavations. It serves as an introduction to the Holocaust and explains aspects of the culture lost in the Holocaust through the lens of archaeology and geoscience.

Space Law : A Treatise, 2d ed. by Francis Lyall; Paul B. Larsen
Call Number: KZD1145.L93 2018
Francis Lyall and Paul B. Larsen have been involved in teaching and researching space law for over 50 years. The second edition gathers together their knowledge and experience in readable form, and covers developments in all space applications, including space tourism, telecommunications, the ITU and finance.

Natural Resource Damages : A Guide to Litigating and Resolving NRD Cases by Brian D. Israel; Brett Marston; Lauren Daniel
Call Number: KF1298.I87 2019
Exploring the jurisprudence, litigation strategy, and paths toward cost effective resolution of natural resource damage cases, this book is built on the authors’ combined 30 years of experience handling some of the country’s largest and most complex NRD cases. It also provides an annotated compilation of caselaw, consent decrees, cooperative assessment agreements, administrative record submissions, and other materials, as well as a quantitative analysis of all key NRD settlements to allow companies and trustees to properly assess their own cases in the context of prior results.

Criminal Law and Procedure : A Courtroom Approach by Stephanie A. Jirard
Call Number: KF9219.J575 2020
Written by a former federal prosecutor and public defender, Criminal Law and Procedure: A Courtroom Approach introduces students to the essentials of criminal law and procedure by illuminating the legal issues justice professionals face before, during, and after a criminal trial. Through the examination of statutes, edited case excerpts, and recent constitutional interpretation of black letter law, the text bridges the gap between learning criminal procedure and applying criminal law. Drawing from author Stephanie A. Jirard’s vast experience in both the courtroom and the classroom, the book gets students to think critically about real-world issues and practice applying the law in a just and meaningful way. Accessible and engaging, this text presents criminal law and procedure as an exciting opportunity to have a direct, positive impact on our communities and the criminal justice system. Stephanie Jirard is currently an adjunct professor at Dickinson Law.

#BeThe1To… Raise Awareness About Suicide Prevention

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Every year, the month of September is designated to raise awareness nationally about suicide prevention. Mental health advocates, organizations, and a community of survivors promote efforts during the month to remember all those affected by suicide, and to focus actions on directing treatment to those who need it most.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a free emotional support network for people in suicide crisis or distress, promotes September (and beyond) to get the message out for improving crisis services, advancing best standards in professional help, and re-focusing on taking steps to make an impact in someone’s life.  The message, #BeThe1To, outlines 5 action steps that have been proven effective by supported evidence in the field of suicide prevention.1

The 5 Action Steps

  1. ASK – Research shows people who are having thoughts of suicide feel relief when someone asks after them in a caring way. Findings suggest acknowledging and talking about suicide may reduce rather than increase suicidal ideation.
  2. KEEP THEM SAFE – A number of studies have indicated that when lethal means are made less available or less deadly, suicide rates by that method decline, and frequently suicide rates overall decline.
  3. BE THERE – Individuals are more likely to feel less depressed, less suicidal, less overwhelmed, and more hopeful after speaking to someone who listens without judgment.
  4. HELP THEM CONNECT – Studies indicate that helping someone at risk create a network of resources and individuals for support and safety can help them take positive action and reduce feelings of hopelessness.
  5. FOLLOW UP – Studies have also shown that brief, low cost intervention and supportive, ongoing contact may be an important part of suicide prevention, especially for individuals after they have been discharged from hospitals or care services.2

The community of legal professionals is touched by suicide at a rate that is alarming: “Lawyers are 3.6 times more likely to suffer from depression than nonlawyers, according to the American Psychological Association. Substance abuse rates within the legal profession are also much higher than for the general population. Clinical depression and substance abuse are highly correlated with suicide rates. The legal industry has the 11th-highest incidence of suicide among professions.”3 The Law Library’s guide on Mindfulness & Well-Being provides resources to help our students cope with stress.

Other resources, as noted by the Office of Student Services, are also available to the Dickinson Law student community 4:

Sources:
1 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
2 #BeThe1To, https://www.bethe1to.com/
3ABA Journal. Attorney suicide: What every lawyer needs to know, by Jeena Cho, January 1, 2019, http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/attorney_suicide_what_every_lawyer_needs_to_know
4 Penn State’s Dickinson Law, Office of Student Services, https://dickinsonlaw.psu.edu/student-services

New Semester, New Law Library Website!

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Welcome to all new and returning Dickinson Law community members!

The Fall semester has arrived, and with it comes the Law Library’s opportunity to roll out our new website!  Our URL hasn’t changed, but take a look at what we offer through our guides, databases, and Law Library services for all of your research needs.

The new Law Library website features Research Resources, including information on finding articles, course reserves, and using interlibrary loan; User Guidelines; access to the new CAT search (which will be highlighted and discussed in a future blog post); Ask A Law Librarian, which provides contact info for our Law Librarians, with a Submit a Question form if you would like to set up an appointment with one of them to discuss your research needs in depth; Technology resources available in the Law Library; Library Maps, with detailed floor plans coming soon; and much more…

The Law Library’s repository, Dickinson Law IDEAS, is the flagship digital resource that provides access to Dickinson Law’s scholarly works, publications, and archived history.  Keeping it Brief! is the Law Library’s nationally-recognized blog that focuses on law school history, legal research tips, database updates, awareness days and event education, new acquisitions, and circulation-related information.  To subscribe, find the “Subscribe by Email” section of the blog on the right side column.

As always, if you need to contact the Law Library for any reason, our general email is DickinsonLawLib@psu.edu, or call us at 717-240-5267.

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