[blindlaw] Number of Reader Hours

[Craig Borne]

Jim,
Your hunch is correct.  When I took Legal Analysis, Research, and
Writing, the Professors suggested that traditional library research was
by and large useless for me.  First year students are not allowed to
have "full access" to either on-line research service; instead, "old
fashioned" book and library work is required.  My Professors realized
that the likelihood of me using a library in practice was minimal, and
they proceeded to give me "full access" in my first semester.  I still
needed to complete the citation practice as all other students, only
mine was done using the Internet.  
Additionally, we used the ALWD manual instead of the Blue Book.  This
manual was very similar to the Blue Book with several minor differences.
I was able to obtain the ALWD manual in an electronic format, which made
using it as a reference manual very user-friendly.  To my knowledge, the
Blue Book was and is not available electronically.
I hope that bar review is going well for you.
Regards,
Craig


Craig Borne, Esq.
Director, Office of Federal/State Compliance
Maryland Department of Transportation
7201 Corporate Center Drive
P.O. Box 548, M.S. 330
Hanover, MD 21076
Phone: 410-865-1378
Fax: 410-865-1113
E-Mail: cborne at mdot.state.md.us
 
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-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of McCarthy, Jim
Sent: Friday, June 16, 2006 9:33 AM
To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Number of Reader Hours

Tai,
I think what you have been hearing is pretty much the same as I recall.
There are often a goodly number of articles in some of the more upper
division classes, but these can pretty easily be scanned if that fits
your access style.  There will be books that are not available for the
usual places so you will either get them read or scan them according to
your preference.  I used the blue book on tape, a nearly useless
undertaking.  Having it in word would be better, Brailing might be good
but sometimes you bold and other times italic, (mostly bold I think) so
Braille may not fully solve things either.  I should have tried getting
it in Braille though because that would have beat tape for sure.

You will get Lexis and Westlaw and unlimited use of both!  Perhaps, t e
legal research and writing classes will want you to demonstrate that you
can find stuff the good old fashioned way in the library books, but I
would not be surprised either if that has now been thrown aside.  When I
was in school, we had lexis and Westlaw, but first were taught to use
the on the shelf sources.  That was fourteen years ago though so by now
you probably will do library research on line.  People who have a more
recent experience can let us know whether my hunch is right or not.

I am in Bar Review, and every evening I hear people talking about this
and that.  Apparently, for law students, Lexis and Westlaw give user
points that can be redeemed for merchandise.  People tell stories of
saving their points and working to accumulate as many as possible in
order to redeem them for music players, gulf clubs and who knows what.
The point being that the online services will try to hook you in during
you laws school career in order that you will remain a valued customer
once you are finished.  After that though you start getting an idea what
the services that you never paid for really cost!
Jim McCarthy

-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org]On
Behalf Of Tai Schmittroth
Sent: Friday, June 16, 2006 1:43 AM
To: 'NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Number of Reader Hours


Really? Only one textbook? That is all? I figured I would need a reader
for library research, but from what you are saying it may not be
necessary. Was most of what you needed available online or in electronic
format from the publishers? 
Thanks.
Tai
 

-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of John Ramsey
Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2006 6:01 PM
To: 'NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Number of Reader Hours

Hello Tai,

I also preferred to use the electronic or taped textbooks, and when
handouts or articles were used, I would just have them scanned into word
documents and still use JAWS. My first year I used a reader for one
textbook that was inaccessible but that was all.

I have never used the Microsoft program that you referred to.

Take care,

John


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