Volume 12, Number 1 Fall 1999

                  From the Desk of the Chief Librarian

       Scientific Sleuthing Review is not a title that pops readily to mind.   But this scarce (we know of no other library in New York State that carries it) newsletter, which features articles on forensic science in the courts, was the object of a law firm's frantic search during the summer for use in one of its cases.  I was somewhat disappointed that the article requested wasn't Scientific Sleuthing’s recent account of police confusion about the pseudo-drug  "Dragon's Blood" so loved by Wiccans, but it did not surprise me that Sealy Library held the newsletter in its periodicals collection.

      Nor was I surprised that an attorney came to use a number of our books on eyewitness identification in the well-known Mumia Abu-Jamal case in Philadelphia.  We do not know whether our material helped or hindered the convicted police killer's case, but the very fact that we are continually called on for this material speaks well for our collecting efforts.

      Such printed material so helpful in court cases can go only so far these days in the building of great academic library collections when so many publications are electronic.  Our collection of electronic resources grows continuously.  We offer a number of new ones this year, recounted later in this issue.   But these resources are not helpful without ready access, and that means more computers.  The library is replacing most of its older computers and increasing the number of automated stations accessible to our public. 

      Although the library's real franchise consists of the collections and the very knowledgeable library faculty who service them, we would not seem as welcoming as we are without an attractive physical plant.  To this end, the College re-carpeted the library during the summer.  In addition to a new carpet, students were greeted with a freshly painted reference area. 

      We are also pleased to welcome two new adjunct reference librarians: Olga François and Barbara Carrel.  We look forward once again to an exciting academic year during which the library will be used to break new research ground as well as improve upon its important core mission of educating our students. 

                                                                                                               Larry Sullivan

 Advancing Electronically

       Major changes occurred in the electronic information resources marketplace, with vendors offering new products, redesigning older products, or offering new access choices for existing products. Throughout the summer, John Jay librarians met with other CUNY librarians to decide on CUNY-wide contracts and to preview new products and interfaces to see if we could improve information access at John Jay.  When the smoke cleared, the following improvements were in place:

      The CUNY Office of Library Services is continuing to fund, in whole or in part, such significant databases as LEXIS-NEXIS and InfoTrac, both of which have undergone major redesigns over the summer.  OLS has also subscribed, for the whole University, to Ethnic Newswatch (full-text articles from magazines and newspapers of ethnic groups around the US), CINAHL (applied health index), Wilson Education Abstracts, and WorldCat (shared worldwide union catalog).  It has also picked up the cost of Psychological Abstracts and Sociological Abstracts, both of which are now available over the Internet throughout the University.

      In addition, this library has recently added the following databases to our resources:

      Contemporary Women’s Issues--covers over 600 sources and includes full text from alternative presses, reports, journals, newsletters, etc.

      Criminal Justice Periodicals Index--indexes and abstracts approximately 150 national and international publications in criminal justice, with full text and images for 25 of those titles.

      Fire Worldwide--index to a collection of complementary databases on fire, fire management, and forensics

      Index to Legal Periodicals

      These databases are all available over the Internet and so can be accessed throughout John Jay-in the Library, in student labs, and in faculty offices.

      In addition, the following databases, previously available only within the Library, are now accessible throughout the College:

      Criminal Justice Abstracts

      MLA Bibliography

      PAIS (Public Affairs Information Service)

      People who have used these databases in the Library and are now using them in their offices will notice that the interface -- the way the screen looks and the way you enter information -- has changed.  The information, however, is the same.  Abundant help files are available to aid in learning the new system, and Library faculty will be offering extensive training in the new resources later in the semester.

      A full list of these “licensed” electronic resources-i.e., those resources for which we have purchased a license giving us the right to use them  can be found on the Library’s home page by selecting Licensed Electronic Resources.  A more complete subject list of electronic resources -- both licensed and free -- is found by selecting Information Resources by Subject.

                                                                                                                                                   Bonnie Nelson

New Face for LEXIS-NEXIS

       Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, the popular full-text on-line database, has been given a new face. New features and new functionality have been added, though graphics are still missing.

      The Main Page now lists five research categories: News, Business, Legal Research, Medical, and Reference.  Short explanations next to each icon provide directions and the Search Menu has two parts: Basic and More Options. Both require the use of keywords, representing a search topic. More Options provides opportunities for various Boolean logic operators (and, or, and not, w/sentence, w/paragraph, etc.)  Dates can be restricted, or extended as far back as 20 years in News and more than 100 years back in Legal Research.

      The Source part of the database has really improved. It is easier now to browse the Source List from any of the search screens and get publication information including coverage and frequency about each title. The user can mark particular titles to run a search within specific publication/s.

      The Legal Research part of the new Lexis-Nexis consists of seventeen categories. "Get a Case" (without knowing the name of the court in which the case was heard) along with European Union legal documents, U.S. patents, lawyers' and law school directories are just a few services that have been added.

      Other handy new features of Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe include tagging, printing and e-mailing capabilities.  We hope everyone will take a look at these pages and discover many useful features of the new Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe.

           Maria Kiriakova

New Legal Database

       The Library has begun subscribing to a new legal database called LoisLaw.  LoisLaw provides access to court cases, statutes, regulations and newswires.  It was developed as a low-cost alternative to Westlaw and Lexis-Nexis.  It keeps costs low by providing access mainly to non-copyrighted legal materials in the public domain. 

      Unlike the other legal databases, LoisLaw does not annotate material or provide access to law reviews, bar journals, reference works or published newspaper articles.  However, it does provide access to state and federal primary legal resources, at a cost that is substantially lower than that of the traditional legal databases.  There are no plans to drop Lexis-Nexis or Westlaw; LoisLaw is an addition to our electronic collections rather than a substitution.  The database can be accessed on the Library’s Internet computers either from the Library’s homepage (under Licensed Electronic Resources) or at the following address: www.lois.com.

      It is possible to provide students with access to LoisLaw from their home computers for a fee of $5 each per semester.  The company requires students to be signed up in batches of fifty.  This is an opportunity for faculty to arrange access to LoisLaw for their entire classes.  Unfortunately, the library is unable to sign up individual students - we can only deal with groups of fifty.  Interested faculty and students may try LoisLaw out in the library to see if they are interested in home access.  Library access is limited to one person at a time and users must request a reference librarian to enter the password.

      It is expected that at some stage over the next year, a college proxy server will enable students to access most of the library's databases from home, free of charge.  While we wait for the proxy server to be set up, however, LoisLaw will provide an opportunity for students to access legal materials from home.

Ellen Sexton

Faculty Favorites

..wherein some faculty members disclose their favorite web sites.

Anthony Carpi:

Physics 2000 http://www.colorado.edu/UCB/AcademicAffairs/ArtsSciences/physics/Physi csInitiative/Physics2000/index.html

     In my opinion, this is what the web is destined to do for education.  It’s a fantastic page filled with JAVA animations and physics explanations for all users.  Lessons range from a simple description of microwave ovens to Einstein’s Theory of Relativity.    

Alta Vista: http://www.altavista.com/

     One of the original four web search engines and still the best. Fast, convenient, and strives toward relevant!  The language translation feature still amazes me.

The International Journal of Environmental Forensics: http://www.aehs.com/Ijefhomepage.html

     Actually, the web page is rudimentary and the log-in system doesn’t always work.  But once this site is upgraded by its new owner, Academic Press, this journal will surely become a flagship in this new and rapidly expanding field of study.

Maggie Smith:

      The US Department of Justice commitment to technological innovation and integration in criminal justice is well-presented on the Web.  The Technology Projects link at the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center, http://www.nlectc.org/, offers drop-down menus of links to currently funded projects in six program areas: Officer Protection/Crime Prevention; Less-than-Lethal Technologies; Investigative and Forensic Sciences; Information Technologies; Counterterrorism Technologies; and Technology Tools for Training and Simulation.

      The Technical Assistance Exchange Forum of SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics, http://www.taexchange.search.org, (funded by the USDOJ), gives links to “Enterprise-wide” and “Discipline Specific” technology projects, along with publications and agencies.  The Automated Index of Criminal Justice Software, also at SEARCH,http://www.aindex.search.org , a database of vendors and agencies, is a great example of ‘public-private partnership’ at work.

      The State of Florida hosts the Criminal Justice Links Page of the Pinellas County Office of Justice Coordination, a part of the Web of Justice, at http://www.co.pinellas.fl.us/bcc/juscoord/etech.htm.

      The page offers links to some excellent examples of criminal justice technology in action.  I have found that these sites inspire students, as they imagine the future in the fields of criminal justice, and as they learn to use data for research and analysis.

Janice Dunham

 

Research Assistants News

    A new service is being offered throughout the University to allow research assistants to borrow books under a faculty member’s name from any CUNY library, including our own.  Faculty members may request a blue “research assistant card” at the Reference Desk which they will sign along with the research assistant and a librarian.  The information will then be added to the professor’s library patron file and a library bar code issued on the back of the blue card.  Along with a picture ID card, this card may be used for up to one year to borrow materials in the professor’s name.  The same circulation policies that would normally apply to faculty will apply to this service.  Contact Kathy Killoran for inquiries. 

Kathy Killoran

Book Browsers

       In this issue, we feature a selection of recent doctoral dissertations added to the library’s collection.

      Jones, Jennifer. Offensive females: the construction of the criminal woman on the English-speaking stage.  University of Washington, 1995.  LD1 no. 2074

      Rae, Charolette.  That macho thing: social supports of violence against women. Ohio University, 1995.  LD1 no. 2151

      Reisbord, John. Petitions to conscience: imprisonment for debt and the pursuit of justice in early modern England, 1560-1625.  Northwestern University, 1997. LD1 no. 2154

      Richardson, Charles Edward. The morals of enforcement. Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey, 1994. LD 1 no.2157

      Riggsby, Andrew M. Criminal defense and the conceptualization of crime in Cicero's orations. Univ. of California- Berkeley, 1993. LD 1 no.2158

      Squire, Debra.  The causes of delinquency as seen through the eyes of some delinquents themselves.  Walden University, 1996.  LD1 no. 2111

      Tanenhaus, David Spinoza. Policing the child: juvenile justice in Chicago, 1870-1925 University of Chicago,1997. LD 1 no.2181

      Townsend, Jules A. The impact of race on variation in the length of prison sentences: empirical evidence and policy implications. Univ. of Missouri-Kansas City, 1996. LD 1 no.2188

      Tupper, Kari Lynn. Women and crime: desire, transgression and confession in American law and literature. University of Washington, 1997. LD 1 no.2192

      Vanderburgh, David J. T. Cultures of public architecture in nineteenth-century France: re-forming the provincial prison. University of California-Berkeley, 1993. LD 1 no.2198

      Vertinsky, Liza Sharon. A law and economics approach to criminal gangs. Harvard University, 1997. LD 1 no.2199

      Williams, Jenny. On the dynamic decision to participate in crime. Rice University, 1996.  LD 1 no.2205

      Wimberg, Ellen Mary. "Replacing the shackles": Soviet penal theory, policy and practice, 1917-1930. University of Pittsburgh, 1996. LD 1 no.2206

      Yeung, Sau-chu Alison. Female criminality in Qing China: adulteress-murderesses in legal and popular culture. University of California, Los Angeles, 1997. LD 1 no.2208

      Zhou, Dengke. Disaster, disorganization, and crime. State University of New York at Albany, 1997. LD 1 no.2210

Marlene Kandel

Library Hours, Fall 1999

Monday - Thursday..................9am - 10pm

Friday.........................................9am - 5pm

Saturday...................................12pm - 5pm

Saturday, starting 10/16...........10am - 6pm

  Saturday,  11/27.......................12pm - 5pm 

Saturday,  12/4 & 12/11...........10am - 8pm

Sunday......................................12am - 5pm

Sunday,  12/5 & 12/12..............10am - 8pm

12/20...........................................9am - 8pm

12/21-12/23...............................10am - 5pm

12/28-12/30...............................10am - 5pm

12/17...........................................9am - 8pm

CLOSED:10/11, 11/25-26, 12/24-27,12/31

Library Faculty

Larry Sullivan, Chief Librarian, 8265, lesjj@cunyvm

Marvie Brooks, Reference, (on sabbatical, Fall 99) 8261, mbbjj@cunyvm

Jane Davenport, Collection Development, 8236, janedavenport@yahoo.com

Janice Dunham, Associate Librarian for Public Services, 8256, janjj@cunyvm

Nancy Egan, Reference, Interlibrary Loan, 8269, nanjj@cunyvm

Dolores Grande, Serials, 8235, dmgjj@cunyvm

Marlene Kandel, Cataloger, Coordinator for Technical Services, 8237, mkkjj@cunyvm

Katherine Killoran, Reference, Circulation, 8263, kbkjj@cunyvm

Maria Kiriakova, Reference, 8260,mvkjj@cunyvm

Bonnie Nelson, Associate Librarian for Information Systems, 8267, brnjj@cunyvm

Ellen Sexton, Reference, Reserve, 8258, easjj@cunyvm

Antony Simpson, Reference, Library Instruction, 8242, aes@inx.net

Jane Theile, Executive Assistant to the Chief Librarian, 8238, jltjj@cunyvm

Han Huang, Vladislav Safyanovskiy, Systems Adjuncts;

Barbara Carrel, Jane Dorfman, Nancy Farrell, Olga François, Lory Gallo, Catherine Stern, Reference Adjuncts

Full-Time Support Staff

Dee Dee Aikens: Interlibrary Loan, 8257

Dawn Battle: Cataloging, 8230

Saundra Dancy: Circulation, 8224

Michelle Dutton: Acquisitions, 8230

Anne Kovac, Juana Polanco: Serials, 8230

Circulation: 8225
Reference: 8246

Editor: Jane Davenport