Curious about what new books the Law Library has recently added to the collection?  Wondering what cutting-edge topic could be the subject of your next paper?  There are two really easy ways to keep current with what’s new at the library.

The first is to check out the library’s New Book Shelf.  It’s just past the Circulation Desk next to the soft seating on the 5th floor.  Here you’ll find a representative selection of the library’s newest books on display ready for your immediate review and check out.  Note that the angled shelf is specifically devoted to showcasing some of the newest additions to the Federal government and United Nations documents collection.

Items on the New Book Shelf are in continuous rotation with new ones being put on display weekly.  Once you get started you’ll find it pays to take a chair and open up a new book or two.  Who knows what gem you might find?

Pressed for time?  Working from home?  Keeping current with the library’s Selected Recent Acquisitions list from the convenience of your own computer may be just the ticket for you.  This second approach is easier than one, two, three.  From the library’s homepage (library.law.wisc.edu), click on the New Items at the Law Library link under the What’s New header (right center of the page), and the next page that appears will be the Selected Recent Acquisitions list.

As you’ll see, the list is sorted by the subjects covered, followed by the individual titles of new books, government documents, and videos the library has added to its collection.  All the information you need is right there: author, title, and the call number so you can locate the item in the stacks.

Some items, should they be available online, include a web-address linked from within their bibliographic entry so you can retrieve them immediately.  Most entries connect directly to the campus library catalog (MadCat) record via the Library Holding Information link for further information such as the item’s “Table of Contents” and whether it is checked out or not.

Like the New Book Shelf, the Selected Recent Acquisitions list is an ongoing project, and is updated on a monthly basis.  Should you want to look at earlier issues of the list there is an Archives link at the very top of the page.  There is also an email notification service to which you can sign up for to receive future issues of the Selected Recent Acquisitions list.  The link for this service is also at the top of the page.  You can customize the delivery of the email notification service by creating a profile, i.e. by selecting the “subject” areas you wish to receive, when signing up.  You can, of course, select to receive the entire list if you so choose.  A RSS feed is also available.

There’s a wealth of information and knowledge to be found here by taking a few minutes every so often with either the library’s New Book Shelf or Selected Recent Acquisitions list.

And then, there’s always the option to Ask a Librarian.  From collection development, purchasing, cataloging, circulation, web design, and reference, all that goes into making a library great, you can be assured that you have a dedicated and knowledgeable staff ready to help you.

Submitted by Eric Taylor, Evening Reference Librarian on September 5, 2008

This article appears in the categories: Law Library