Toronto Reference Library Blog

End of an Era for Encyclopedia Britannica

The announcement this week that the 2010 print edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica would be its last caused a flurry of media interest. Most commentators expressed regret, but weren’t surprised by the decision. The publishers of Britannica, as well as those of many other  encyclopedias and reference guides, have been moving to digital versions for many years – a quick look at Toronto Public Library’s list of online databases reveals just how much information is at your fingertips.

 

And yet... there was something wonderful about seeing those imposing, leather bound books on a shelf. The digital version offers convenience of access to many users in many places at the same time [no longer will you go to do your research on Ecuador and find that the 'E' volume is nowhere to be found]. What will be lost is the ability to browse a set from a specific date and know that, at that point in time, these books represent the sum of man's knowledge about history, geography, science, literature and art.

 

Toronto Reference Library has a wonderful collection of older versions of the Encyclopedia Britannica in its stacks, including both editions pictured above.

 

  Our earliest set is the third edition, from 1797. I went to look up the entry on Canada and was surprised that there was none until it occurred to me that there was no Canada then. But, we are there in 1902!

 

Clearance Book Sale - March 15-17, 2012 - Friends of the Library - South Chapter @ Toronto Reference Library

Not only have the Friends of the Library - South Chapter successfully reopened their used bookstore but they're having a clearance sale this week at the Beeton Auditorium of the Toronto Reference Library.

Join us on Thursday March 15 from 10-8 pm, Friday March 16 from 9:30-5:30 pm and Saturday March 17 from 9-4:30.  Prices are very reasonable at 50 cents each or 3 for $1.00.

Enjoy !

 

 

Westlaw Canada's LawSource: Making A Case

The decisions of judges pertaining to particular matters brought before the courts create legal precedents and contribute to defining common law. Such legal precedents appear in case law and are published in law reports. LawSource, by Westlaw Canada, is an excellent source of Canadian case law and legal precedent . . . and LawSource offers other information - more on that in a moment.

Of course there is a caveat: for a non lawyer, conducting legal research into cases can be intimidating. To state the obvious . . . not having a background in legal terminology, principles, actions, procedures, and history, will be a barrier to understanding. Still it seems natural for anyone involved in a legal matter, to want to find out as much as possible on the subject before talking to a lawyer, or especially, if representing themselves.

So what then, is the best way to proceed? There are two dedicated computers within TPL that offer LawSource through IP authenticated electronic subscriptions: one is at the Toronto Reference Library in the Humanities and Social Sciences Department, and the other is at North York Central in the Business Department. Note: there is no remote access to LawSource through Library systems. LawSource is only at these two workstations and is offerred on a first come first serve basis - there are no signup sheets.

You may seek reference assistance from staff - for example, in formulating a search strategy - but staff do not have legal training and are not qualified to answer any questions that involve the interpretation of legal points or to evaluate and results from your searches.

The main components of LawSource include:

1. Legislation - Statutes and Regulations (Federal and Provincial)
2. Case Law (From Carswell and non-Carswell reporting services)
3. Canadian Abridgement Case Law Digests
4. Other decisions from Canadian courts and tribunals
5. Canadian Encyclopedic Digest - with 255 subject titles on aspects of Canadian Law
6. Law Report Articles and Journals and Law Reviews
7. KeyCiteCanada updates cases, statutes, and rules
8. Index to Canadian Legal Literature - a Canadian legal bibliography

For a detailed list of contents, click here.

Searching for the first time can be a bit challenging, so LawSource offers a wide range of educational resources on online at eLearning Centre that can help.  You may need some patience to learn how to search and know how the content is organized in order to be rewarded with optimal results. With this in mind, it would make sense to view some above tutorials even before coming to the library.

We would be interested in knowing if and how LawSource has helped you in the past and/or present . . . please leave a comment at this post . . . Thank you.

 

Advertising Blotters

 

Before the widespread use of ballpoint pens, the fountain pen with its self-contained reservoir of ink, was the writing implement of choice. Blotting paper which soaked up excess ink on writing paper was a necessity of the desktop along with a bottle of ink or inkwell.

Businesses, organizations and institutions distributed free blotters as an easy way of getting their messages across.

Here are two of the blotters that will be on display at the Toronto Reference Library until the end of March.

 

 

 

 

This exhibit of Special Collections ephemera is located on the 4th floor of the Toronto Reference Library, just outside the Baldwin Reading Room.