This week in the Law Library we are wishing everyone taking the bar exam good luck! We’re also looking at tips for bar exam day, more summer legal research tips on researching legislative history, and we continue exploring Disability Pride Month resources.
Bar Exam Last Minute Tips
This is it! You’ve studied, you’ve prepared and you’ve got this! Feeling a little anxious? Be sure and check out our previous list of resources on dealing with Bar Exam anxiety. Below are some tips for the days of the exam:
- 22 Quick and Essential Bar Exam Day Tips, JD Advising
- Exam Day Tips, Bar Exam Toolbox
- Test Day Tips for the Bar Exam, Bar Exam Mind
- Advice For The Day Of The Bar Exam, Above the Law
- Motivation Before the Bar Exam, AdaptiBar
Summer Legal Research Tips
Last week we took an initial look at legislative history research. This week we’re going to continue looking at legislative history research and what to do if you cannot find an already compiled legislative history.
ProQuest Congressional
Sometimes, unfortunately, no one has compiled a legislative history for you and you have to do it yourself. One of the best ways to find legislative history documents not already gathered by someone else is to use the ProQuest Congressional database. This is different from the ProQuest Legislative Insight. You can find the link for this database under the Research Tools & Databases on the Law Library’s webpage. Within ProQuest Congressional, the easiest way is to search by Public Law Number. To get to that search screen click the Congressional Publications link in the top left corner of the page. Then select Search by Number. If you have the public law number or Statutes at Large citation for an enacted law, use those. If you have a bill number for a law that was not enacted, use that.
Lexis
In addition to the selected compiled legislative histories, Lexis also has individual legislative history documents. Search in the Federal Legislative Bill History, Committee Reports, and Congressional Record.
Westlaw
You can also find individual legislative history documents on Westlaw. Instead of clicking on the US GAO Federal Legislative Histories or the Arnold & Porter Legislative Histories, search the Legislative Histories — Congressional Reports, Congressional Record, U.S. Congressional Testimony, and historical public laws.
Congress.gov
You can look up more current legislation on Congress.gov. Clicking on the Actions gives a chronology of everything that happened to the bill in reverse chronological order. There are links to some but not all documents. The more recent your bill or public law, the more likely you are to find links to documents.
Check out our guide on Federal Legislative History for more information and resources!
July Is Disability Pride Month!
Disability Pride Flag. A black flag with a lightning bolt of blue, yellow, white, red, and green. Source: Ann Magill/Public Domain
About Disability Pride Month
Disability Pride Month is an annual worldwide observance holiday during the month of July. It promotes awareness of disability as an identity, a community, a culture & the positive pride felt by disabled people. It directly challenges systematic ableism and discrimination.
5 More Resources on Accessibility & Disability Issues
ADA Anniversary
Throughout the year, celebrate the 31st ADA anniversary and 30 years of the ADA National Network for information and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
ADA.gov
A website by the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division that focuses on the ADA and disability resources.
ADA National Network
The ADA National Network provides information, guidance and training on how to implement the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in order to support the mission of the ADA to “assure equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.”
Beyond Affliction: The Disability History Project
Beyond Affliction: The Disability History Project is a four hour documentary radio series about the shared experience of people with disabilities and their families since the beginning of the 19th century. This Web site includes excerpts from the Shows as well as many of the primary source documents – extended interviews, images, and texts- from which the on-air programs were developed.
Disability History Museum
The Disability History Museum hosts a Library of virtual artifacts, Education curricula, and Museum exhibits. These programs are designed to foster research and study about the historical experiences of people with disabilities and their communities.