Law Dawg of the Month: Nutmeg!

Nutmeg

By Anne Burnett

January’s Law Dawg is Nutmeg, a four year old (ish) delightfully cute Chihuahua Pug mix (or Chug) adopted from Athens-Clarke County Animal Control by the family of Anne Moser, Senior Director of Law School Advancement. “He came into our home along with his darling doggie sister (Honey a trim yellow lab mix) and joined our busy family of four. Nutmeg is a bit squirrel-like and has a rather mischievous streak (think chewing shoes). He loves a good snuggle!” To see other potential Law Dawgs available at the shelter, check out https://athenspets.net!

All members of the Law School Community (students, faculty and staff) are invited to submit a photo for possible selection as the Law Dawg. The featured entry for each issue will be selected at random from all entries received. Please note that honorary Law Dawgs (i.e. those of the feline, equine, porcine, avian, reptilian, etc. persuasion) are eligible as well.

Please send your Law Dawg photo(s) to aburnett@uga.edu.

Items on Display for MLK Day including “I Have a Dream” Speech Analyzed

By Geraldine Kalim, Marie Mize & David Rutland

As stated in our previous post, the library will have different hours for this Monday’s holiday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day:

• 12 noon to 9 pm

Click on the image of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech analyzed visually above to watch a video of author Nancy Duarte map out this masterpiece of American oration. In the video she illustrates the shape of rhetorical genius using principles from her book, Resonate, revealing the magic of what makes the speech so memorable.

Here are a few items available in the Law Library to check out in advance of Monday’s holiday, with more titles on display above the media area:

Martin Luther King Jr. and the Morality of Legal Practice: Lessons in Love and Justice

by Robert K. Vischer / Available on the Balcony–  KF373.K523 V57 2013

This book seeks to reframe our understanding of the lawyer’s work by exploring how Martin Luther King, Jr built his advocacy on a coherent set of moral claims regarding the demands of love and justice in light of human nature.

Protest at Selma: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Voting rights act of 1965

By David J. Garrow / Available in the Basement- JK1929.A2 G37

Vivid descriptions of violence and courageous acts fill David Garrow’s account of the momentous 1965 protest at Selma, Alabama, in which the author illuminates the role of Martin Luther King Jr. in organizing the demonstrations that led to the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Judgment Days: Lyndon Baines Johnson, Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Laws that Changed America

by Nick Kotz / Available in the Basement- E847.2. K67 2005

The Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Nick Kotz offers the first thorough account of the complex working relationship between Lyndon Baines Johnson and Martin Luther King Jr. Tracing both leaders’ paths, from Johnson’s ascension to the presidency in 1963 to King’s assassination in 1968, Kotz describes how they formed a wary alliance that would become instrumental in producing some of the most substantial civil rights legislation in American history: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The March : the Story of the Greatest March in American History

by PBS & Smoking Dogs Films U.K / Available in the Media Display – E185.61 .M324 2013

Witness the compelling and dramatic story of the 1963 March on Washington, where Dr. Martin Luther King gave his stirring “I Have a Dream” speech. This watershed event in the Civil Rights Movement helped change the face of America. Recounts the events when 250,000 people came together to form the largest demonstration the young American democracy had ever seen.

A More Beautiful and Terrible History: the Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History

by Jeanne Theoharis / Available in the Basement – E185.61 .T44 2018

The civil rights movement has become national legend, lauded by presidents from Reagan to Obama to Trump, as proof of the power of American democracy. This fable, featuring dreamy heroes and accidental heroines, has shuttered the movement firmly in the past, whitewashed the forces that stood in its way, and diminished its scope. Author Theoharis challenges nine key aspects of the fable to reveal the diversity of people, especially women and young people, who led the movement; the work and disruption it took; the role of the media and “polite racism” in maintaining injustice; and the immense barriers and repression activists faced.

Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years

by Blackside, WGBH Boston & PBS / Available in the Media Display – E185.61 .E93 2010 (3 discs)

The definitive story of the Civil Rights era from the point of view of the ordinary men and women whose extraordinary actions launched a movement that changed the fabric of American life, and embodied a struggle whose reverberations are felt today.

Library Hours & Upcoming Events

This weekend the library will be open on MLK Day with special hours Monday January 20, 2020 from 12:00 pm until 9:00pm. As a reminder, regular library hours throughout spring semester can be found through our website at http://law.uga.edu/library-hours-operation and are normally:

• Monday-Thursday from 8:00 am to 2:00 am
• Friday from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm
• Saturday from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm
• Sunday from 8:00 am to 2:00 am

There are also several upcoming events in January and early February we would like to highlight, including:

“The Power of the Pause & Other Science-Based Strategies to Boost Law Student Well-Being” with Stacey Dougan – Wednesday, Jan. 22nd from 11:30am to 1:00pm, Classroom A

A therapist with nearly 20 years of previous experience as both a lawyer and a member of senior management at Big Law firms, Stacey now works with lawyers and law students to help them align their needs and values with their personal and professional roles and responsibilities.

Faculty Book Celebration for Andrea Dennis – Thursday, January 30th at 3:30pm, Larry Walker Room, Dean Rusk Hall

In celebration of Martin Chair Andrea L. Dennis’ recently published book, Rap on Trial: Race, Lyrics and Guilt in America, discussion will be held featuring Dennis and Dr. Bettina L. Love with UGA’s College of Education.

2020 J Ralph Beaird 1L Closing Argument Mock Trial Competition Final Round – Friday, February 7 from 4:30pm to 5:30pm, Hatton Lovejoy Courtroom (343), Hirsch Hall

The Executive Mock Trial Board cordially invites all students, faculty and staff to attend the final round of the 2020 Beaird 1L Closing Argument Mock Trial Competition.

Meet Our New Student Services Librarian: Geraldine Kalim

It is the start of a new year, and many of you have already met our newest librarian, Geraldine Kalim! She will be co-teaching Advanced Legal Research this spring semester alongside our other newest librarian, Associate Director for Instruction and Access Services Heather Simmons. The two sat down for a chat, and Heather interviewed Geraldine with the following questions, adapted from our favorite professional organization, the AALL Professional Engagement, Growth, and Advancement’s blog series:  https://pegasisblog.wordpress.com/tag/show-us-your-shelfie/

Favorite Law School Class?

The Innocence Project Clinic at Catholic, which opened my eyes to access to justice issues and the importance of experiential learning.

Hobbies?

Running, reading, and baking.  My new hobby is knitting – was I like this all along, or does it come with the librarian profession?

Besides your workplace library (naturally), what is the coolest library you have ever seen/been to?

Seattle Public Library – it was so lively and bustling when I visited. Both great atmosphere and gorgeous architecture.

What do you like the most about being a librarian? What do you like the least?

Most: Working with librarians who are so generous with their knowledge and genuinely want their patrons, as well as newcomers to the profession, to succeed.

Least: The dark side of being a “lifetime learner” – the unending TBR (to be read) pile.

What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?

“Eat the ugliest frog first.” It’s a great technique for combatting procrastination.

Mark Twain is supposed to have said, “if the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day.” But there is no evidence that he ever said this. https://quoteinvestigator.com/2013/04/03/eat-frog/

What was your best day on the job as a librarian?

First day here at the Law Library – I am so happy to be here and thrilled that my life choices have led me back here to Athens (where I was an undergraduate from 2002-2006).  I am so looking forward to working with and learning from the amazing librarians here.

What was the last book you read? Digital or Print?

Harbor Me, by Jacqueline Woodson (in print) from the public library. She has a new novel out that I’m planning to read next entitled Red at the Bone.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

Georgia Museum of Art, here on campus

Cats or Dogs?

Dogs, but I love all animals.

Coffee or Tea?

Coffee. I have an espresso maker in my office – stop in and I’ll make you an espresso!

How many cardigans do you own?

Only seven so far!

Favorite word? Least favorite word?

Most: non-sequitur

Least: curds

What’s your perfect Sunday afternoon look like?

On a mild fall day with the windows open, a glass of wine and a big stack of New Yorkers. And then everyone takes a nap.

Celebrate the Growth of the Public Domain: Works from 1924 now Copyright Free!

Stop by the Law Library’s front entrance to learn more about our favorite 24 works that are now in the public domain as of January 1, 2020 from 1924!

By Rachel Evans & Stephen Wolfson

It is January 2020, and you know what that means, right? New works have entered the public domain! Copyright for most works published before 1978 is 95 years. Since all copyrights end on Dec. 31, that means each year on Jan. 1, a bunch of new works enter the public domain main. This started last year, and will keep going, indefinitely (assuming Congress doesn’t pass some sort of copyright extension). This year, works from 1924 are now free for us all to use, without restriction. Duke Law’s center for the study of the public domain has an excellent post featuring extensive lists from the 1924 Catalogue of Copyright Entries.

1924 saw the first printed illustration of the bear we know and love as “Winnie the Pooh”

What works might you recognize from 1924 that are now publicly available? It was the first appearance of the illustrated bear we now know as “Winnie the Pooh” in Milne’s When We Were Very Young! It was the also the first time Peter Pan was brought to film, the year T.S. Elliott’s role as editor published Virginia Woolf’s famous rebut of a critique of her writing, the year Louis Armstrong recorded a Christmas hit with “Santa Claus Blues”, the year Gershwin was taken seriously as a composer via “Rhapsody in Blue”, Sibelius’ debut of Symphony No. 7, the year Erik Satie composed a Daddaist ballet with writer Francis Picabia and filmmaker Rene Clair, and the year Man Ray transformed a classic nude photograph into an instrument by painting and printing Le Violon d’Ingres.

1924 was the first appearance of the MGM “Lion” at the start of their film He Who Gets Slapped when it hit theaters

 

The year also featured tons of wonderful novels including Agatha Christie’s detective story The Man in the Brown Suit, E.M. Forster’s A Passage to India revolving around the Indian independence of the 20’s, and one of Germany’s most influential works of the 20^th century with Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain. It was the first year the MGM lion would appear (at the beginning of the film He Who Gets Slapped). This is only a small slice of what has been released.

What does all of this mean? According to Duke’s Jennifer Jenkins:

“The Internet Archive will add books, movies, music, and more to its online library. HathiTrust will make tens of thousands of titles from 1924 available in its digital library. Google Books will offer the full text of books from that year, instead of showing only snippet views or authorized previews. Community theaters can screen the films. Youth orchestras can afford to publicly perform the music. Educators and historians can share the full cultural record. Creators can legally build on the past—re-imagining the books, making them into films, adapting the songs… Unfortunately, the fact that works from 1924 are legally available does not mean they are actually available. After 95 years, many of these works are already lost or literally disintegrating (as with old films and recordings), evidence of what long copyright terms do to the conservation of cultural artifacts.”

That is wonderful news indeed! Celebrate public domain this month with us by stopping through the front of the Law Library to check out a slideshow of 24 of our favorites from 1924, and to learn a little more about each work. If anyone is curious about what could have entered the public domain under the old law (before Congress extended copyright an extra 20 years), it would have included works from 1963 (like Dr. King’s “I have a dream” speech, the film The Birds, Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Cat’s Cradle, Thomas Pynchon’s novel V., and songs from the album With the Beatles). Wondering what books are now in the public domain, and how to access them? Check out this wonderful article from ebookfriendly with 25 of the best places online to find and read public domain literature!

Escape the Stress of Law Exams with Virtual Reality

Escape with VR: The law library will host a free drop-in Virtual Reality Gaming event on Tuesday December 10th from 11 AM to 2 PM in Classroom L. Join I.T. Services Librarian Jason Tubinis and Help Desk Manager Brad Grove as they share their favorite VR games with the law school community including tetris, zombies, an underwater experience, and more!

Library Hours:  http://www.law.uga.edu/library-hours-operation. During reading days and exam weeks Monday through Friday hours are 7 AM to 2 AM, while Saturday and Sunday hours are 8 AM to 2 AM.

We will keep a variety of stress busting activities available throughout the library until the last day of exams on December 18th. Take your pick to take care of yourselves during this busy and anxious time of the year:

• Paws & Relax with Therapy Dogs from 1 to 2 PM on 12/9, 12/11 and 12/12
• Sound Bath in Classroom L from 8 to 8:20 AM 12/9
• Giant Touch Screen Word Search
• Free Study Buddies
• Jigsaw Puzzles
• Video Games
• Board Games
• Card Games
• Brain Teasers
• Crosswords
• Magazines
• Magazines
• Coloring
• DVDs

Law Library Stress Busters TODAY & Tomorrow Encourage Students to Take Care: D.I.Y. PB & J Bar and Sound Baths

By Geraldine Kalim & Rachel Evans

PB & J Bar

December 3rd from 4 to 6 PM

This afternoon we invite you to make your own sandwich or toast at our PB & J bar outside the library entrance. Free coffee will also be provided by the Career Development Office. Our spread will include a selection of breads, butters, jellies, bananas and more. Build your own snack – toasters too!

Sound Baths

December 4th and 9th from 8 to 8:20 AM

In the library’s Classroom L get yourself centered and ready for 1L exams. These 20 minute sound baths will feature low-lighting, relaxing music, space to sit or lay down and just enough time to close your eyes and practice a little mindfulness for the exams ahead. Ending promptly at 8:20 there will still be time to arrive early to your exam room for 9 AM start times.

Wondering what a sound bath is? It is essentially “Sound Therapy”. Used for thousands of years in many different cultures, it can move you from a place of imbalance to one of balance, stimulates the circulation and immune systems, helps release emotions stored in our body like stress, and promotes deep relaxation. Can’t make it to these morning sessions? Enjoy one yourself! Search Youtube or Spotify for sound bath playlists, or listen to this 10-hour recording. You can also just practice 5 to 10 minutes of mindfulness before exams. Click on the infographic to the right for 6 helpful steps, or visit our past blog posts for more mindfulness resources, including apps.