Library Hours on Sunday to Change

Effective Sunday, Nov. 4, and continuing through the remainder of Autumn Quarter, the Law Library will close at 6pm instead of 11pm. A decision will be made in December about whether the 6pm closure will remain in effect.

Also, another bank of study carrels on the southwest end of Floor L1 will be reserved for use by UW law students. Students: if you cannot find an unoccupied carrel in this area and notice a nonlaw student in one of the units, you may politely ask the nonlaw student to move to another location. For example, all of the seating on Floor L2 is unrestricted.

Mid-Quarter Frights

There’s a chill in the air.  Jack-o-lanterns are being placed doorside.  And Bartell Drugs has a scary amount of candy stocked.  It’s official:  Halloween will soon be upon us.  It’s a creepy time of year, but ghouls and goblins may have nothing on first quarter final exams when it comes to eliciting nightmares.  Law school can certainly seem scary, especially when mid-quarter stress begins to creep in, but it doesn’t have to be!  Armed with the right study aids, you will find yourself the ultimate ghostbuster.

Did you know UW law students have access to many exams from current and former University of Washington School of Law professors?  These exams are available on the Gallagher Law Library website here.  Also available are exams from other law schools and books and websites on preparing for and taking exams.  You can check out Gallagher’s full research guide on law school exams here.

Exams are still weeks away.  But if the nightmares start to grab hold, keeping a list of these resources in your back pocket may be your ticket to a good night’s rest.  In the meantime, stock up on some candy, try to save a few pieces for the trick-or-treaters, and have a Happy Halloween!

Younger Americans' Reading and Library Habits

The Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project just released a 50+ page study, Younger American’s Reading and Library Habits. They found that “more than eight in ten Americans ages 16-29 read a book in the past year, and six in ten used their local public library. Many say they are reading more in the era of digital content, especially on their mobile phones and on computers.”

 NPR had a story on the study, as did the New York Times.

 

Findings include:

• 83% of Americans between the ages of 16 and 29 read a book in the past year. Some 75% read a print book, 19% read an e-book, and 11% listened to an audiobook.

• Among Americans who read e-books, those under age 30 are more likely to read their e-books on a cell phone (41%) or computer (55%) than on an e-book reader such as a Kindle (23%) or tablet (16%).

• Overall, 47% of younger Americans read long-form e-content such as books, magazines or newspapers. E-content readers under age 30 are more likely than older e-content readers to say that they are reading more these days due to the availability of e-content (40% vs. 28%).

• 60% of Americans under age 30 used the library in the past year. Some 46% used the library for research, 38% borrowed books (print books, audiobooks, or e-books), and 23% borrowed newspapers, magazines, or journals.

Pretty good news for those of us who care about libraries and reading. But as someone who also takes a book everywhere she goes (just in case), this was my favorite part: some e-content readers mentioned that they  “could read a few pages on their phone while waiting in line or between classes.”  Nice!

Blogs About New Family Law Issues

Marriage, divorce, child custody, adoption—the central topics of family law have been around for a long time. But recent decades have put a new spin on these topics as technology develops ways of becoming parents (egg donation, in vitro fertilization, etc.) and people explores different family structures (same-sex partners, blended families).

This year's bill in the California legislature that would have made it possible for a child to have more than two legal parents (it was vetoed by Gov. Brown) is too recent to be in texts and treatises—or even law reviews—but you can find it discussed in blogs (e.g., here and here).

Justia lists over 200 family law blogs here. Health law blogs are listed here. Most of them are by practitioners.

Here is a selective list of blogs from law professors and advocacy groups that might discuss family law and reproductive technology:

• Beyond (Straight and Gay) Marriage (Prof. Nancy Polikoff, American U.)
• Bill of Health (Harvard Law School Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics)
• Family Law Prof Blog (Andrea B. Carroll, LSU, and Margaret Ryznar, Indiana)
• Family Restoration (Prof. Lynne Marie Kohm, Regent U.)
• Feminist Law Professors (administered by Prof. Ann Bartow and Prof. Bridget Crawford at Pace; many professors contribute)
• From the Desk of . . . (National Partnership for Women and Families)
• Gender & Sexuality Law Blog (Columbia Law School Center for Gender & Sexuality Law)
• HealthLawProf Blog (by 9 professors)
• Lambda Legal Blog (Lambda Legal)
• My Alternative Family Blogs Portal (My Alternative Family is a website with resources for people in or hoping to form alternative families) 
• National Advocates for Pregnant Women Blog (National Advocates for Pregnant Women)
• Our Bodies, Our Blog (Our Bodies Ourselves)
• Out for Justice (National Center for Lesbian Rights)
• Related Topics  (by Prof. Julie Shapiro, Seattle U)
• Reproductive Rights Prof Blog (Prof. Caitlin E. Borgmann, CUNY)
• RH Reality Check ("Reproductive & Sexual Health and Justice New, Analysis & Commentary")
• Speaking of Women's Rights (Legal Voice)
• Womenstake (National Women's Law Center)

Washington Votes by Mail

Washington is one of only two states that votes by mail (Oregon is the other). Ballots and voters pamphlets are arriving this week.

If you want to put your ballot in a drop box, rather than a mail box, King County Elections has physical drop boxes located throughout the county. They are open 24/7 now until November 5, and from 12 am to 8 pm on November 6. in addition, ballot drop off vans will be available from 10 am-5 pm, Nov 2 through Nov 5, and 7 am-8 pm on election day. A van will be in the Northeast corner of Red Square on the University of Washington campus.

Locations and hours of ballot drop boxes and vans in King County are here. 


King County voters will receive two voters pamphlets - one from the County and one from the State.

Don't live in King County? The Washington Secretary of State's office has a list of county election departments here.
 
New to Washington State and still not registered? Although the online and mail registrations have passed, you can still register in person at the county elections departments until October 29.