Be an Einstein. Use the Library.

Happy Birthday to Albert Einstein, who was born on this day in 1879. Celebrated as a brilliant theoretical physicist and one of the greatest minds of the 20th century, Einstein's very name is synonymous with genius, but in some ways, he was just a regular guy. He enjoyed smoking his pipe, took great pleasure in riding his bicycle, and encouraged playfulness as the key to discovery and creative thought. He also placed great value in visiting the library.

Einstein claimed to possess no special talents but described himself as "passionately curious." What better way to satisfy one's curiosity than to visit the library? He once said, "The only thing that you absolutely have to know is the location of the library," a sentiment that we at Harris County Law Library share. Knowing where to access accurate, authoritative, and trustworthy sources of legal information is critical for both legal professionals and the public. Those who represent the best interests of their clients need not only information but a supportive environment in which to work, and those representing themselves need unrestricted access to unbiased sources of information to help them address their legal needs.

In the digital age, libraries have changed tremendously, evolving from the traditional institutions that Einstein would have known to vibrant, dynamic hives of activity where people from all walks of life come in search of not only information but for guidance, services, education, training, support, and community. We at Harris County Law Library take the needs of our visitors very seriously, and we continue to expand our range of offerings on an ongoing basis.

For guidance, we partner with the Houston Volunteer Lawyers to offer our pro se patrons access to attorneys at no expense (Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm). Our reference staff provide services and support 11 hours a day, 5 days a week by assisting self-represented litigants in finding forms for a variety of legal needs. Our Legal Tech Institute, an ongoing series of free learning opportunities for attorneys and the public, provides legal tech education and skills training in both face-to-face and virtual settings. 

We aim to cultivate a sense of community for our regular visitors, both attorneys and the public, and to create an environment conducive to productivity, exploration, problem-solving, and achieving justice. Knowing where to find this kind of environment and the resources it offers is a must. We like to think that Einstein would agree. 

Introducing govinfo

In 2009, the Government Publishing Office (then called the Government Printing Office) migrated all of its Federal Government resources from GPO Access to FDsys.gov. Providing access to federal statutes, regulations, and executive branch documents, FDsys was a government information goldmine. However, opinions about the site were mixed. While one reviewer described it as, "...well organized, with good symmetry, plain layout, and design," others found it unattractive and difficult to navigate. In any case, the GPO is migrating once again to a new and improved, next generation website. It's called govInfo, and it debuted in beta mode just two years ago. It features all the content and coverage offered by FDsys but the layout and design are much improved. Best of all, the new site is built for responsive design and optimized for display on mobile devices.

govinfo is the new front door to accessing the same content that's been available on FDsys for the last 7 years, with a focus on "implementing feedback from users and improving overall search and access to electronic Federal Government information."  FDsys will retire and will be completely replaced by govinfo by the end of 2018. During the transition period, be sure to update your bookmarks and links to govinfo.gov.

If you'd like to find the same documents on govinfo that you used to access on FDsys, look for the comparison chart that's available on the govinfo About page. Video tutorials are also provided along with a Help guide that links to information about what kind of content is available on govinfo and how to find it.

Recognition for Ex Libris Juris in 2017

This has been quite an active year for the Harris County Law Library. We're proud of our many accomplishments, and we're looking forward to a number of new and exciting projects in 2018. 

As a reader of this blog, Ex Libris Juris, you're familiar with the kinds news and information we provide. We cover everything from new library resources and tips for more effective legal research, to trends in legal technology and, on occasion, legal history. This year, we were honored to be recognized dozens of times by Texas Bar Today, the State Bar of Texas daily roundup of the best blog posts published in the state. On eight occasions, Texas Bar Today selected our blog for its weekly compilation of the top ten blog posts. Subject matter for the selected blog posts has varied considerably, covering such diverse topics as digital currency, the right-to-repair movement, legal chatbots, access to justice, daylight savings time, and geography and the law. We have been proud to share the Texas Bar Today Top Ten Badge on social media and grateful for the attention -- and blog traffic -- it has brought us. 

We have also been included several times on the American Association of Law Libraries KnowItAALL daily email newsletter. Being recognized by our professional peers is a true honor. We appreciate the attention from AALL and always feel proud to be included among our law librarian colleagues, 

We're excited about the upcoming year and eager to begin contributing more news and ideas to the diverse array of content that those in the Texas law blog community create and share online. Happy New Year, everyone! 

Pinning the Jail (Time) on the Donkey

Eight donkeys in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh recently made world news. They were arrested and detained for four full days after getting caught munching on exotic plants outside of the town jail. Local authorities, who had previously told the donkeys' owner to keep the animals confined, were dog-tired from issuing so many repeated warnings. Costly damage to the town's expensive greenery was reason enough to take swift action, not against the negligent owner, but against the equine perpetrators of the crime. The donkeys were rounded up and jailed until a local political leader helped secure their release. Upon leaving the jail, the donkeys looked penitent and contrite, except for one who delighted in regaining his freedom with a bit of celebratory prancing.

These donkeys never had to defend their actions in a court of law, nor were they called upon to right their wrongs. Granting them their freedom is an entirely rational end to this story, but assigning animals agency and holding them accountable for their actions was once considered completely appropriate. In Europe, throughout the Middle Ages, putting animals on trial was commonplace, although some dispute just how common it was.  Regardless, animal trials did take place and punishment for the accused was often severe. Pigs, who frequently killed or maimed children, received the harshest sentences -- mutilation and execution – while animals who fell victim to bestiality were commonly pardoned for committing criminal acts against their will. Insects, rodents, and other pets were also brought to justice for destroying crops or gardens, but the punishment they received was typically limited to condemnation by the church.

Bringing animals to justice through formal court proceedings is bizarre to us in the twenty-first century, but, at a time when people lived closely among animals, keeping them as livestock and beasts of burden, it made more sense to treat them as free agents, entitled to access the justice system on an equal footing with their human caretakers and counterparts.

To learn more about animals on trial, please visit the links below.

• Animals on Trial: Formal Legal Proceedings, Criminal Acts, and Torts of Animals, In Custodia Legis, Law Library of Congress, February 9, 2016,
• The Truth and Myth Behind Animal Trials in the Middle Ages, Atlas Obscura, August 10, 2015
• Fantastically Wrong: Europe’s Insane History of Putting Animals on Trial and Executing Them, Wired, September 2, 2014
• Beastly Justice, Slate, February 21, 2013

For additional resources in the Harris County Law Library’s digital collection, please look for the following titles in our HeinOnline database (or at the links below).

• The Historical and Contemporary Prosecution and Punishment of Animals by Jen Girgen, 2003
• Prosecution and Punishment of Animals and Lifeless Things in the Middle Ages and Modern Times
• The Criminal Prosecution and Capital Punishment of Animals (Legal Classics Library) by Edward Payson Evans, 1906

Legal Tech Institute Celebrates First Anniversary

The Legal Tech Institute at the Harris County Law Library launched in October, 2016, with the CLE Social Media for Lawyers. Building on the success of that program, we've expanded learning opportunities significantly with a dozen in-person courses and 5 On-Demand training sessions available on our website. As with all programs at the Harris County Law Library, LTI classes are always free and open to all.

Additionally, each LTI video CLE is accredited by the State Bar of Texas and Texas attorneys can receive credit for watching the videos up to a year after the live program. That means the LTI anniversary also marks the end point for receiving Texas CLE credit for our first program. Watch Social Media for Lawyers and report your credit at www.texasbar.com before time runs out!