Wisconsin State Law Library

What's New - Carol Hassler

Milwaukee Legal Resource Center's New Library - Lynne Gehrke

On Friday, July 25th the Milwaukee Legal Resource Center (MLRC) moved into its new library in Room G9 of the Milwaukee County Courthouse. After over three years of planning MLRC is excited to be in its new space. There is a large reference desk allowing three library staff to assist users at the same time, a private room reserved for attorney use, more than twice the bookshelf space, and room for additional tables and chairs.

The library is furnished with the original oak furniture and updated with new shelving and décor. Several attorneys donated artwork to further enhance the setting. The new library is quieter due to the larger space and the state-of-the-art flooring. Lighting will be completed by the ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled for noon on Monday, September 15th.

None of this would have been possible without the strong support of Chief Judge Jeffrey Kremers. Judge Kremers attended numerous meetings, offered design solutions, and kept a watchful eye on the progress of the project. MLRC will serve the citizens, judges, and attorneys of Milwaukee County for many years to come in its new facility.

Left: Spacious new seating in MLRC. Right: Reference desk

Upcoming Classes

Take your pick of CLE classes in September and October and register early to save your spot.

Join Beverly Butula, Manager of Library Services at Davis & Kuelthau, s.c., as she cruises through a myriad of websites that will help you locate valuable information on individuals. (Milwaukee - September 16)

In our Index to Legal Periodicals class, learn how to find legal articles on cutting edge topics, case law analysis, and articles that provide sample form and contract language. Get advanced search tips and learn how to make the most out of this new database. (Online and in Madison - September 18 and October 9)

I need the legislative history of a Wisconsin statute. Where do I start? What do I do? Get answers to these questions and more by attending Researching Wisconsin Legislative History: Sources and Strategies. (Madison - September 23)

Become an expert at using WestlawNext. Learn to use the new search box to find a document and research an issue. This class focuses on the new results display, how to sort and filter search results, and how to use KeyCite. (Madison - October 15)

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Library Card Signup Month - Carol Hassler

September is library card signup month. If you don't have a library card yet there's no reason to wait. A free library card at the State Law Library is one of the best deals around for anyone in the Wisconsin legal community. Not only are you able to check out materials from our practice-oriented collection, but you can log in to HeinOnline, LegalTrac, and our new Index to Legal Periodicals database from your home or office. Take a moment today to fill out our online form or mail us an application.

Many of our readers already have library cards so this month is also a good time to check and update your account information. Take a few minutes to verify and update your information by calling the Circulation Desk at 608-266-1600. You can also check your account details online and send us an update using our library card form.

To check your account details online, log in to your account with your last name and library card barcode number. Check your address and phone number and click on the "Modify Personal Info" button to check and update your email address. If your name, workplace, address, or phone number need updated please contact the Circulation Desk at 608-266-1600.

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This Just In - Pete Boll

New Edition! Owen & Davis on Products Liability, 4th edition, by David G. Owen and Mary J. Davis.
Thomson Reuters/West Publishing, 2014
WSLL Call Number: KF 1296.O9 P74

This four volume treatise completely revises and updates the previous edition, Madden & Owen on Products Liability. The new organization of chapters and appendices streamlines the treatise to make it easier to use while at the same time significantly expands the depth of analysis of product liability law.

The new edition features:

• Enhanced and updated discussions of major product liability doctrines, expanded treatment of design and warning defects, and the evolving law of federal preemption of products liability claims.
• Hundreds of new references to recent cases, statutes, and other resources of law and commentary.

Updated! Hiring and Firing in Wisconsin, 5th edition, 2014 update, by Robert K. Sholl, and others.
State Bar of Wisconsin, 2013
WSLL Call Number: KFW 2734.5.E55 B33 2013

This stand-alone guide is adapted from the more comprehensive three volume State Bar treatise Wisconsin Employment Law. It is aimed at attorneys and human resource professionals whose work focuses on the creation and termination of the employment relationship. Highlights of the 2014 update include:

• A federal district court in Illinois has held that questions about a female applicant's "family obligations" could support allegations of discrimination when the employer openly expressed concerns that those obligations would affect her work, but did not express similar concerns about male employees.
• Madison recently revised its ordinances to prohibit discrimination in employment on the basis of unemployment status.
• In an unpublished decision, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals held that a contract that refers to an employee's compensation as an amount per day, week, month, or year remains terminable at will, absent a separate statement specifying the contract's duration.
• The Wisconsin Supreme Court has reiterated that resignation is central to the concept of constructive discharge: "[C]ourts have established the test for a constructive termination, and every Wisconsin case we have found that meets that test involves a resignation."

See our latest New Titles list for a list of new books and other resources.

For assistance in accessing these or other resources, please contact our Reference Desk.

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Tech Tip in Brief - Heidi Yelk

Where is the Toolbar? Adobe Reader and "Read Mode"

Adobe Acrobat Reader is the arguably the most commonly used PDF viewer. By default, Reader opens PDF documents in "Read Mode" - described as a full screen with minimal distractions. However this has left many users wondering, "where is the toolbar?" It only makes sense that in order to print or save the document, the user needs access to the print or save button.

"Read Mode" employs a floating toolbar that becomes visible when the user hovers the cursor near the bottom of the page. Depending on the version of Reader installed the floating toolbar looks like:

This is all fine unless the floating toolbar is more of a distraction to you than an aid. Getting rid of it takes just one simple click. To exit "Read Mode" and return to the traditional "toolbar at the top" layout, simply click the button at the end of the floating toolbar: represented as an X, home button, or Adobe PDF icon. Because Reader opens in "Read Mode" by default this fix is only temporary. To make a lasting change to Adobe Reader, use the Edit menu to access Preferences. Then, choose Internet from the categories on the left side. Here you can choose to uncheck "Display in Read Mode by default."

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WSLL Recommends: Medicare & Medicaid Guide

Wolter Kluwer's Medicare and Medicaid Guide is a six-volume, loose leaf set providing detailed coverage of Titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act (Medicare and Medicaid).

The set includes a comprehensive table of contents, index, and "finding lists." Additional finding aids, such as chapter tabs delineating major topics, including Medicare Part A, Part B, Exclusions, Fee Schedules, Prescription Drug Plans (etc.) help the user quickly hone in on research areas.

The first two volumes are devoted to explanations of the law: billing, eligibility, instructions, and forms. Volumes three, four, and five include a reprint of the Social Security Act, as amended, along with federal regulations. This section-by-section view includes a detailed review of amendments to each section of the law. Volume six, entitled "Current Development" includes administrative decisions, CMS Letters, information bulletins, and cases.

A valuable component of the Medicare and Medicaid Guide is the archive of materials appearing in volume six. The library's collection of "transfer binders" housing this archive date back to 1974 and span 18 feet of shelf space. In many cases, this paper archive is the most cost-effective means of locating past decisions or guidance on Medicare or Medicaid law. To locate information within the transfer binders, consult the "finding lists" in volume one which will provide a paragraph number assigned to the document.

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Odds 'n' Endings - Julie Tessmer

E-books or print books?

A recent report found that even though e-book reading is growing, print books are still read more frequently. A survey conducted by Pew Research Center reported that while 28% of American adults read an e-book last year; a whopping 69% read a print book.

For the full report see E-reading rises as device ownership jumps.

September Notables

The Wisconsin Court System celebrates Juror Appreciation Month.

September 10, 1838 - a well-known Madison namesake James Duane Doty was elected to Congress. Doty also held the title of Wisconsin's First Judge. He had the distinction of serving in all three branches of government as he later went on to become the governor of the Wisconsin territory.

September 15, 2014 - The Milwaukee Legal Resource Center, Milwaukee Justice Center, and the Clerk of Circuit Court Records Center celebrate their Grand Reopening in the Milwaukee County Courthouse with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at noon.

(Image source: By Onderwijsgek (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons)

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