Online databases can be invaluable, time-saving tools to any legal researcher as they provide organized access to a wide array of legal resources as well as sophisticated search tools. Many online databases, including fee-based databases, are available at the Law Library, free of charge, to library patrons. This month, the blog will feature six of the online databases available at the Law Library.
The Law Library provides library patrons with free access to the Bloomberg BNA (Bureau of National Affairs) legal database. While there is a great deal of overlap between the resources available on Bloomberg BNA and WestlawNext and LexisNexis, which we highlighted earlier this month, Bloomberg BNA materials are only available on Bloomberg BNA. These BNA materials include the following.
- United States Law Week provides searchable access to Supreme Court opinions, Supreme Court Practice and Federal Appellate Practice.
- Family Law Reporter provides a weekly roundup of family law developments and trends.
- Criminal Law Reporter provides an overview of trends, development and issues in criminal law.
- Lawyer’s Manual on Professional Conduct provides news and guidance regarding attorneys’ ethics and professional conduct.
- “Slices” of Labor and Employment Law: The Americans with Disabilities Act Manual, which provides news and guidance related to ADA issues, developments, and state law compliance, and the Employment Discrimination Report, which covers developments in the procedural and substantive aspects of employment discrimination law, are the two resources the library has available through this database.
Can I access Bloomberg BNA at the Library? Yes! The Law Library offers FREE, in-person access to Bloomberg BNA.
How to use Bloomberg BNA in the Library? You can access Bloomberg BNA from any of the public access computers available at the Law Library.
What to do if you need help with Bloomberg BNA? Please ask for help at the Law Library’s service desk. We can provide technical and research assistance.
Can I access the Law Library’s Bloomberg BNA subscription from home? No. The Law Library’s current subscription permits in-person use at the library only.
For more information about understanding legal research, including the difference between primary and secondary legal resources, check out these research guides.
- http://www.peoples-law.org/understanding-legal-research
- http://www.nolo.com/legal-research
- http://www.law.umaryland.edu/marshall/researchguides/TMLLguide/
- http://www.lawlib.state.md.us/researchtools/guides.html
*This blog post is an update of a blog post previously published on December 30, 2014.
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