[Prodev] Wrap-up - Thank you!

[CONNIE CROSBY]

Everyone:

Seems to me we are at the end of our discussion, unless anyone has some =
thoughts or sources to add.  Thursday and Friday's discussion, summarized =
below, was primarily additional thoughts and questions arising from =
previous discussion:

In response to Kevin's question: "What would you want new and summer =
associates to know about legislative history research - state and/or =
federal - that they don't already know?" Connie Dickson noted law students =
seem to forget what they have learned about government and any legislative =
processes, and really do need additional instruction in this area of =
research.  Help guides are useful also.

Bonnie Koneski-White asked others to recommend sources for hearings =
involving U.S. legislation before the 1970s.  Jennifer Bryan and Kevin =
Gray mentioned some sources, both paper and electronic.

Similarly, Alison Ewing asked about locating bills prior to 1970 without =
obtaining them from the U.S. National Archives, and Jennifer Bryan =
recommended a microfiche service as well as the Law Library of Congress.

Hilary Frye mentioned the website http://memory.loc.gov  for old Congressio=
nal legislative materials since it had not previously been mentioned, and =
Ruth Levor kindly shared a document she put together for legislative =
history resources.  If anyone would kindly convert the WordPerfect =
document into Word for Steve Mirsky, he would appreciate it!

Jennifer Holland asked about the process involved in conducting Canadian =
historical legislative research, and I attempted to summarize the process. =
 Maureen Heeney and Don Sanders kindly added some additional sources in =
this regard.

Finally, Susan Pries asked for ideas for compiling future legislative =
histories from the current Congress' electronic documents, and Connie =
Dickson suggested someone to contact.

CONCLUSION
Throughout this week, everyone concurred that historical legislative =
research can be frustrating, but having some good guides and other =
resources can be very useful.  Various participants generously shared =
information about such sources to make everyone's life a bit easier.  I =
think the door is now open for a future projects if anyone would like to =
take up the gauntlet: =20
- lobbying for improved access to information, including for the general =
public
- compiling lists of the resources we have shared and others
- creating future legislative histories=20

Thank you for joining me and Kevin Gray this week, everyone!  I personally =
have learned a lot, and I hope you did as well.

Cheers,
Connie

Connie Crosby
Librarian
WeirFoulds LLP
Barristers & Solicitors
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Tel:  416-947-5057
Fax: 416-365-1876
ccrosby@weirfoulds.com
www.weirfoulds.com
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