The Goodson Blogson

As the holidays approach, users may find themselves wanting help at a time when the Goodson Law Library is closed. Our Hours & Directions page explains our library entrance and staffing hours over the winter break. The Duke Law community will retain its 24-hour building access with a current DukeCard, but what if you have a research question when library staff are not available? Here are some time-saving strategies. Library research guides are available for more than 30 topics. They present a mix of print materials, free Internet sites and subscription-based online resources, aimed at helping researchers get started with recommended resources. Some of our most popular guides are Federal Legislative History , North Carolina Practice , Legal Research on the Web , and Foreign & Comparative Law . If your topic isn't listed in our research guides, try a quick search of Cornell Law School's Legal Research Engine , a custom Google search of law school and other legal rese...

Earlier this week, the U.S. Government Printing Office announced the release of the 2012 United States Policy and Supporting Positions , better known by its nickname: " the Plum Book ." Published every four years following the presidential election, the Plum Book provides a listing of more than 8,000 presidentially-appointed federal government positions, along with information about the current employees (where applicable). The volume is divided into the three branches of government, then by department, agency or office (see Table of Contents ). The Plum Book also includes a breakdown of positions subject to non-competitive appointment , as well as federal salary schedules . For those who aspire to a career in federal politics, the Plum Book is an essential resource; for others, it's an interesting view of the inner workings of Washington, D.C. Although the Goodson Law Library no longer receives the Plum Book in print format, it is available free in PDF and text f...