New NESL database: Wilson Retrospective

On August 24, 2006, NESL activated an IP-linked subscription to H.W. Wilson's Index to Legal Periodicals, 1908-1981 (onsite). This complements NESL's existing subscription to Index to Legal Periodicals and Books, 1982-. These two databases can be searched individually or together on the WilsonWeb interface (linked on NESL Database List both under the I's and the W's).

While the retrospective index is not a full-text databse, it should link directly into full-text if available on HeinOnline, a full-text retrospective journal database to which NESL also subscribes. A search on the phrase "Portia Law School" (NESL's original name) yielded a citation to a 1931 issue of Notre Dame Lawyer in which the case White v. Portia Law School, 174 NE 187 (Mass), was discussed. Look on the left side of the Wilsonweb interface and click on the icon of a piece of paper (mouse on the icon reads "Check for full text"). You will go into Portia catalog; then click on HeinOnline and find the volume and page. In this case, the name of the journal was changed from Notre Dame Lawyer to Notre Dame Law Review, but you can find the article by volume (6) and page (380). The article is entitled "Writ of mandamus. Reinstatement of expelled student. The Notre Dame Laywer, 6 March 1931, p. 380-1. .

The 1982- Wilson database also will link into HeinOnline; and, in addition, there are approximately 250 of the journals for which Wilson directly provides full-text. You can see which journals have full-text available by selecting "Legal Periodicals and Books" database, and then clicking either "Database Descriptions" (above the database name) or "Journal Directory (on the left-hand side). There you can create a dynamic list by selecting search by "Full-text".

Since Wilson and Hein are subscription databases, you must either view them online or log into the proxy server remotely with the barcode on the back of your NESL ID card.