The UW Law Library subscribes to numerous databases and the CCH Internet Research Network is a valuable resource to profile. Users can access this database from the Law Library's web page; check the E-Resources section / By Name listing.
CCH (Commerce Clearing House) is a leading publisher of loose-leaf services. They have done a remarkable job transforming their print publications to an electronic platform -- with laws, legislative history, regulations, cases, forms and detailed analysis in a user friendly format. The CCH Internet Research Network specializes in business and financial information ranging from antitrust law to transportation law. Securities, as well as Corporate Governance, Commodities, and the Stock Exchanges are core components in this database. For state and federal taxation information, use the CCH Tax Research Network.
The CCH research libraries are neatly categorized using a tab format along the top of the computer screen. A review of the "Banking" tab displays a concise listing of the federal, state, and UCC primary resource material. The database interface has intuitive navigation and built-in search boxes. Other special features include news / current developments, white papers, and quick charts. For example, a Sub-Prime Lending Quick Chart provides links to all the relevant law, regulations and court opinions on this thorny issue. A smart chart feature allows users to create customized tables with information gathered directly from the database.
Another CCH enhancement is a web site which centralizes coverage of the financial news crisis and tracks ongoing developments from lawmakers and regulatory agencies. Users may subscribe to the site's RSS feed or receive email notifications. Some of the research libraries, like Antitrust, also offer blogs.
For anyone familiar with the multiple volume loose-leaf sets in the library's reference collection (along with the intricate paragraph numbers and the maze of transfer binders), this electronic counterpart is a welcome innovation to the process of legal research. For primary resource coverage on complex legal topics packaged with timely editorial content, consult the CCH Internet Research Network.
Submitted by Cheryl O'Connor on February 5, 2009
This article appears in the categories: Law Library/IT
