Friday, December 12, 2008

Celebrating Morris Cohen

On December 11, 2008, the Boston College Law Library hosted an event, "Celebrating Morris Cohen," to honor Morris Cohen - law librarian, scholar, mentor, and friend. Well-wishers joined us from as far as New York, Connecticut, Virginia and Canada! Speakers included Charles "Buzzy" Baron, Karen Beck, Mary Sarah Bilder, Daniel R. Coquillette, Sharon Hamby O'Connor, David Warrington, and Morris Cohen himself. View the program here (you will need the latest version of RealPlayer). The library purchased a special book for its rare book collection in Morris' honor: Giles Jacob, Every Man His Own Lawyer (New York, 1769). Here is an album of photos taken by Joe Breda, son of BC Law Library staff member Karen Breda. Thanks, Joe!

The Rare Book Room is Closed for the Holidays

The Rare Book Room will be closed from December 13 through the new year, to allow for cleaning and exhibit work. It will reopen in early or mid-January. Watch this space for an announcement of the date, and for news of our next exhibit. Happy Holidays!

Monday, December 8, 2008

Last Chance to View Current Exhibit!

Our current exhibit, "'A Little Library': The Private Law Library of Frank Williams Oliver," will close at 4 p.m. on Friday December 12. Please stop by to see it this week!

New Collection: John E. Wall Legal Papers : pertaining to the trial of Dr. Benjamin Spock and others

I just completed an Archives Internship at Boston College's John J. Burns Library, the repository for BC's archival and special collections materials - not including the material in our own Rare Book Room, of course!

Under the supervision of the terrific David Horn (Head, Archives & Manuscripts) and Amy Braitsch (Assistant University Archivist), I processed a fascinating collection of legal papers belonging to the late John E. Wall. You can read the finding aid here, and you can view the papers at the Burns Library; here is the catalog record.

In 1968, John E. Wall was an Assistant United States Attorney. He took part in prosecuting Dr. Benjamin Spock, the Rev. William Sloane Coffin, Jr., and three others for encouraging Vietnam War draft resisters. This collection of legal papers includes handwritten notes, correspondence, typescript documents, photographs, newspaper clippings, and transcripts of legal proceedings.