During my Spring Break, I decided to reread some examples of classic literature, including my favorite one of all times, Don Quixote. Since I was a kid, I have always been obsessed with the scene on windmills and the “quixotic” battle that ensues. Don Quixote’s faithful companion, Sancho Panza puts an end to it with his insightful remark: Mire vuestra merced que aquellos que allí se parecen no son gigantes, sino molinos de viento (Look, your grace, that those appearing over there are not giants, but windmills).

In legal research, and in particular our community of Foreign, Comparative and International . . . [more]

CanLII recently announced CanLII Search+, a “research assistant powered by artificial intelligence”. As you might expect, it pulls from CanLII’s extensive collection of case law. 

There are two elements to CanLII Search+. First, it takes a plain language search and translates it into a Boolean search. It will give you multiple search options, of which it will recommend one. You do have the option to use one of the searches CanLII didn’t recommend or to edit the search it did recommend. If you don’t use Boolean searching regularly, this is an incredibly helpful tool, and even if you use Boolean . . . [more]

2026 is already shaping up to be another big year for the Canadian Open Access Legal Citation Guide – Guide canadien de la référence juridique en accès libre. Read on for recent milestones, new instruction materials, requests for feedback, and ways to get involved.

RJAL Launches

RJAL, the French version of COAL, was released in February 2026! It is now possible to use COAL-RJAL to cite legal materials when writing in both English and French, an important step in serving the legal community in both official languages. Read more on CanLII and Slaw.

Celebrating Our Early Adopters

Several times each month, we are pleased to republish a recent book review from the Canadian Law Library Review (CLLR). CLLR is the official journal of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries (CALL/ACBD), and its reviews cover both practice-oriented and academic publications related to the law.

The Legal Brain: A Lawyer’s Guide to Well-Being and Better Job Performance. By Debra S. Austin. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2024. x, 257 p. Includes bibliographic references and index. ISBN 9781009484602 (hardcover) $102.95; ISBN 9781009484565 (softcover) $33.95; ISBN 9781009484558 (eBook) US$29.99.

Reviewed by Leslie Taylor
Research and Instruction Librarian
Lederman . . . [more]

This submission is part of a column swap with the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) bimonthly member magazine, AALL Spectrum. Published six times a year, AALL Spectrum is designed to further professional development and education within the legal information industry. Slaw and the AALL Spectrum board have agreed to hand-select several columns each year as part of this exchange. 

The Rule of Law is a system of laws, institutions, norms, and commitments that further four key principles: accountability, just law, open government, and accessible and impartial justice. Rule of Law initiatives have been promoted by the American Bar . . . [more]

Several times each month, we are pleased to republish a recent book review from the Canadian Law Library Review (CLLR). CLLR is the official journal of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries (CALL/ACBD), and its reviews cover both practice-oriented and academic publications related to the law.

Detachable Penis: A Queer Legal Saga. By Sam Elkin. Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2024. 200 p. ISBN 9781771126656 (softcover) $29.99; ISBN 9781771126663 (ePUB); ISBN 9781771126670 (PDF).

Reviewed by Brianna Calomino
Digital Projects Librarian
University of Calgary

With a distinctive book cover featuring a crocheted penis that elicits a . . . [more]

Courthouse libraries play a quiet but essential role in supporting the justice system. As legal research practices evolve and user needs change, the physical layout and design of these libraries matter more than ever. Across Ontario, courthouse libraries are embracing both long recognized design principles and practical, user driven improvements to create spaces that are welcoming, efficient, and adaptable.

The Theory of Library Design*

Library design theory has long emphasized the importance of aligning space with purpose. Approaches such as functional relationship analysis encourage planners to consider how users move through the environment, where different activities naturally occur, and how . . . [more]

Several times each month, we are pleased to republish a recent book review from the Canadian Law Library Review (CLLR). CLLR is the official journal of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries (CALL/ACBD), and its reviews cover both practice-oriented and academic publications related to the law.

Democracy, Protest and the Law: Defending a Democratic Right. By Michael Head. London, U.K.: Routledge, 2024. vii, 198 p. Includes index. ISBN 9780367608323 (hardcover) US$190.00; ISBN 9781003100652 (eBook) US$56.99.

Reviewed by Haley O’Halloran
Research Librarian
Toronto Lawyers Association

While reading this book, Toronto, the city where I live, passed a . . . [more]

Part of being a law librarian and professor on Foreign, Comparative and International Legal Research involves assuaging people’s interest in current events around the world. Personally, I call it the curse of current events. Instead of running away from it, I now take it as an opportunity to leverage that, at times, sudden interest in other parts of the world and further educate into the intricacies of this highly complex and ever changing research puzzle.

These days, Venezuela, Russia, Ukraine, Iran and Greenland are perfect examples of this sudden interest. However, Greenland differs from the others on this list . . . [more]

Several times each month, we are pleased to republish a recent book review from the Canadian Law Library Review (CLLR). CLLR is the official journal of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries (CALL/ACBD), and its reviews cover both practice-oriented and academic publications related to the law.

Decoding Canadian Legal Research, Writing, and Conventions: A Guide for Internationally Trained Lawyers. By Kellinde Wrightson. Toronto, ON: Emond Montgomery, 2024. xviii, 259 p. Includes bibliographic references and index. ISBN 9781774624296 (softcover) $56.00; ISBN 9781774624319 (ePub) $50.00.

Reviewed by Dominique Garingan
Manager, Legal Learning & Development
Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP . . . [more]

Given the high value placed on research excellence by legal professionals and consultants, I am surprised that stories continue to be reported about the lack of rigour exercised in the creation of work product by these professional groups. In addition to the ongoing stories of professional sanctions placed on lawyers for including incorrect citations and other issues associated with the use of generative AI, there have been regular stories about the high values for government report contracts and the use of AI to create them. Here are some articles on a report prepared by Deloitte for the Province of Newfoundland . . . [more]

While I’ve written about this issue efore, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out the excellent summary that the Globe and Mail has put together of How to access Canadian court records by jurisdiction. The list includes all provincial and territorial jurisdictions, links where appropriate and contact information for those jurisdictions that don’t make their court records easily available online. 

— Susannah Tredwell . . . [more]