A standard legal index is poised to become a more comprehensive
index very soon. Wilson's Index to Legal Periodicals is
expanding its coverage beyond periodicals to include "2,500 books
a year covering topics from police power to discrimination and
bankruptcy." I had seen a brief mention of this in the August
1993 ABA Journal, and finally called Wilson today to verify the
information.
According to Barbara Chen, Associate Director of Indexing
Services, the editorial work is done. If the computer end goes
as planned, we will be seeing books indexed in ILP as of January
1994. The scope of books to be included will be the same as that
for articles in ILP, basically from US, Canada, Great Britain,
Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Under a subject heading,
there will be a SEE ALSO section where the books will be listed.
All versions -- print, CD-ROM, online -- will have the books
included. Even with inclusion of books, they plan to retain the
ILP name.
As I think about the expanded index, I have more questions to
pursue: are other Wilson indexes going the same route; for those
of us with Wilson indexes linked to our online catalog, will we
be able to "hook to holdings" for the books, too?; do those books
become a collection development priority?
Ms. Chen offered her telephone number for those who would like to
reach her: 1-800-367-6770, ext. 2281.
Pat Court
Cornell Law Library
Ithaca, New York 14853
607-255-5853
pat@law.mail.cornell.edu
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