COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF COMMERCIAL DATABASES
& PUBLIC DOMAIN RESOURCES: A STUDY
Dr. Priya Rai, Deputy Librarian, NLU,Delhi
Akash Singh, Assistant Librarian, NLU, Dehi
Abstract
Information is going to be capitalistic in nature. Online databases owned by commercial
giants are starching the gap between rich and poor law schools. In the mean while, a
number of open access initiatives have been done to support research activities around the
world. Librarians have their utmost responsibilities to serve best information to their
clientele among open access and commercial based resources. Paper gives a comparative
evaluation of information available in commercial databases and public domain resources
based on information needs of researchers and students in law libraries. Paper facilitates a
number of alternatives of paid information. Comparative evaluation of public domain
resources and commercial databases over a number of evaluative criteria extracts out the
best understanding of usability of accurate and pinpointed information.
Keywords: Open archives initiatives, Open Access; Public Domain Resources; Commercial Databases;
Legal Information
1 Introduction
Commercial databases are maintained by commercial vendors with a view to involve financial motive
behind. The planning to create a commercial database depends over the content coverage demanded by its
existing and future clientele. A team of subject experts is hired for enhancing editorial skills of the
information. Apart of editorial enhancement, other technical aspects like search engines, servers and
internet access issues are handled for providing better services. On the other hand public domain legal
information is provided by parental organizations. The research and findings of the organizations are
uploaded on the websites of the organizations for free access to general public. The contents of the
information are directly provided as true copy of the reports and consultation papers. Governmental
information in the form of decisions and reports by representatives of legislative, executive and judicial
bodies are facilitated through governmental web portals in a prescribed format. While interpreting the
comparison among commercial databases and public domain resources, a number of points are required to
be discussed.
2 Comparative Evaluations of Online Legal Resources
Evaluation of information is important to confirmation about the use of valid contents from authenticated
resources. It is essential to evaluate information resources by the information scientist to support effective
information system. It has been called as an art as well as work--much of which is detective work.
Researchers and librarians have to decide where to look, what clues to search for, and what to accept.
Evaluation of web information resources is much needed for use of effective research work. According to
1
James Rettig (1996) “many Internet sites that select and review Internet information resources rely on
subjective values of style and "coolness," instead of focusing on information content1”.
Apart from commercial online databases, online legal resources are found in large amount on internet. A
mash of blogs and web portals maintained by number of agencies and individuals are present, which need to
evaluate for making authentic and valuable information. Online legal Databases and web portals can be
evaluated according to the following parameters shown in the chart:
Table 1: Comparative Factors of Electronic Databases
Content
Accuracy
Clarity
Reliability
Cost
Update
Legislative Materials
Web Interface
Citation Services
Contracts/
Extent of Coverage
Judicial Law
Tutorials
Access
Agreements
Source of Content
Law Journals &
Technical Support
Text Format
Scholarships
Research Support
Reports & Treaties
2.1 Content
Both Commercial Databases and Public Domain Legal Resources facilitate the access of primary and
secondary resources over the contents required by legal researchers. The content coverage of commercial or
paid databases is extensive targeting all type of related information and focuses to attract maximum
numbers of client. Commercial databases are maintained with a view to handle specific types of
information resources useful for class of users. Whereas the information in open access are subject based
targeting specific audience as they are generated and maintained by specific institutions where
governmental or nongovernmental. The content coverage of a law database includes central, state/ federal
laws, judicial laws, reports and treaties and law journals and legal scholarships.
2.1.1 Legislative Materials
Commercial databases are very much keen to provide legislative materials of various nations along with
international bodies like European Union. Westlaw International is a rich commercial database containing
central legislative materials of number of countries like Australia, Canada, United States of America, and
United Kingdom along with European Union. In comparison LexisNexis Academic counts more countries
like African Countries, Australia, Afghanistan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Greece,
Hungry, India, United States of America and United Kingdom along with European Union.
Legislative materials of most of the countries, especially English speaking communities, can easily be
found in public domain resources.
The official web portal of Australian Government i.e.
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ provides Australian commonwealth legislation with search facilities. Australian
Commonwealth Legislations can also be found at the website of Australian Legal Information Institute
www.auslii.org arranged alphabetically in an easy download formats. Department of Justice, Canada
facilitates online source of the consolidated acts and regulations through its website
http://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/ for general public around the world. Her Majesty’s Stationery Office
(HMSO), part of The National Archives United Kingdom publishes all UK legislation at it website
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/. The website also provides legislations of Scotland, Wales and North
Ireland. Legislative United States central legislative material known as US Code is freely available at the
web portal of U.S. Government Printing Office at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/uscode/index.html. Both 1994
edition along with 2006 edition can be referred through the site. Apart from the above country based
resources, LEXADIN: The World Guide has indexed select legislations of major countries through its web
2
portal http://www.lexadin.nl/wlg/legis/nofr/legis.php . Countries have been arranged alphabetically in four
columns starting from Afghanistan and ending with Zimbabwe. European Union parliament also makes
laws which can be easily downloaded for research through its website i.e. http://eurlex.europa.eu/en/index.htm .
2.1.2 Judicial Law
Judicial Law or cases decided by Courts of respective countries and international courts are treated among
primary authority. Judicial law or case law is treated as the most demanding part of legal research material.
Almost all databases whether international or national try to keep vast coverage of case law with efficient
search strategy.
Commercial online databases like Westlaw International, LexisNexis Academic are the major disseminators
of international case law. Westlaw International facilitates case laws of selective countries like Australia,
Canada, United Kingdom, United States of America and European Union. While LexisNexis Academic is
treated as the biggest database facilitates case laws of more than fifty countries. However HeinOnline
contains case laws of only US Supreme Court and Federal Courts. In Indian Counterpart almost all
commercial databases contain case laws. SCC Online is a database containing complete coverage of case
laws with head notes published in Supreme Court Cases by Eastern Book Company. Recently, SCC Online
coverage has been increased by including Law Reports-United Kingdom, Weekly Law Reports and
Constitutional Courts of South Africa. SCC Online also facilitates selective judgments of number of high
courts of Indian states. Manupatra and Indlaw are also useful search engines for searching case law of
Supreme Court of India, almost all State High Courts of India and Tribunals judgments in the category of
commercial databases. AIR InfoTech is another CD-ROM based database containing while Corporate Law
Advisor, Taxmann are some subject specialized databases for searching case laws.
Table 2: Country wise Coverage of Judgments under Commercial Legal Databases
S.No.
Databases
Australia
Canada
India
United
Kingdom
United
States
Others
1.
Westlaw International
√
√
√
√
√
√
2.
LexisNexis Academic
√
√
√
√
√
√
3.
HeinOnline
x
X
x
x
√
X
4.
JSTOR
x
X
x
x
x
X
5.
Manupatra
x
X
√
x
x
X
6.
IndLaw
x
X
√
x
x
7.
SCC Online
x
X
√
√
x
√
8.
AIR InfoTech
x
X
√
x
x
X
9.
Corporate Law Advisor
x
X
√
x
x
X
In comparison to Commercial Databases, judicial laws are also maintained and provided by government
maintained resources. Judicial decisions of international courts i.e. International Court of Justice are
available full text at http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?p1=3&p2=2 . Cases of European Court of
Justice may easily be searched and downloaded through its website http://curia.europa.eu/en/content/juris/ .
Opinions of United States Supreme Court are instantly available through its web port
http://www.supremecourt.gov/ . Like United States, judicial decisions of most of the countries are available
on websites of respective courts.
3



Australian High Court http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/HCA/
Canadian Supreme Court http://scc.lexum.org/en/index.html
Supreme Court of United Kingdom http://www.supremecourt.gov.uk/decided-cases/index.html
Like other countries, Indian Government has initiated efforts for maintaining its judicial decisions over
websites of the courts. Supreme Court of India judgments and status of a case file can be found through
www.judis.nic.in and www.courtnic.nic.in respectively. District Courts judgments are maintained on a
joint website www.indiancourts.nic.in . This website also includes Decisions of special tribunals of Indian
judicature.
A website named Global Courts through its web portal http://www.globalcourts.com/ has indexed all apex
courts of the countries of the world with a view to refer judgments and opinions. When comparison is
facilitated among commercial databases and free access judicial decisions, it is argued that the commercial
people having a subject specialists team prepare a case note or head note which gives advantages of
commercial vendors over free access judgments. However, free access judicial decisions are helping in
facilitating instant and fast reference to common citizens as it pronouncement.
Table 3: Coverage of Judgments of Free Resources
S.no
Web Portal
Coverage Year
1. Australian High Court
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/HCA/
1903 to till date
2. Canadian Supreme Court
http://scc.lexum.org/en/index.html
1876 to till date
3. Supreme Court of India judgments
www.judis.nic.in
1950 to till date
4. Supreme Court of United Kingdom
http://www.supremecourt.gov.uk/decidedcases/index.html
5. Privy Council Decisions UK
http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKPC/
2009( establishing year) to till date
6. United States Supreme Court
http://www.supremecourt.gov/
1991 to till date
1809 to till date
2.1.3 Law Journals and Scholarships
Most of the print law journals are widely available in commercial databases. The major international legal
databases, LexisNexis, and Westlaw International each include extensive runes of worldwide law journals.
HeinOnline provides access to a nearly comprehensive collection of U.S. law journals with full
retrospective collections for many, and recent issues for some, as well as an extensive list of international
and non-U.S. law journals2. LexisNexis includes around 917 law journals and reviews around the globe.
Westlaw International facilitates 842 legal academic journals, mostly from U.S. but around the world.
HeinOnline under its heads law library journals is among best commercial databases covering 1559 journals
around the world. Journal Store i.e. J-STOR particularly emphasized over arts, philosophy and science
subject areas, contains around 2800 journals. Art & Science Collection IV is designed for law research
containing around 126 law journals.
4
Figure 1: Number of Academic Journals in Commercial Databases
Corporate Law Advisor Online provides academic articles related to corporate and business laws. Articles
are again divided under fourteen sub heads covering subordinate subjects under corporate laws and fifteen
sub heads under business laws. SCCOnline provides access to articles published in its Supreme Court
Cases Weekly Journal.
Apart from commercial databases, a number of databases are facilitating free access of law journals.
Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) suggests that few law journals are freely available on the web.
DOAJ provides free access to 8331 journals (as on 21/09/2011) covering around 17 subjects. Out of total
journals, 121 journals are under the law subject. Of those, 121 journals most of the journals are published
in U.S. Social Science Research Network (www.ssrn.com) is a database contains primariliy support social
science research. The Social Science Research Network consists of two sections i.e. Abstract Database
containing abstracts on over 360,000 scholarly working papers and forthcoming papers and an Electronic
Paper Collection currently containing over 293,700 downloadable full text documents. It also includes the
research papers of a number of Fee Based Partner Publications3. SSRN maintains its resources under 13
subject based networks. Legal Scholarship Network is one of the networks. 118036 research papers and
articles have been submitted in the legal Scholarship Network in the following sub headings.
Figure 4: Coverage of Legal Scholarship Network under SSRN
S. No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Title
LSN Conference & Meetings Papers
LSN Partners in Publishing Journals
LSN Subject Matter eJournals
Law Research Centers Papers
Law Schools Research Papers – Law & Economics
Law Schools Research Papers- Public Law & Legal Theory
5
Research Papers
(in numbers)
1661
3523
113930
2478
24627
10598
2.1.4 Reports and Treaties
Reports and treaties are primary sources of information. They are the outcomes of proceedings and
decisions taken by group of people met or designated for analyzing social and legal issues. Reports are the
major resources facilitated by commercial databases. LexisNexis Academic and Westlaw International
provide international and foreign reports published by government and non government organizations on
various social and legal reforms. Manupatra, SCCOnline and Indlaw contain reports of Indian commissions
and committee.
Public domain resources are very rich in the matter of reports and treaties. Government reports are easily
found on the web portals of respective departments and ministries. Reports and treaties of United Nations
and other international organizations are available on their respective web portals. International Human
Right Commission and Indian Human Right Commission annual reports and other research outcomes are
uploaded on their web portals for general and public reference. Parliament of India facilitates all
parliamentary committee reports as and when published through its web portal i.e.
www.parliamentofindia.nic.in. Law Commission of India reports are found full text in pdf format on the
web portal of the commission i.e. www.lawcommissionofindia.nic.in since first report. Legal Information
Institute of India i.e. www.liiofindia.org has indexed almost all treaties ratified by India at international
level under the sub head treaties. International Treaties as obligated and ratified by India are provided by
the web portals of respective ministries and departments.
2.2 Accuracy
Accuracy is the second prime factor in evaluation of online databases. Accuracy of a database depends upon
various factors. Databases are assumed to be accurate upon its nature of up-to-date by its handlers and
contributors. Current and updated information increases the value of online databases. Apart of update
contents, extend of coverage of information is other factor contribute over accuracy factor. Source of
content existed in the databases is other valuable factor which increase the value through repute publishers,
authors and other agencies.
2.2.1 Up-to-date
Commercial databases are regularly updated to facilitate current information at minimum time gap.
Westlaw International, LexisNexis Academic, HeinOnline and JSTOR are some examples of international
databases. Being a huge coverage of case laws, legislative materials, legal academic scholarship and
international treaties, these databases regularly update its collection as the information generated from its
source. In Indian counterpart, SCCOnline, Manupatra, Indlaw and CLA-Online update its case law section
within a week. However public domain resources are updated as and when the information generated by
the prenatal organizations. Supreme Court of Indian Judgments can be found in its web portal within three
to five days of its delivery by the court. India Code a web portal containing Indian Legislation takes not
less than one month in updating new legislations. In international level the web portal are in practice to
update its resources not less than fifteen to thirty days.
2.2.2 Extent of Coverage
Extent of coverage is other factor determining accuracy of an online database. Westlaw International
contains legal and business related information of number of countries. LexisNexis Academic is the
database facilitating legal information of more than fifty countries. HeinOnline database facilitates legal
scholarships and journals. Almost all journals are available with archival collection since the inception of
publication of the journals. JSTOR having collection of around 2800 journals covers arts and science
subjects based collection.
6
SCCOnline is developing its international collection to include Law Reports of United Kingdom and law
material of Singapore and South Africa. Manupatra disseminates judgments of Privy Council and other
pre-independence courts. Apart of commercial databases, public domain and open access legal resources
are biased to cover information only upto the information generated by its parental organizations.
2.2.3 Source of Content
Commercial databases whether Indian or International try to keep contents generated from reliable sources
for maintaining accuracy. Commercial databases keep major reporting and academic journals published by
reputed publishers and authoritative institution. Westlaw International has a combination sub databases
containing leading law reports like Weekly Law Reports, US Supreme Court Reports, Law Reports of
United Kingdom. It contains academic and reviewing journals published by authoritative law schools,
universities and publishers. LexisNexis Academic is the same nature of database facilitating legal
information published by reliable resources. HeinOnline is an archival collection of almost law journals
published from United States law universities and schools since its inception of publications. SCCOnline
content coverage includes contents of prestigious law reports of Indian known as SUPREME COURT
CASES (SCC) published since 1969. The source of information under public domain is assumed as
authenticated only if it is created, approved and uploaded by authenticated authorities.
2.3 Clarity
Clarity is the prime issue in web resources and online databases. The presentation of information impacts
over interest of users. The quality of a webpage or online databases depends on web interface. The home
page or search page must be simple and attractive. The options for navigation to other related pages must
be easy and simple. Details of document collection must be easily accessible with browsing facilities.
Each Web page or online database has its own functionality and process to use its resources. Tutorials and
Demos are uploaded to explain its functionality.
2.3.1 Web Interface
Electronic databases have big challenges to represent its information in a very user friendly format. The
interface or format of web page must be user friendly and easily understandable. Westlaw International
home page appears like a directory, categorized information country wise and further sub categorization in
nature of legal information. A separate subject index is also available to select information subject wise.
LexisNexis web interface is divided in six sub sections viz. news, legal cases, company info, research
countries, research people and combined search. A simple and advance search option also exists at home
page. Search by browsing information resources are also present at left hand side of the home page.
HeinOnline and JSTOR contain simple and field search including browsing search maintaining all journals
available alphabetically. The complete archival collection is available alphabetically, year wise, volume
wise and issue wise for easy reach upto the document. Manupatra provides Manu Search and Legal Search
for searching sub databases provided at left side menu of the each page. SCCOnline interface is a simple
web portal facilitating simple and advance search engine. Public domain resources as maintained by
parental institutions do less bother about the web interface. The prime motive of the web portals is to
facilitate fast and free access of information generated by parental organization.
2.3.2 Tutorials and Demos
Tutorials and Demos section is only available with commercial databases. Almost all commercial databases
at international and national level have a demo link for giving online demonstration and training to end
users. Westlaw International contains a tutorial guide in pdf formats by photo indicators at its webpage.
LexisNexis
Academic
maintains
a
tutorial
section
in
video
format
at
link
http://www.youtube.com/user/LexisNexisAcademic . HeinOnline are maintaining a link as HeinOnline
Training and Support Wiki at http://heinonline.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page having subsections like
7
training guides and training videos. JSTOR, a collection of 2800 journals have a number of tutorials at
http://about.jstor.org/support-training/help/tutorials.
On the part of Indian legal databases almost all
databases i.e. SCCOnline, Manupatra, Indlaw and Corporate Law Advisor Online facilitate user guides or
tutorials and demos through its web portals.
Public domain legal resources are keen only to upload information generated out of scholarly research and
expert conversation. World Legal Information Institute which is an open access to law portal provides a
tutorial guide exploring relevant information out of its multiple sub-databases.
2.4 Reliability
Reliability of online databases and web portals are very much depends upon accessibility issue. Databases
are accessible through its link configured with IP addresses of the institutions or by username and password
issued by the respective vendors. Reliability issue is measured by technical support and training facility
provided by the respective database handlers. Research support programs are the latest inclusion in earning
reliability tag introduced by commercial vendors. Online databases are ranked better on the basis of quick
and fast assistance.
2.4.1 Accessibility
Accessibility is an important issue in establishing digital information based information system. Most of
the databases like Westlaw International, LexisNexis Academic, JSTOR, HeinOnline, Manupatra, Indlaw
and SCCOnline are facilitating multiple accessibility option. According to need and size of users,
accessibility option may be chosen out of three options i.e. IP access, user name and password login either
single user or multiple users and hybrid option combination of IP access and user name and password for
outside campus of the parental institutions. AIR InfoTech provides only CD-ROM database which needs to
be updated every year through online updates.
Table 5: Accessibility Options of Commercial Databases
Database
Westlaw International
LexisNexis Academic
Hein Online
JSTOR
SCCOnline
Indlaw
Manupatra
CLA Online
IP Access
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
Password Access
√
√
√
X
√
√
√
√
Hybrid Access
√
√
√
x
√
√
√
√
As compare to commercial databases, there is no issue of accessibility with open access resources. Being
free accessible resources, one has to reach up to the web addresses of the concern portal with the help of a
web browser and internet connection. Most of the law libraries maintain metadata indexing of free access
resources. Bombay High Court Library has indexed links of number of valuable free access databases for
scholarly use.
2.4.2 Technical Support
Technical support service is another important factor in determining reliability issues among online
databases. Westlaw International provides online as well as on the spot technical support services.
LexisNexis Academic has the same type of provisions. Online technical support services through email and
team viewer software is facilitated by the vendors of both online databases.
8
As compare to Commercial Databases, it is not bound to provide any technical support services to end users
over facilitators of public domain legal information resources. The web pages providing free access to legal
information, generally maintain help page providing information of compatibility of format and accessing
parameters.
2.4.3 Training
Training is an important part of facilities provided by commercial database vendors. Best training by expert
trainer uplift the reliability of an online database. Almost all database vendors arrange training sessions to
their clientele either at the beginning of installing databases or at the beginning of each academic session of
the client institutions. Westlaw International, LexisNexis Academic, SCCOnline and Manupatra have
expertise trainers for educating about their products. Institutions handling Public domain legal resources
information have no obligation to facilitate training to use their resources. Users of public domain legal
resources have to understand the usage and extracting information out of web page maintained by parental
organizations or individuals. The Law Librarians play an important role as trainer by organizing various
orientations programmes for students and researchers time to time.
2.4.4 Research Support
Research support is the new concept initiated by various commercial database vendors. Under this concept,
online database vendors engage expert team for providing research support services. New findings and
specialized subject oriented information is compiled repackaged and disseminated to client institutions as a
part of current update services. Westlaw International has started a research support service through
engaging a student representative among all law universities in India for providing assistance programmes
of the respective institutions. However public domain legal information is provided voluntary by parental
organization.
2.5 Cost
Democratization of information is based over the cost of the information product. Digital world seems
divided in two parts i.e. commercial and nonprofit making. Apart from commercial giants, a number of
digital initiatives like Google archive, Google books, Project Gutenberg, Book page have been instituted to
support cost effective information. Cost of information is an essential factor while comparing commercial
as well as public domain resources.
INFLIBNET under the flagship of University Grant Commission has initiated consortia of online legal
databases for the benefit of law universities around the country. Under the system, UGC on behalf of
member universities, subscribes online commercial databases and distributes access for the benefit of the
patrons of member universities. Initially three online commercial databases i.e. Westlaw India (including
Westlaw International), Manupatra and HeinOnline have been subscribed for member universities. It is
being benefited to around fourteen law universities in India.
Table 6: Cost of Commercial Databases based on Financial Year 2010-2011
S. No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Database
Westlaw International
LexisNexis Academic
HeinOnline
JSTOR
Manupatra
IndLaw
Coverage
International/ Multi-National
International/ Multi-National
United States
International/ Multi-National
Indian
Indian
9
Costing
(approx)
2,50,000/2,00,000/1,75,000/2,80,000/1,00,000/50,000/-
7.
8.
9.
SCC Online
AIR InfoTech
Corporate Law Advisor
Primarily Indian/ Multi-National
Indian
Indian
2,30,000/70,000/1,50,000/-
2.5.1 Free Trial
Most of the databases are keen to provide trial package for a particular period of ranging between five to
fifteen days. Westlaw International and LexisNexis Academic provide trial access through website free
registration for selective collection for a particular period. HeinOnline provides full text access to its four
or five journals for trial. JSTOR provides its indexing part for trial. JSTOR search engine can be used even
without subscribing the database which may be useful for searching bibliographical details of articles on a
particular topic. SCC Online provides its trial version through guest registration with its web portal.
2.5.2 Contracts/ Agreement
Commercial databases come into a written contract before facilitating its collection. It is required to sign a
contractual agreement to access information contains in commercial databases which relates to prevent of
misuse of copyrighted contents and author’s rights. However on the other part, it is not required to come
across in contractual obligation in access of public domain resources. Parental bodies of public domain
resources voluntarily put intellectual output of the organization without any legal prevention.
2.5.3 Text Format
Printing is the primary and essential feature of online databases. Documents stored and retrieved from
databases may be in variety of formats like HTML, TXT, WORD, PDF, TIFF and JPEG. Westlaw
International presents HTML version of documents which is more compatible for searching information.
Retrieved documents n HTML format can be downloaded in PDF or HTML. LexisNexis Academic
provides to print and download the documents in various formats like HTML, PDF, TXT and MS-WORD.
HeinOnline is an image based database. Image of documents are appeared in the same format as they
appear in print format. While downloading and printing, documents can be converted in PDF and TXT
formats. Documents in JSTOR are downloaded in searchable PDF format only. In Indian counterpart,
SCCOnline have a unique combination of HTML format for supporting search technique and PDF format
for easy download. Now the IP based version of SCCOnline currently introduce to download documents in
MS-WORD format. Manupatra and Indlaw databases primary contains information in TXT formats. The
outcome format of the documents after searching is appeared in HTML format.
On the counterpart of Public domain Legal Resources, most of the institutions try to keep PDF version of
original documents for retaining true print copy. US Supreme Court Opinions, UK Legislations, Law
Commission of India Reports, Parliament of India Reports, Law Commission of India Reports, Bills &
Legislations section of Parliament of India are some of the example of such institutions. Whereas some
web portal provide information in HTML format for convenient to handling databases. Indian Code,
JUDIS and Legal Information Institution of LII families are some of the examples of such web portals.
Being a free dissemination of legal information, public domain legal resources are very much biased
towards format of information. Formats are chosen as per convenience and supporting information and
communication technologies of the parental institutions.
3. Conclusion
Librarians are at war of revolutionary support of democratization of knowledge. A number of digital
publishers, no doubt, they are enhancing the quality of information through editorial inputs and efficient
search facilitation, but, on the other side they are charging high prices not at par reaching poor law schools.
Information professionals’ job starts with finding alternatives for such costly databases available under
10
public domain with evaluation and comparison of such recourses with available commercial information to
provide best among of them on the basis of various evaluating criteria like accuracy, content, clarity,
reliability and cost. The findings of the paper shows that on evaluative aspects like content and cost, public
domain legal resources
are more favorable. While evaluating other aspects like accuracy, clarity,
reliability, it is assumed that commercial legal databases have upper hand as compare to free access
information. With the advancement of information and communication technology, most of the legal and
law related information is available under free access to law movement programmes facilitated by parental
organization whether government or nongovernmental supports. Whereas comparison shows that in the age
of free access to law movement initiatives, commercial databases have its own importance. A public
domain resource guide based on relevant subject areas of parental organization must be maintained an
updated by the Librarians along with proper comparison and evaluation on the commercial counterparts.
Foot Note:
1.
2.
3.
James Rettig, "Beyond 'Cool': Analog Models for Reviewing Digital Resources," Online (1996):
52-64. <:http://www.onlineinc.com/onlinemag/SeptOL/rettig9.html>
Richard A. Danner “Applying The Access Principles In Law: The Responsibilities of The Legal
Scholar” International Journal of Legal Information. 35, 3 (2007): 355-395.
Social Science Research Network <http://www.ssrn.com/>
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