What would you have done?

I'm not proud of it but rare is the month that someone doesn't get upset with something that I said or did.  Someone got upset that I'm taller than they were (by about two feet).  Someone got upset that I couldn't answer their question the way they were hoping. 

Someone got upset that I wear a suit to work. Someone got upset when I didn't respond fast enough. Someone got upset with how I worded a response. Someone got upset because I was always doing something (and didn't have four hours to just sit and listen to their tales of woe). 

Someone got upset that I didn't have an answer (because sometimes the answer is that here is no answer).  Someone got upset that I didn't laugh at their joke (really, it was more sad than funny).  Someone got upset that I didn't notice they had a new hairdo (for the record, if you're not my wife, I'm not required to notice the "new" you).  Heck, someone even got upset because I wear bow ties.

Then there was the lady and her adult daughter who came into the library the other day.  Seems Lady is in the driver's seat when it came to daughter's future. Telling daughter to sit down, Lady comes up to me saying that daughter "wants" to go into criminal law and that she needs a book:

1. That contains all the concepts and elements of criminal law,
2. That will encourage her daughter to enter the practice of criminal law, and
3. That will prepare daughter for law school

In one book?  Really?!?  Dang but I don't know any book that can do all that.  But, being the dutiful Librarian that I am, I tried to find something. 

Apparently, Lady got offended with my nervous laugh (either that or it was because I asked her to follow me to the book stacks).  After looking through the collection, I was able to find a few things that came close to her request but when I walked out to where they were sitting, I found that she and daughter had left. 

Apparently Lady had become incensed with how I stood up, nonchalantly said, "let's go" and walked into the stacks because she left in a huff and subsequently complained to anyone that would listen that I was arrogant.

Now that I think about it, maybe sometimes I am.  I mean, over time every Librarian develops their own style of doing things.  As for me, I don't like people staring over my shoulder when I'm lost and trying to find something as obscure as a fix-all book.  

Regardless, if you come to me and ask for something that covers everything AND washes windows too, you're going to get laughed at (or blogged about, as the case may be).

While there is no one book that does everything she wanted, we do have a number of resources that talk about all things criminal law like:

• LaFave on Search and Seizure (TR)
• LaFave on Criminal Procedure (TR)
• LaFave on Substantive Criminal Law (TR)
• Wharton's Criminal Law (TR)
• Wharton's Criminal Procedure (TR)
• Wharton's Criminal Evidence (TR)
• Criminal Defense Techniques (Lexis)
• Criminal Procedure in a Nutshell (TR)
• White Collar Crime (TR)
• Prosecution and Adjudication (Foundation Press)
• Wiretapping & Eavesdropping: surveillance in the Internet age (TR)

just to name a few.  I mean, we have a whole slew of great titles on everything from animal rights to workers' compensation - but if what you want is all things criminal, then your local county law library is your one stop shop. Anyway, lady got offended with how I do my legal research thing and filed her complaint(s).

The thing is, I work with lots of people.  Some I can help - others, not so much. As far as Lady went, she was in a class all her own. Heck, if she is bothered by how I do what I do, then maybe she should stay far away from law and send her kid to dental school.  I hear it's a pretty placid field (what with all that Nitrous oxide floating around).

In any event, whether you're looking for in-depth, hard core answers to your most pressing legal research needs or just want basic info on what to do with your life, know that your local county law library has most all of what you need to get you going.