May 2003 HCLL Alert (OO)

HCLL Alert
May 2003

Welcome Message from the Director

Welcome to the first issue of Hennepin County Law Librarys new electronic newsletter!

Receiving the e-newsletter will ensure that you receive the most current information about the Law Librarys programs and resources. The newsletter will also have regular features where we review legal websites and discuss print resources in popular subject areas. The e-newsletter replaces our former e-mail notification service, also called the HCLL Alert, which had a more limited distribution.

Archived newsletters will be available on our website. We are looking forward to using this new format to let you know about our services, materials, and new programs. Enjoy!

We respect your privacy and do not sell personal information.

Click here to subscribe.

New HIPAA Titles

New Federal regulations providing medical privacy protection for individuals became effective in April. These new HIPAA rules require policies to safeguard medical information and impose penalties for violations. HCLL has purchased several print titles to help in understanding and implementing the changes mandated by these new privacy rules.

Thompson Publishing Group's Employer's Guide to HIPAA Privacy Requirements includes sample documents and forms and explanations of how the Federal regulations interact with state laws. The CCH HIPAA Privacy Guide also contains model policies and procedures, state preemption analysis, and implementation guidance. Newsletters with recent developments accompany both titles.

A more general new title covering all the provisions of HIPAA and their effects on health plan administration is Employers Guide to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, also published by Thompson. Another new HIPAA title with a focus on compliance is the American Medical Association's Field Guide to HIPAA Implementation.

Several other publications, including some recent Minnesota continuing legal education titles, address specific aspects of HIPAA. To see other titles HCLL owns on the various aspects of the HIPAA legislation, search the catalog by subject for HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT. A search by keyword for HIPAA will retrieve books that may just have a chapter or two on this groundbreaking legislation. All of these books are available for circulation.

The same subject and keyword searches in LegalTrac will retrieve periodical articles about HIPAA. In InfoTrac, select the database to search depending on your needs; Health Reference Center Academic and General Business File both have many articles on the way HIPAA is affecting medical practice, employee health benefits, and transmission of medical records.

HCLL Celebrates National Library Week

In honor of National Library Week, April 14-18, the Law Library held a contest with a prize for the winner. Participants had to guess the number of bookworms in a big jar at the public services desk. Staff member Mary McDevitt guarded the jar vigilantly to assure that no worms disappeared during the guessing period. We were amazed that two of our patrons, Tom Kovarik, a programmer with District Court, and Rick Glassman, an attorney in private practice, both guessed that there were 417 worms in the jar. They were short by only 5 worms! Instead of splitting the worms and giving them to the winners, the staff consumed the worms and awarded Tom and Rick each a library coffee mug filled with higher quality candy. Congratulations to Tom and Rick, who are pictured below with their prizes.

Tom Kovarik

Rick Glassman

Summer Associate Orientation Program 2003

HCLL and the Hennepin County Bar Association will co-host an orientation program to acquaint summer associates with the Law Library and the services we provide. The program, including a tour and refreshments, will be offered on three different dates. There is no charge for participating, but we appreciate reservations to help us plan for refreshments and printed materials.

Tuesday, June 3
Wednesday, June 4

All sessions start at 8:30 a.m. and are about an hour.

Go to http://www.co.hennepin.mn.us/lawlibrary/summer_assoc.htm to register.

Featured Web Site

The Minneapolis Police Department has recently made its Policy and Procedure Manual available on the Web at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/mpdpolicy/

It includes police policies on topics such as traffic accident investigation, search and seizure, use of force, off-duty employment, firearm requirements, and search/arrest warrant requirements.

Minneapolis Police Department Policy and Procedure Manual