Page 8 - DLIS006_INFORMATION SOURCES AND SERVICES

Unit 1: Documentary Sources of Information

Portable Document File (PDF) format, and uploaded to the library. A scanned image of an Notes
original legal document may contain one or many laws, orders, and regulations. Scanned images
of original documents show laws in their original, officially published form, including any
official signatures or stamps.

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Caution It is usually not possible to search the text in a scanned original document image.
This is because the image is like a photograph, so that the library search function cannot
automatically read the text of the document.
It is possible to process scanned original document PDF files so that the text can be searched. The
library will index and search such files automatically.

An original document image may be linked to one or more other documents in the library. For
example, it is common for an individual law to be related (linked) to the scanned image of the
original gazette in which it was first published. A piece of legal literature that discusses related
issues might also be linked to an original scanned document. Links to related documents in the
library are shown at the bottom of each document listing. You may click on these links to access
the related document.

Legal Document

A legal document is a single law, judicial decision, legislative record, administrative decision,
financial or budgetary decision, executive order, regulation, or other document that is an official
law. These legal documents normally originate from official gazettes. They can be published
separately in the library and linked to the scanned original document image of the official
gazette. This makes it possible to classify each law and decision separately and in a searchable
form. Library users can then find these documents more quickly.
When a legal document is added to the library it is classified by jurisdiction and subject. The
language of the document, date the law or decision was published, the status of the law or
decision, and other information about the law or decision are also entered into the library
record.

Any legal document can be related to any other legal document. For example, the amendments
to a law can be related (linked) to the original law and the original law linked to the scanned
image of the original gazette in which it was published. A judicial decision may also be related
to a law that was the subject of the decision. An expert commentary on the law may be added to
the legal literature collection of the library and linked to the law.
Links to related documents in the library are shown at the bottom of each document listing. You
may click on these links to access the related document.

Legal Literature

Legal literature is writings that cover legal topics, but do not carry the weight of a law. They
include legal commentary about the law written by legal experts. These documents are normally
published in the library in PDF format.
A piece of legal literature may be related to one or more legal documents or scanned original
documents in the library. Links to related documents in the library are shown at the bottom of
each document listing. You may click on these links to access the related document.
Documents are sometimes classified as secret, private or public. They may also be described as
a draft or proof. When a document is copied, the source is referred to as the original.

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