There may be a brief moment of panic for a librarian when presented with a question about subject in which they are not well‐versed. Even for librarians specifically trained in law, the moment may come when asked about the vast and rapidly changing universe of international law. Familiarity with the issues and primary documents involved and knowing where to find them requires specialized training and expertise or, lacking that, knowing that there are extremely helpful, free research tools available online. One such tool is the Electronic Resource Guide (ERG) published by the American Society of International Law (ASIL).
The ERG is a guide to electronic resources available to those researching international law. It has been available online since 1997. The guide is presented in a narrative format, divided into 13 chapters covering different broad subject areas. Although said to be complemented by another ASIL resource, the Electronic System for Information Law (ESIL), which lists links to electronic resources divided by subject area, the ERG itself includes links within the narrative text. Standing alone or in conjunction with the ESIL, the ERG provides a wealth of information to the international law researcher.
The introduction to the ERG explains that the guide was created as the internet made accessing international legal documents possible for a world‐wide audience. There was a need to help researchers make the best use of the information that was suddenly at their fingertips. The guide is meant to not only assist users in finding what is available online but also to organize and evaluate the sources that make the documents available.
The 13 chapters of the ERG are listed in a box on the left side of the screen on any page within the guide. After the Introduction, the subjects covered are: European Union, International Commercial Arbitration, International Criminal Law, International Economic Law, International Environmental Law, International Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law, International Intellectual Property Law, International Organizations, Law of the Sea, Private International Law, and United Nations. By clicking on a chapter title the user brings that chapter to the centre panel of the screen. The chapters are all lengthy and full of information. The subjects covered are broad and the authors do a good job of dividing them into manageable sections. Because different authors compiled each chapter, they do not all follow the same format. Every chapter does begin with a clickable outline and a brief introduction to the subject matter and contents of that chapter. Generally, the chapters offer an overview of the broad topic addressed and the primary documents related to it, providing links to those documents. Sub‐topics are covered in the same way and then a conclusion provides links to general sources (e.g. other research guides, blogs, and organizations) that can be consulted. Many chapters also include a Self‐Help section that explains to the researcher how to find more information on the subject to update or supplement what is found in the ERG. These sections could be the most valuable part of the guide. Electronic resources are constantly changing and although the ERG is regularly updated (purportedly every six months but dates on the chapters indicate it is closer to yearly) it would be impossible to keep up.
Even though presented fairly concisely, a lot of territory is covered by the ERG and navigating through it all can, at points, be difficult. There is no search function in the guide. You must know the chapter you need and use the outline to find out if your specific topic is covered (it probably is). Within the chapters themselves, though well‐organized and sub‐divided, navigation can be tedious. Other than the clickable outline at the top, there is no way to navigate through the lengthy text except by scrolling through it (with the exception of the chapter on Private International Law which does include links throughout that will take the user back to the table of contents at the top). The text itself can also be difficult to read in those sections that are loaded with links. While the many links provided are extremely helpful, the chapters that work best for the reader are those with more narrative text. These are all somewhat minor quibbles and seem a small price to pay for the amount of information bestowed.
Approaching a topic in international law can at first seem a daunting task for any researcher. The ERG deftly guides its users through the many, varied electronic resources that can aid in that research. It is an invaluable tool for researchers and the librarians that serve them.
