The Race to the Bottom and the Entry in the Lexis/Nexis Data Base

As we have written on this Blog before, one of the most significant problems confronted by law blogs is the inability of those conducting serious research to retrieve information over the Internet.  Online search engines, on the whole, are not up to the task. 

It is still the case that most in the legal profession conducting legal research rely on specially designed legal data bases, with Lexis and Westlaw the two most widely used.  This Blog approached personnel at both publishers to see if it could qualify for inclusion in the law review file for these data bases.  If allowed, it would be likely that the posts of the Race to the Bottom would more often come to the attention of those conducting legal research.  Both declined.

As an alternative, The Race to the Bottom registered with Newstex.  The service allows customers to register to receive posts of certain blogs on demand.  Among the other blogs already listed on the service include The Volokh Conspiracy,  Concurring Opinions, The Conglomerate, Lessig Blog and Patently O.  One advantage to the service is increased circulation of the posts.  The more important advantage, however, is that Newstex has a relationship with Lexis-Nexis.  As a result, blogs appearing in the service can be found in the news data base. 

We are, therefore, proud to announce that on April 23, 2008, the first post from The Race to the Bottom appeared in the Lexis-Nexis data base.  We concede that this is a second best solution.  The law review file would be preferred.  Nonetheless, it is likely that the posts will be easier to find for those conducting legal research.  We shall give it some time then report back whether in fact the insertion into this data base in fact results in greater citation of this Blog.