Research

Published on: September 28, 2021

October 2021 is Archives Month in Oregon

By Laura Orr

Visit the Portland Archives news and events page for info on and links to Archives Month 2021 events around the state.

Visit their Local Heritage Organizations page for a long list of regional archival collections and professional archivists no self-respecting researcher, speaker, teacher, historian, or other well-informed person would ignore before claiming a modicum of knowledge on a subject.

Have a productive research adventure in 2021!

Published on: October 22, 2014

Student Research Resources Library (LLRX): Terrifying!

By Laura Orr

“Student Research Resources Library,” by Marcus P. Zillman. LLRX, on October 11, 2014

(Remember when all you needed was a paper, pens, lunch, keys, and milk money?)

Published on: August 30, 2012

Verisimilitude: Cops, Crooks, & Fictional Lawyers: Just the Facts, Ma’am

By Laura Orr

Writers: if you are not a cop, a lawyer, or a librarian (to name only 3 professions that appear a lot in fiction), please do your homework. There are lots of cops, lawyers, and librarians who would be happy as clams to advise you on whether or not your character meets the verisimilitude test.

1) An NPR Saturday Edition (8/25/12) interview “For Writers, The School Of Hard Cops” with Crime Writers Consultation made me wonder if real police officers “learn” how to be cops from TV cops the way some ordinary folks think one can learn court civil and criminal procedure from watching TV

2) While wandering the Multnomah Central Library shelves one cold, rainy afternoon not long ago, I came across this book: “Just the facts, ma’am : a writer’s guide to investigators and investigation techniques,” by Greg Fallis, Writer’s Digest Books, c1998.

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