BLS Library Blog

• Circulation Desk (1st Floor): Borrow reserve and circulating materials, plus equipment and accessories such as USB-C chargers, portable monitors, rolling white boards, and games.
• Reference Support:
  • In Person: Visit the Reference Librarian on Duty in the Nash Reading Room (3rd Floor)
  • Email: askthelibrary@brooklaw.edu 
  • Text: (718) 734-2432
  • Chat: Use the "Need Help" box on the Library homepage or get started by clicking here
• Library Hours: 
  • For current library hours, please visit: https://libraryreservations.brooklaw.edu/hours 

• Food is now allowed in both the Nash Reading Room (3rd Floor) and the Bernsen Reading Room (1st Floor).
• Food is not permitted in other public areas (study rooms, reading rooms, or other Library spaces).

• Drinks are welcome everywhere when in re-closable, spill-proof containers.
• Other campus dining spots include the Student Lounge (1st Floor), Cafeteria (4th Floor), and the Courtyard.

• Library Food & Drink Policy

• Standing Desks: New standing desks are now available in the Subin Reading Room (3rd Floor), a designated quiet study space.
• Ergonomic Rolling Chairs: 150 new chairs have been ordered to replace older and less comfortable chairs throughout the Library. They are expected to arrive in September. Most of the chairs being replaced are currently located in the cellar. To make it easier for us to roll in the new chairs when they arrive, please avoid moving chairs between library spaces.

Welcome to a new school year! Whether you’re just starting your law school journey or returning for another semester, the library team is excited to support you. We’ve spent the summer getting ready for the months ahead, and we want to make sure you start strong. Below you’ll find helpful information about casebooks and study aids to help you hit the ground running in your first week of classes.

CASEBOOK INFORMATION

Current editions of required print casebooks adopted by BLS faculty & many print study aids are in BLS Library's first-floor "Reserve" collection.  Students can borrow these sources for 2-hours at BLS Library's first-floor circulation desk.  The circulation desk is staffed starting at 8am M-F, and availability of adopted course texts is often good on early weekday mornings.  Also, the BLS student chapter of the National Lawyers Guild organizes a textbook exchange, and BLS students can contact this chapter at nlg@brooklaw.edu

• For more information about casebooks and study aids available through the BLS Library, visit the Casebook and Study Aid Research Guide
• For information on casebooks and study aids specifically for  incoming 1L students visit the 1L Resources, Tips and Tools Research Guide 

Casebook Early eBook Access

Bls has opted into an Early eBook Access Program with two publishers, so you can obtain free, temporary access to current editions of adopted casebooks if they are West Academic, Foundation Press, or Aspen Publishing titles one week before classes start and for the first two weeks of class.  These programs are designed to help with any inventory, shipping, financial aid, or drop/add period issues. Access is currently available. Additional details are below. 

If your textbook publisher is West Academic or Foundation Press:

• You can create an account or sign in with your school email address at eproducts.westacademic.com. Full instructions for access are available here.  If you experience any issues or have specific questions can contact the West Academic Support Team at support@westacademic.com or 877-888-1330.
• If you would like to continue your access after the trial ends, they have the option to purchase a discounted eBook on their bookshelf.   

If your casebook publisher is Aspen Publishing:

• Register with a BLS email address and select “Brooklyn Law School” as your school on the BLS-specific purchase portal created by Aspen Publishing.  If you experience any issues, Aspen Publishing.com provides both “Visit Our Help Center” and “Contact Us” links (near bottom of web page). Note: This portal facilitates purchase of current editions of Aspen course texts.  If your professor has selected a previous edition of a course text, the discount is not available using this portal.
• If you purchase current editions of casebooks directly from Aspen, they offer a 20% discount and free shipping for BLS students. 

STUDY AID INFORMATION

BLS students can also access a digital collection of many study aids in Aspen Learning Library    

• Aspen Learning Library includes titles in the series listed below.  Descriptions of these series and a study guide series comparison chart is available here.
  • Emanuel Law Outlines/Emanuel CrunchTime; 
  • Examples & Explanations; 
  • Friedman's Practice; 
  • Glannon Guides; 
  • Inside Series; & 
  • In Other Words Audio & Video Series.   

Starting Monday, August 11, 2025, BLS Library is changing over to the use of OpenAthens, a secure access management platform that allows users to access electronic resources remotely using single sign-on (SSO). Members of the BLS community will be able to use OpenAthens to access library resources remotely, in place of remote access through the proxy server.  Below, please find an important message from Library Director Brittany Persson detailing the reasons for the change, and resources if you run into issues. The BLS Library Technology: Remote Access guide also provides important information about OpenAthens and links to key resources connected to the transition. 

“On Monday, August 11th, BLS Library will begin our transition to OpenAthens, a new method of accessing library electronic resources remotely. OpenAthens will replace our current remote access system, the proxy server, and will instead use single sign-on (SSO) technology that integrates with BLS accounts.

Why is the Library making this change?

Discontinuing the proxy server and migrating to OpenAthens will improve the research experience at BLS by providing reliable, stable, secure, and streamlined access to library resources from anywhere.*

How will this affect you?

1. When accessing a digital resource through a library website (such as the catalog, the A-Z Databases list and our research guides), you will be directed to an OpenAthens login screen, where you can click "Sign in with your BLS credentials". Once you enter your BLS email and password, you will then be signed into OpenAthens on that browser, even if you navigate to other websites or resources.

2. When accessing a digital resource directly through a database, look for a login link. Login links might include terms like, “Login through your institution,” “OpenAthens,” or “Sign In”.

3. Resources that already require individual usernames and passwords, such as Westlaw, Lexis, Bloomberg, and CALI, are not migrating to OpenAthens.

What do you need to know?

The migration to OpenAthens will take place from Monday, August 11th to Wednesday, August 13th. During this time, resource links in the catalog, the A-Z Databases list and our research guides will be updated to allow for proper OpenAthens access.

During this transition, some resource URLs may be temporarily broken or unavailable. We appreciate your patience while we ensure that OpenAthens is properly configured and set up.

What do you need to do?

During the first few weeks of the fall semester, you should disable the proxy server. If you have links to subscription resources bookmarked or embedded in class syllabi, they will also need to be updated to comply with OpenAthens. Instructions for disabling the proxy and updating links, as well as more detailed information about OpenAthens, can be found here.

After August 13, if you run into any access problems, please send them to the Library using our Report an OpenAthens Issue form.”