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Casebooks, Study Aids & Guides for Law School Courses & Bar Exams: Introduction

Aspen Learning Library (Digital Collection of Study Aids) + Aspen Publishing BLS-Specific Purchase Portal + West Academic Early ebook Access Program

BLS students can access a digital collection of many study aids in Aspen Learning Library.  In BLS Library's SARA catalog record, click: ACCESS ONLINE VERSION - (ASPEN)

Tip: Remote access to Aspen Learning Library requires implementation of the BLS proxy server instructions for one web browser.  Librarians recommend implementing the proxy instructions for Firefox.

Tip from Aspen: If a BLS researcher has trouble accessing the full text of a study aid through the "Read Online" link in Aspen Learning Library, try clearing your web browser's cache.

Tip from Aspen: If you implement the BLS proxy instructions for Safari: Before using the reader view, please turn off the "Prevent cross-site tracking" setting in your browser.  See: Safari > Settings > Privacy tab > Website tracking > Disable the "Prevent cross-site tracking" option.

Tip: A BLS student who wishes to add notes/highlights to a study guide can register to create a personal account on Aspen Learning Library's home page.  This home page also links to Aspen's Quick Start Guide, which discusses app access to Aspen Learning Library.

Aspen Learning Library includes titles in these series: Emanuel Law Outlines/Emanuel CrunchTime; Examples & Explanations; Friedman's Practice; Glannon Guides; Inside Series; & In Other Words Audio & Video Series.  Click the link below to view Aspen's descriptions of these series and a study guide series comparison chart.   

Tip: BLS Library generally provides (on Reserve) 1 copy of adopted course texts.  During the fall/spring semesters, employees staff BLS Library’s circulation desk beginning at 8 am on M-F.  The 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

BLS Library determines course adoptions using faculty submissions to Akademos.

If your textbook publisher is Aspen Publishing:

Aspen Publishing created a BLS-specific purchase portal, so that all BLS students (not just those new to Aspen) can obtain a 15% discount on their orders of educator-selected Aspen course texts.  Note: This portal facilitates purchase of current editions of Aspen course texts.  BLS students can purchase their course materials by searching a course number or a professor’s name, clicking on the “View Course Titles” button, and adding the corresponding products to their cart.  Tip: BLS students need to register with a BLS email address and to select "Brooklyn Law School" as their school. 

Aspen Access will provide a 15% discount on all educator-selected Aspen course titles purchased through its BLS-specific purchase portal, regardless of the format.  In order for this discount to be applied at checkout, BLS students simply need to create an account on Aspen Publishing.com using their BLS email address, then to verify the BLS email address.  (No coupon code needed.)  Verification is most often done at the time of creating an account but can also be done on the My Account page when logged in.  Any unverified account will see an "Email Address Not Verified" warning on the My Account page.

If you experience any issues, Aspen Publishing.com provides both “Visit Our Help Center” and “Contact Us” links (near bottom of web page).

If your textbook publisher is West Academic or Foundation Press:

Beginning on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024: Brooklyn Law School opted in to West Academic’s Early eBook Access Program. This program provides BLS students free, temporary access to adopted West Academic and Foundation Press ebooks one week before classes start and for the first two weeks of class.  It is designed to help with any inventory, shipping, financial aid, or drop/add period issues. 

Beginning on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024:  BLS students can create an account or sign in with their school email address at eproducts.westacademic.comStudents who experience any issues or have specific questions can contact the account manager for Brooklyn Law School: Dan Madonna, Dan.Madonna@WestAcademic.com.

West Academic stated in a recent email: “If students would like to continue their access after the trial ends, they have the option to purchase a discounted eBook on their bookshelf.  A 15% discount will be applied at checkout and all notes and highlights will appear when they sign in.” BLS students also can refer to the West Academic instructions linked below.

When Can BLS Students Access BLS Law School & BLS Library?

BLS Library, 250 Joralemon Street

   

 

 

 

 

 

Study area on first floor of BLS Library, 250 Joralemon Street

When are BLS Law School and BLS Library (250 Joralemon Street) open for student use?

Generally, during the year: The gates open at 6am and close at midnight.  BLS students have access to the 250 Joralemon Street building and to BLS Library from 7am–midnight. 

During reading period, finals & the two weeks before the bar exam in July: The gates open at 6am and close at 2am.  BLS students have access to the 250 Joralemon Street building and to BLS Library from 7am–2am.

When does BLS Library staff its Circulation Desk?

During the Fall & Spring semesters:

  • M-Th: 8am-midnight
  • F: 8am-10pm
  • Sun-Sat: 10am-10pm

During reading period & finals:

  • Sun-Sat: 8am-midnight

Summer Hours:

  • M-Th: 9am-10pm
  • F-Sun: 10am-6pm

Bar Study (Early July 2025 through first day of Bar Exam):

  • Sun-Sat: 9am-midnight

Tip: Check BLS Library’s website (box, lower right corner: This Week's Hours) or the monthly calendar for holiday hours and current hours.

Introduction

This LibGuide highlights current editions of BLS Library's casebooks, study aids & guides for law school courses & bar exams.  It describes sources on: Doing Well & Being Well; Preparing for Law School Exams & Bar Exams; Administrative Law; Civil Practice & Procedure; Conflict of Laws; Constitutional Law; Contracts; Corporations & Other Business Associations; Criminal Law & Procedure; Evidence; Family Law; Professional Responsibility; Property; Sales; Secured Transactions; Torts; & Wills, Trusts & Estates.  Sources are categorized by type and are listed "newest to oldest."

Current editions of print casebooks adopted by BLS faculty & many print study aids are in BLS Library's first-floor "Reserve" collection.  Students can request these sources at BLS Library's first-floor circulation desk.  These sources circulate for two hours.  Many sources in BLS Library's Cellar-level Main collection circulate for the semester.  

Q: What are treatises, hornbooks & nutshells

A: Click here for descriptions of these study aids.

Q: What are Restatements of the Law?

A: Click here for a description of (& links to) Restatements.

Q: Can I obtain the BLS student or faculty CALI code to access CALI's open-access online legal textbooks, guides & tutorials on legal topics?  Can I receive help to access a source in this guide? 

A: Email askthelibrary@brooklaw.edu or text 718-734-2432

Q: What is BLS Library's collection policy for acquiring study aids containing multiple-choice questions?

A: For the legal subjects covered in this LibGuide: To provide access to current editions (if available) in these series: Emanuel CrunchTime; Exam Pro; Questions & Answers; & The Glannon Guides.  If these series do not cover a legal subject, librarians try to identify an alternate current source.  Note: Print copies of sources are in the Reserve collection.  Reminder: Aspen Learning Library includes digital versions of sources in Emanual CrunchTime and The Glannon Guides.

Q: When is BLS Library open?

A: Calendar of BLS Library's Hours

Tips:

  • Please reload/refresh this page to view newly added sources.
  • BLS students can access additional resources in BLSConnect > Academics > Academic Success
  • BLS students can access past exams in BLSConnect > Academics > Registrar > Exams & Grading > Exams on File

 

When Was This Guide Last Updated?

This LibGuide was last substantively updated:

On: Oct. 2, 2024

At: 5:09 PM

By: Jean Davis