Study Aids

This guide is intended to help UDC Law students locate the print and online versions of commercial study aids and topical treatises for listed classes. Everything on this page can be checked out from the library or accessed using West Study Aids online. These are not the only resources available, but are generally the most current and include those recommended by our faculty.

To borrow items, visit the Law Library Circulation Desk, located on the Lower Level of the law school. Study Aids located on Reserve can be borrowed for two hours and those in Main can be borrowed for two weeks. For more information about library policies and hours, please visit our website.

The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction, CALI, is a non-profit consortium of law schools that conducts research and development in legal instruction. They are best-known for CALI lessons, online interactive tutorials created by legal educators and lawyers. Each of the course pages to the left will provide links to CALI lessons relevant to the topic for students seeking to learn more or test their knowledge.

All UDC Law students can access the full library of CALI lessons, but an authorization code is required to create an account. For access, stop by the Reference Desk in the library or email lawlibraryhelp@udc.edu.

West Academic Study Aid is an online database full of books, podcasts, lectures, and practice questions to help 1L-3L succeed in classes at UDC Law.

If you are having trouble accessing the site check out this helpful guide.

 Accessing West Academic

While it is linked above, you can also access West Academic through our A-Z database collection. From the library homepage:

1. Locate the "Most Used Databases" box and scroll down until you see "View Complete List" and click on the link.
2. On the alphabet banner at the top, select the "W" link.
3. Scroll down until you find "West Academic Study Aids" and click on the link.

Navigating West Academic

Some of the resources on West Academic will only be available to you once you have created an account and signed into the platform. You can do this by clicking "Create an Account" on the homepage and be sure to use your UDC email.

On the homepage of West Academic, you will see a search bar where you can enter the title of the book, podcast, lecture, etc. that you wish to find.

If you do not know the title, or you are simply browsing, then the menu items directly beneath the search bar will be your friends. Of note, there are two subject specific menu tabs that focus on all years of law students to help you easily find that study guide your property professor told you about. These and the rest of the tabs are explained below. 

• 1L Subjects
  • These menu items will provide you with helpful resources on any of the classes or subjects you will be needing in your first year at law school. There is also an "Academic Success" tab for 1Ls that is more for general studying advice for first year law students.
  • Subjects include: Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Legal Research and Writing, Property, and Torts
• 2L/3L Subjects
  • Here you will find the more advanced subjects most likely used by second and third year law students. There is also a tab for Bar Exam Prep which is repeated under the "Academic/Career Success" tab. For more information on Bar Exam Prep, please visit our Bar Prep Study Guide here.
  • Subjects include: Administrative Law, Business Organizations, Commercial Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Family Law, Professional Responsibility/Ethics, Taxation, Trusts and Estates
• Academic/Career Success
  • Here you can find resources related to the law in regards to academics, the bar exam, and careers after law school.
• Content Type
  • You can use this tab to search for a specific kind of resource for every subject. For example, all Hornbook Treatises in West Academic.
• Series
  • This is where you can search within your favorite series of law study aids like Short & Happy Guides.
• My Favorites
  • You will need to create an account to save favorites in this tab. Create an account by clicking on the "Create an Account" link at the top right of the homepage.

Once you begin searching in West Academic you can always filter your search using the filters on the left hand side to help you narrow your search.

Another great resource offered on West Academic is the Exam Pro Practice Questions. These are practice quizzes and exams on all subjects that will help you to prepare for upcoming assessments. They can be located on the homepage of West Academic at the bottom of the page.

For a walkthrough of all the features and resources listed, please view the video below.

Aspen Learning Library is a great collection of ebooks, audio files, and videos that will aid in your studies in law school. Here you will find many online versions of study aids such as the Glennon Guide and Casenote Legal Briefs series. In many of resources, you will find practice questions and short quizzes to help guide your studies.

Accessing Aspen

The best way to find Aspen Learning Library database is from the homepage of the law library. From there:

1. Locate the "Most Used Databases" box in the top middle of the page.
2. Click "View Complete List"
3. Scroll down to "Aspen Learning Library" and select this resource

Once you are in Aspen Learning Library you will need to register as a user by clicking "Register" on the homepage, in the pop-up box labeled "Login to your personal account". Follow the prompts using your UDC email. After you have created an account and are logged in, you will be able to access the full range of materials offered by UDC.

Navigating Aspen Learning Library

On the homepage of Aspen there is a search bar available if you know the title. There is also an Advanced Search option available where you can add other search criteria like author or subject matter.

For browsing, there are three main categories: ebook, videos, and audio. 

Under each category you will find all available items. To narrow your search to a particular subject you will need to use the Advanced Search function and indicate which area of law you wish to search.