Law students will often ask the law librarians if the library has an available copy of the required casebooks for law school courses. According to the Law Library's collection development policy, the library does not purchase law school casebooks. In some cases, the library may have older editions of casebooks available that have been donated to the library or otherwise acquired, but these older editions should not be relied upon for course reading. If a professor has indicated that a casebook is required for a course, it is highly recommended that you purchase the text!
While the Law Library does not collect casebooks, there are a variety of library materials that are available to students to supplement course reading, such as Hornbooks and Nutshells.
Hornbooks are one-volume texts, usually hardbound, that give an overview
of a particular area of law, and can be used to supplement your
casebook. West publishes the official "Hornbook" series, but the term
can be applied to similar texts from other publishers. The current
Hornbooks are available in the Reserve Room. They can be used in the Reserve Room or checked out by students for 2 hours. Older versions of Hornbooks are available on the Lower Level and check out for 4 weeks.
Nutshells are paperback books that offer concise explanations on a
variety of different legal topics, including first-year subjects. The
most recent editions are located in the Study Aids and Academic Success collection on the main
floor of the library, just beyond the double doors. The Nutshell titles check out for a 24-hour
period. Older versions of Nutshells are also available on the Lower Level and check out for 4 weeks. Because the law continually changes, when using superseded law materials, you need to be aware that the materials may contain inaccuracies and updating the law may be necessary.
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