The Law Library’s collection has various study aids on numerous legal subject areas. The library has prepared a series of guides by subject area to the study aids in the collection.
General Information on Study Aids
Some study aids are referred to as hornbooks, others as nutshells. A hornbook is a single volume covering an area of law with references to cases, statutes, and secondary sources such as law review articles and American Law Reports annotations. Unlike a hornbook, a nutshell provides a basic overview of the legal concepts in a particular area of law with few references to cases, statutes, and secondary sources. Hornbooks and nutshells are published by West/Thomson Reuters. LexisNexis publishes the “Understanding ....” series and Aspen Publishers publishes the Examples and Explanations series of study aids. Foundation Press, an independent affiliate of West/Thomson Reuters, also publishes the Concepts and Insights series on various areas of the law.
Current editions of these study aids are available on Reserve. Copy 1 and Copy 2 of a study aid circulate for two hours and are restricted to use within the Law Library. Copy 3 and higher can be checked out of the Law Library for forty-eight (48) hours. Note, a fine of 50 cents is accrued for each hour that a book checked out from Reserve is overdue! Older editions of the study aids are shelved in the stacks by their call number and can be checked out from the Law Library for twenty-one days.
Even more detailed information on a legal subject area can be found in a single volume or in a multi-volume set referred to as a treatise. These treatises can be searched by author, by advanced keyword, by subject or by title using the Law Library’s WebCatalog. The treatises are shelved by their call number in the Library’s open stacks. Most single volume treatises can be checked out from the Law Library for twenty-one days.
The Restatements The Restatements sets are an attempt to provide a “restatement” of the general principles of the common law on various subjects, the law of torts being among them. Each general principle or rule of torts is followed by a hypothetical illustrating applications of the principle. Each rule is also accompanied by the Reporter’s Notes which provide background information on the development of the rule. Accompanying annotations cite court decisions, statutes, and secondary sources both in support and contrary to the rule.
Electronic Study Aid: CALI In addition to the print study aids, CALI (Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction) provides electronic access to interactive lessons on torts in addition to other subjects. All incoming first-year students receive a CALI CD in their orientation packet. Lessons are also available via the CALI website at www.cali.org. When signing up for access at the CALI website, you will need to obtain the law school’s authorization code from a reference librarian.
The Restatements sets are an attempt to provide a “restatement” of the general principles of the common law on various subjects, the law of torts being among them. Each general principle or rule of torts is followed by a hypothetical illustrating applications of the principle. Each rule is also accompanied by the Reporter’s Notes which provide background information on the development of the rule. Accompanying annotations cite court decisions, statutes, and secondary sources both in support and contrary to the rule. 
