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Widener Law Commonwealth Online Study Aids

Access to hundreds of study aids through West Academic, LexisNexis Digital Library, and Aspen Learning Library platforms.

Suggestions for Incoming 1Ls

Cracking the Case Method, Legal Analysis for Law School Success

This title provides concise and down-to-earth information on how to succeed in law school, providing indispensable information to anybody who is considering applying to law school, preparing for his or her 1L year, or who currently is in law school.

Get a Running Start

This book offers a global overview of the first-year curriculum in a single volume. In short, accessible lessons, Get a Running Start covers all the major concepts taught in each of the courses most commonly offered in the first year of law school.

How to Write Law Exams

Written for every law student who ever wondered how to get better grades in law school, this title provides students of all levels with a detailed, comprehensive, and practical guide to success on law school exams.

Law School Success in a Nutshell

This title provides practical advice on studying and taking exams while offering information about types of legal practice that are available to students after graduation.

McClurg's 1L of a Ride

1L of a Ride provides a step-by-step navigational guide to both academic and emotional success in law school’s crucial first year. It essentially answers the questions, what’s the first year of law school really like and how can I make the most of it? Readers learn what to expect, when to expect it, and how to respond to it.

A Short and Happy Guide to Being a Law Student

In this volume students will find essential wisdom for the study of law and life and learn how to be their best in and out of the class from the unprecendented ten-time recipient of the Professor of the Year award.

West Academic

All Widener Law Commonwealth students, faculty and staff have unlimited online access to 500+ West Academic Study Aids Subscription.  Study Aid Series in the online collection include: Acing, Black Letter Outlines, Concepts and Insights, Concise Hornbook Series, Exam Pro, Gilbert Law Summaries, Nutshells, Sum & Substance Audio, and more...

Accessing the Online Collection

(Accounts are tied to Widener Law Commonwealth students.)

  1. Go to the West Academic Study Aids Subscription website.
  2. Create an account using your Widener email address. 
  3. After your account is created, you can sign in to your account anytime, anywhere.

Offline Reading Tools

NEW! WEST ACADEMIC LIBRARY DESKTOP APP In addition to a mobile app, the desktop West Academic Library app is now available allowing students to download and read any of the titles available in the digital collection offline on their desktop, laptop, ipad or phone.

Study anywhere and on any device when you download the RedShelf app for reading and the West Academic Audio app for listening.

How to use the apps for offline studying.


Watch the West Academic Study Aids Collection- 2021 on YouTube for an overview.

Need more help?  Watch the West Academic Study Aids Collection Student Guide on YouTube.

Additional Access Instructions are below.