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Study Aids: Aspen Learning Library (Online Study Aids)

Aspen Link

Aspen Learning Library LogoDrake Law faculty, staff, and students: Access the Aspen Learning Library, web browser version. Note: Avoid using the Safari browser. 

Aspen Learning Library Intro

What is the Aspen Learning Library?

The Aspen Learning Library collection includes course-specific study aids, as well as more general titles on academic success in law school, focusing on topics such as legal analysis and exam-taking skills. It also includes some video and audio content.

Series include: 

  • Examples & Explanations
  • Emanuel Law Outlines
  • Glannon Guides
  • Emanuel CrunchTime
  • Casenote Legal Briefs
  • Inside Series
  • Friedman’s Series

How do I Access the Aspen Learning Library?

Click Drake's Aspen Learning Library link (web browser version). This will take you to the Cowles Library database login page. Log-in with your Drake University credentials.

Cowles Proxy Login Screen

Once you are in the product, you will have options to login with a personal account, which gives you many additional options for using the collection. (Click on image to see a full screen version.)

Aspen Learning Library login options

You must create the personal account using the web browser version while on-campus. The account can then be used across apps, but be aware it does not always sync content properly as you move between apps.

The personal account allows you to

  • organize books by shelves
  • add bookmarks, notes, and highlights
  • print up to 30% of a book.
  • log into one of the Aspen Learning Library apps, so you can download books to read them offline.

When you are logged in to your personal account, you will see both Drake University and your name at the top of the screen. You will also see your name on the right of the screen. The right link allows you to manage your profile (e.g., change your password) and log out. (Click on image to see a full screen version.)

Aspen Learning Library Personalized Login

Aspen Learning Library Use Tips

Tip: Make sure your pop-up blockers are off or will allow pop-ups from the Aspen Learning Library website. When you open a book to read it online, it opens in a new window.

Jump to a Key Moment in the Video

0:00 Introduction
0:15 Verifying you are in your personal login
0:23 Searching for a book, video, or audio lecture
1:28 Working with search results
2:26 eBook Table of Contents and Settings
2:43 Searching within a book and adding notes & bookmarks
4:20 Using My Activity to find previously created notes & bookmarks & recently read books

Aspen Learning Library Study Aids

Aspen Learning Library Apps

Using an Aspen App

In addition to using the Aspen Learning Library through a web browser, you can also get an app to use it on a PC, Mac, Android phone/tablet, or iPhone/iPad. The apps allow you to download study aids for offline reading. 

Caveat: When we tested these apps, we encountered multiple errors with features like note-taking, bookmarking, highlighting, and shelf creation. We recommend that you primarily use the web-based product. If you want to read offline, you will need to download the proper app, but we recommend you then take notes in a more stable product, like a Word document, One Note, or a paper notebook.

Logging in to an Aspen App

If you are on campus when you open the downloaded app, it should recognize you as a Drake user, and then give you the choice to log in with your personalized credentials.

If you open a downloaded app from off-campus, you will log in directly with your personalized credentials, using the last option: Remote Login. 

Aspen Learning Library Personalized Login: Screen 1

After you click the final box, it will take you to the screen where you can enter the credentials you created for your personalized Aspen account:

Aspen Learning Library Personalized Login: Screen 2

Screenshot Credits

Screenshots on this page created by Drake Law Library.

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