Have you tried the Bluebook app yet? It’s available for iPads, iPhones, and iPods (with an Android version probably in the works we’re told). The app supports full-text searching, browsing, highlighting, bookmarking, and annotating. Among its features, the continuous display of the Table of Contents and hyperlinking of cross-references make navigation a breeze. You don’t have to worry about losing your Internet connection either. Once downloaded, the rules reside on your device for offline use. Give it a try! Here’s the link. There is a special promotion for law students; with purchase of the app, you will also get access to the 2013 Federal Rules.
A few things to note: If you have an iPhone and an iPad, one purchase enables you to use it on both devices. Second, at $39.95, it is a little more expensive than the print Bluebook (which is $37.15 (new) at the NYLS bookstore). But for folks who want the convenience and search capability of digital access it may well be worth it. An extra benefit is that all Bluebook updates between editions are automatically added to the app and you “own” the app; there’s no need to purchase it again unless you want to once a new edition is published. (New editions of the Bluebook are published every five years, with the 20th edition scheduled for 2015.)
Comparing it against the Bluebook’s online version, the app’s pricing may still be more favorable. The online version is $32 for one year, with annual renewals priced at $15, although you can pay $42 for two years or $50 for three years with corresponding $15 renewals. But that is only available “online,” meaning on a PC or Mac, and you’ll need an Internet connection while using it. Remember: the Mendik Library has a subscription to the online Bluebook, which can be accessed from two PCs in the Library. Contact the Reference Desk for password information.
