Accessing library textbooks: What you need to know
Deakin Library is committed to providing academics and students with easy access to essential textbooks. We have a range of e-books and physical texts available to borrow at the library. However, there are some things to keep in mind. This blog post is a comprehensive guide to getting your essential readings through the library.
This blog covers commonly asked questions, such as:
- Where can I find my prescribed texts and recommended readings?
- What is the difference between a prescribed textbook and a recommended textbook?
- Can I access readings in alternative formats?
- Why isn’t my textbook available in print?
- Do the e-books at the library have unlimited availability?
- Can I print or download the whole e-book?
- Why am I getting an error message when trying to access online library resources?
- I saw the e-book on Kindle/iBooks. Why doesn’t the library have it?
- What can I do if the print copies of my textbook are on loan?
- Does the library have audiobooks?
- I live far away from Deakin campus. Can I get a book delivered to me at home?
- Do I need to buy a copy of my prescribed and recommended readings?
Where can I find my prescribed texts and recommended readings?
You can view information about your prescribed texts and recommended readings for a course from one week before trimester starts. This aligns with when your unit site goes live on CloudDeakin on Monday July 1.
There are a few ways to find your reading lists via the library.
Go to the ‘Get textbooks’ page
If you want to quickly see if the prescribed and recommended textbooks are live for your course, search for your unit code on the ‘Get textbooks’ page. You can find the Get textbooks page on the library home page and under the Skills for study menu.
Even if there are textbooks listed on the ‘Get textbooks’ page, we recommend checking your reading list for extra details as there may be required and/or recommended reading from a range of sources each week. If your prescribed textbook is only available in print or as a limited e-book license, your reading list might also contain at least one digitised chapter from this book.
Access your unit reading list
Your full reading list is available in Talis and will usually include a wide range of resources such as articles, videos, web pages and readings. You can find your full reading list by following the ‘Access unit readings’ link on the library homepage. View instructions on accessing your reading list.
If you cannot find a reading list, check your CloudDeakin site or ask your unit chair.
What is the difference between a prescribed textbook and a recommended textbook?
It’s important to understand the difference between the two to get the most out of your reading list:
- A prescribed textbook contains essential information that must be read for you to understand the unit content and achieve a successful result.
- A recommended textbook contains non-compulsory reading that provides additional information to reinforce the core content and deepen your understanding.
Can I access readings in alternative formats?
If you are registered with the Disability Resource Centre, you may be eligible to get readings converted into alternative formats that are more accessible for you by emailing the library’s Course Resources and Access team.
Deakin Library also has a page on Converting text to audio, which provides tips on converting readings and more material to audio. It also provides links to software that can help you do this. Some e-book platforms also provide an option to read texts online in audio format.
Why isn’t my textbook available in print?
Deakin Library aims to buy ‘e-first’. This means if there’s a digital version of a book, we’ll get it. With so many students doing their university studies online and studying across Australia and beyond, having online options for key texts is crucial.
E-books are great because you:
- can use the search function to look for key terms
- don’t have to carry around a heavy text
- don’t have to be near a Deakin campus to access them.
We do try to buy some print copies of each prescribed or recommended text, especially if e-book access is limited or not available for libraries.
Do the e-books at the library have unlimited availability?
Not necessarily – every e-book is a little bit different. Some publishers make their e-books accessible to everyone, all the time, but not all of them. Others limit the number of users at one time or the number of downloads a year. Check with the library if you have questions about e-book access.
Can I print or download the whole e-book?
To protect copyright, most e-book publishers will limit how much you can print or download a title.
Look out for Digital Rights Management-free (DRM-free) e-books as they allow you to freely download, print, copy and save content, are available for use at any time, from anywhere, and can be searched when reading online.
Why am I getting an error message when trying to access online library resources?
An error message such as ‘Bad message’ or ‘stale login request’ means that the page hasn’t been able to load. To resolve it, clear the cookies or cache on your browser.
You can find instructions on the IT Knowledge Base
A temporary solution is to use the Incognito or Private options in your browser, but it is a good idea to regularly clear cookies and cache and give your browser a little refresh.
I saw the e-book on Kindle/iBooks. Why doesn’t the library have it?
Most of the e-books you see online are only for individual users. Library e-books are a bit different because everyone needs to be able to access them. This means we must buy e-books from special providers. We are always happy to search our providers for any title you’re interested in. Just get in touch.
What can I do if the print copies of my textbook are on loan?
- Put a hold request on the textbook and add yourself to the queue.
- Check to see if any print copies are on two-hour loan.
- Check your reading list for digitised chapters and online resources.
- Look for DRM-free e-books and other e-books that give you the option to download pages as PDFs that you can keep and even print and use your reading list to check which pages will be most helpful and which ones that haven’t already been digitised.
- Use Adobe Digital Editions for limited access to some e-books offline.
- Ask your unit chair or tutor if it is okay to borrow older editions.
- Use library resources to find related readings by the same author or on a similar topic.
- Check Google Scholar for more recent texts that may have cited the text.
- Look for Open Educational Resources (OERs) on your topic in our OER library guide.
- Find someone with the textbook through CloudDeakin forums or in your tutorials, seminars or workshops and see if they’d like to join a study group to share the reading.
Does the library have audiobooks?
We have a small collection of audiobooks available via O’Reilly Audio Books Online. If you’re studying literature or creative writing, visit your local library and ask about their audiobook options for fiction and memoirs.
I live far away from Deakin campus. Can I get a book delivered to me at home?
We are currently mailing books to all domestic students and staff at no cost.
- Select the ‘Request it’ button from your search result.
- Choose ‘Click and send’ from the dropdown menu.
- Contact library staff to discuss this further if you are a student living overseas and for help sourcing the items you need.
Unfortunately, 2-hour loans cannot be delivered due to the time taken to deliver items. Find out more about borrowing from Deakin.
Do I need to buy a copy of my prescribed and recommended readings?
Many of your prescribed texts will be available in the library, but we cannot guarantee access to textbooks during periods of high demand like exam periods. If you need unlimited, on-demand access to a textbook, we recommend you purchase a copy.
However, we suggest waiting until the start of trimester before purchasing textbooks. This way you can ask your unit chair or tutor to clarify how much a book will be used within the unit. You can also use your weekly reading list to get some idea of how much a book will be used.
Deakin does not sell textbooks directly. You can purchase them online in both print and e-book format from either the publisher or a book e-retailer. You can also use the details for texts included in your reading lists (like the ISBN to find the right edition) to search for and purchase texts from your preferred provider, including second-hand ones.
Remember to check you have the correct edition listed for your unit. Explore options for financial assistance at Deakin Financial assistance.
Library support is available
Deakin Library is here to help navigate these complexities. For more information or assistance, please contact Library Staff via chat, phone or email or at your campus library.