Core Texts

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Some students find that they have difficulty getting hold of their core texts. This is a real problem especially given the rising costs of studying at University. Many students already have jobs to cover their fees and living expenses, and cannot afford expensive textbooks. This is why it's vital that the Library has good resources that are easily accessible to all.

If you have difficulties getting hold of textbooks, there are several things you can do:

1. See the main What You Can Do page

2. Talk to your lecturers (in advance of the unit starting, if possible). Lecturers should submit their reading lists to the Library well in advance of a unit starting, so that the Library can make sure copies are available.

3. Contact your Faculty Librarian. They are: William Jones (FOH), Sarah Elsegood (HUM), Liz Clarke (SCI) and Bill Marsh (SSF). Ask at the Library Helpdesk for more information. The Faculty Librarians work with the Faculties to ensure that the right books are in the Library. They also keep an eye on how the books are being used. If enough holds are placed on books that have been taken out of the Library, copies should be moved into Short Loan so that more people can access them. You can put a hold on a book in your online Library account - but please only do it if you genuinely can't get access to a book. Books can also be made reference-only - you could ask the Faculty Librarians about this.

4. Investigate articles and journals, both online and in hard copy. The Library subscribes to a wide range of titles. While this option won't be appropriate for all Schools, using journals can be a very useful way of finding more information about your subject. Journals also tend to include the newest research, so you can keep up-to-date in your field. Ask at the Library Helpdesk for more information, and to apply for an Athens password (necessary to access most online journals).

5. Find out about E-books. Electronic books can be read online by many people at the same time. The newest ones allow you to make notes and bookmark pages as you might with a hard copy. At the moment the Library holds limited E-books, but is looking to invest in more in the future.