[image of people studying in the Libe East Wing]

If you know a specific book you want to read and are trying to get access, there are several steps to try in addition to what you normally would do. The links here lead to additional information on this page.

1. Check Catalyst.
   1. If the book is available electronically, you're set.
   2. If the book is in print in the Libe, you can log in and use ILL to request chapters (instructions below). 
   3. If the book is not there at all, use ILL to request it

If none of those options work, try the following options. To be clear, these are all troubleshooting steps -- none of them can guarantee you access. If none of them work, contact Kristin for help.

1. Check EBSCO Ebooks (link below). This ebook collection does not show up in Catalyst.
2. Check HathiTrust, using the instructions below
3. Check National Emergency Library, using the instructions below
4. If you live in a major metropolitan area and have a public library card there, check the library's electronic resources section of their web site and look for their ebook collections like Overdrive, Ebook Central, Ebrary, etc. They may be able to provide access for you.
5. Ask your librarian! I'm happy to help see if there are any other options.

You can still read lots of books in the library's collection when learning from a distance. Here are some tips on searching the collection and accessing what you can. Contact a librarian with *any* questions you have.

Ebooks

The library provides access to thousands of ebooks on several different platforms, both scholarly and for leisure reading. The most efficient way to discover available ebooks is to search Catalyst (though you can search each platform separately if you prefer, for example, JSTOR books).

To isolate ebooks in Catalyst, start with a default search. Here's a search box for your convenience.

After you have searched using keywords, use the filters on the left to select "Online Resources" and "books" as the material type. Then click the Apply Filters button. 

[image of the filters in Catalyst set to limit a search to ebooks]

When you view the full details of a book, you'll find a link to access it on its native platform.

[screenshot image of a Catalyst link out to an ebook]

To learn more about the different ebook platforms, follow the links below.

While the library is closed, you can request chapters of books that we have in print in the library. Here is how. 

Make sure you are logged in, then click the "Request for Digitization" link. This will take you to an Interlibrary Loan request form where you can request the chapter(s) you need. Use the Notes field to say exactly what part of the book you need -- library staff will do what they can to get it for you. You will get an email from the library either with access or to talk with you about your options.  

[image of the option to Request Digitization for a print book in the collection]

HathiTrust is now temporarily expanded to allow access to books we have in print in Gould Library. Log in and search for your desired book. If access is available, it will say Temporary Access, please click on that. You are allowed a 60 minute check out with unlimited renewals. For more information, check out this FAQ or ask a librarian for help.

Temporary access in the HathiTrust results list will look like this:

When you click on Temporary Access, you may check out the book by clicking the Check Out button:

You may link to the book from your Moodle course or other instructional materials using the permanent link, that looks like this:

If you need the entire book and you can't find it in HathiTrust, try the National Emergency Library.

The National Emergency Library is a free, temporary collection of ebooks developed for the pandemic that anyone can use. You can "check out" a book for a limited (but renewable) period of time and read it online. The NEL does not have a PDF download option, but most books have an EPUB version you can use with an ebook reader.

From the book description page, use the Log In and Borrow button to get to the Log In page and, once there, click the "Sign up for free" link. You can use any email to make an account - this access isn't provided by Carleton, but is a service of the Library of Congress. Once you have an account, you can check this book out and read it on your screen.