With so many e-Books to choose from, trying to pick ones that are best for student success, at no cost to them, can become confusing. The Library is here to help you.
As a first step, always speak to your School Librarian when you are reviewing your reading list. This saves you time by helping you to clarify which readings can be accessed through the Library.
What e-Books are available through the Library for my reading list or the general collection?
The Library purchases or subscribes to e-Books which are accessible through the library catalogue from major publishers and platforms, each of which comes with specific user access licences. Publishers may also impose specific Digital Rights Management (DRM) restrictions, which can limit the amount that can be accessed or printed in a single session. The preference is outright purchase, which is DRM free, which guarantees the greatest and permanent access for the collection.
Here are some licence types and their impact on student access.
It is important to note that publishers determine the licence types and DRM restrictions, not the Library, and not all licence types or DRM settings apply to every eBook title.
The most common limited e-Book user licence is a 1 or 3 user licence.
May be subject to DRM restrictions.
These licence types allow the number of users specified to access the e-Book simultaneously. The next user will gain access once someone returns the e-Book, logs off or times out due to inactivity (typically 30 mins).
The library will consider buying a few of these for a cohort but it is not possible, within budget, to purchase enough to allow all students to access an e-Book simultaneously.
This type of e-Book should be used for general learning only.
Avoid assigning these for assessments or exams to limit student frustration and disappointment from receiving a limited-user message.
This licence type allows an unlimited number of users to access the e-Book simultaneously.
May be subject to DRM restrictions.
The library will always purchase this licence when available.
Open Access or OER e-Books allow an unlimited number of users to access the e-Book simultaneously.
These may be hosted through a library database, through DOAB (or other e-Book server) or on their own website.
If you find an open e-Book that you would like to use The Library can create a catalogue record that links to its online location both in your reading list and in the Library Search Box.
These types of e-Books can be used for any purpose and are ideal for general learning and assessments.
Tip: If an Open e-Book has a suitable Creative Commons (CC) licence you may be able to adapt and publish it to perfectly compliment your curriculum through Western Open Books.
Contact your School Librarian to discuss possibilities.
What e-Book types should I avoid for my reading list or the general collection?
There are some e-Books that the Library can’t purchase due to format or licencing restrictions. These e-Book formats are licenced to an individual user and do not permit sharing or lending.
If a publisher contacts you about using a specific e-Book for your subject or if you are considering moving to a new textbook, always check with your School Librarian to see what formats or licences are available or suitable for the Library collection.
Ensuring that students have access to resources without incurring additional personal costs is important for transition and retention.
There has been a rise in publishers hosting their own electronic textbooks, via their app or website, which may or may not contain supplementary content.
Students access these e-Books by paying a subscription fee. A student will lose access to the e-Book once a subscription expires. Retaining access is an ongoing cost.
Note: these subscriptions are not available to libraries so we cannot provide access.
- VitalSource
- Pearson
- Cengage
- Cambridge
Students will need to buy these titles themselves, as individuals and will retain access on their personal devices.
They cannot on-sell to others once they are finished with the text.
E-reader titles cannot be purchased by the library.
- Amazon
- Kindle
The Library cannot host a PDF of a book or other resource.
The exception is when the PDF is hosted on its own site under open access provisions. See Open Access & Open Educational Resources (OER) above.