Acquisitions Policies and Procedures

What is an e-book?

An e-book (electronic book) is a digital form of a book that is accessible and read using computers or comparable electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets, or e-book readers. E-books are published in various formats, such as portable document format (PDF) or EPUB; various publishers and vendors support any of several formats. E-books are typically capable of being searched, making them excellent reference sources. E-books are also accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Many vendor platforms support amenities such as a dictionary and note-taking applications.

Does the Cowan-Blakley Memorial Library have e-books in its collection?

Yes. The Library is committed to supporting University of Dallas' academic programs and courses by providing access to scholarly publications and content. E-books are a key component of the Library's collection building strategy, and new titles are regularly made available in the packages subscribed to by the Cowan-Blakley Memorial Library.

How do I access the Library's e-books?

E-books may be accessed by searching Discovery, FullText Finder, OPAC (online catalog), or by searching/browsing titles in relevant library databases. Off-campus users have access through the library website.

Can I download or print an e-book to a portable device like an e-reader, iPad, tablet, or smartphone?

Yes, if downloading or printing is an available option from the vendor that hosts the book and if it permitted by the publisher of the title. Each vendor may have its own unique method for downloading e-books but most are available as a PDF option.

How many people may use an e-book at any one time?

Most e-books are available to and accessed by more than one user at a time with many having unlimited user access. If you are unable to access the title, check with the reference desk for assistance.

What type of e-books does the library purchase?

The Library observes the same collection development guidelines for e-books as for its printed collections. Both print and electronic items are purchased and/or licensed to support the curricular and research objectives of the University's academic programs. Course textbooks are not purchased by the Library.

May I request the library order and e-book?

Yes. Faculty may place e-book and other materials requests to be applied to their department's library materials allocation by contacting their department bibliographer and the Acquisitions Department directly.

Why is it that the library is not able to acquire some e-books I have requested?

The Library may not be able to obtain a book in electronic format for several reasons, but there are a few common explanations:

• Availability may be an issue as publishers do not necessarily offer all their print books in electronic format.
• A publisher may choose to sell e-books to individual consumers, but not to libraries for lending to its users.
• An e-book may not be hosted on a platform that supports the user authentification and/or lending capabilities for the Library to manage circulation of the item.
• Access to the title may involve recurring hosting fees or service charges.

Why doesn't the library just purchase e-books directly from Amazon or similar book retailers?

Neither Amazon or similar book retailers provide academic libraries with copyright/licensing policies for multiple users on single purchases. The Library only partners with academic e-book vendors that provide access to content that is licensed for multi-users and on platforms supporting user authentification.