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Textbooks: Controlled Digital Lending of Textbooks

Controlled Digital Lending of Textbooks

IRSC Online Access to Textbook Reserves

To meet our student's needs, IRSC Libraries will utilize the concept of controlled digital lending, in which a library "circulate[s] a digitized title in place of a physical one in a controlled manner" (Hansen & Courtney, 2018, p. 2). In other words, if the library holds a single print copy of a book in our collection, one student can 'check out' a digital copy instead, as long as there are restrictions on the downloading and saving of the documents. 

How it Works:

  1. Go to the IRSC Library link in your My Pioneer Portal or click here to search the Textbook collection at all libraries.
  2. Search for the title of the textbook you need and select Library Catalog. You can also search the catalog by course number, see the search box below. 
  3. If you find your textbook in the catalog and it says Available Online, click on the title to access the digital version.
  4. You will have access to the digital copy for two hours. 
  5. If someone else is using the book, you will be asked to put your name on a waitlist.
  6. The system will send you an email when the other person's session has ended or if they end it early.

How to Request a Digital Copy be Added:

  1. If we have a print copy of the textbook and you want to have digital access, you will need to let the library know.
  2. Please email library@irsc.edu with any requests for textbooks to be scanned, if we can scan them, we will.

What if your Textbook is not in the Catalog:

  1. We do not have every textbook on reserve at the library and we cannot always get them.
  2. If you do not find the textbook you are looking for, email the library at library@irsc.edu with your request. If we can fulfill the request, we will do so, if not we will let you know why we cannot fulfill your request.

Restrictions: 

  • This program is only available to currently enrolled IRSC students. 
  • Textbook loans are first come, first serve. 
  • Downloading, printing, and saving textbook content is strictly prohibited under Copyright Law. 

Textbook Search by Course Number

Search for Textbooks in the Library Catalog

Enter the course code with no spaces (ex: EETC1215C) below to find physical textbooks and scanned digital textbooks available at IRSC.