Not every item cited on your reading list will be available to you online.
The Library has access to a large number of e-books and e-journals you will find many of these linked to from your reading lists.
We are also permitted under the Copyright Licensing Agency's Higher Education Licence to digitise certain extracts from books and journals and make these available to you. However, due to copyright restrictions, we cannot digitise every chapter or section cited by your tutor.
If you need to access a book or journal article which we don't have available online, click on the title of the book or journal on your reading list to see live Library availability information. This will provide you with the call number (the 'Shelf Mark', which will tell you where the text is shelved in the Library) and will also tell you if all the copies are out on loan, and when they are due back. You can then come in to the Library to access these items.
If your tutor has requested a scanned extract of a particular chapter or article these will be accessible via your online Reading List. Scans are accessible from the start of the term in which the module is running.
When you click 'View Online' you will be asked to sign-in with your University of Reading username and password to access the scan. You will also be given the option to download or print. Please note that only students enrolled on a module are permitted to download or print from these scanned extracts.
When you click on the title of a book in your reading list, and there is no digitised extract or e-book available, you will only see Library availability (Location, Call number). If you see this screen, you will need to come in to the Library to access the book.
Although the Library often has multiple copies of books, please bear in mind that books may be in demand by a number of people on your course, and it is not possible for the Library to have a copy for each student on the shelves. You may need to plan ahead to make sure you can borrow a copy, or photocopy/ scan the section(s) that you have been asked to read. You can also place a hold if all the copies are on loan by clicking on the 'Expected' button.
If you are unable to access a key reading on your list, perhaps because all the print copies of the book are on loan, please contact your Academic Liaison Librarian. They can investigate scanning a key chapter or purchasing extra copies.