30 Minutes On...
Textbooks & Course Readings
Simon Elichko
Social Sciences & Data Librarian
Learn tips & tricks for saving money on textbooks and course readings
Key steps:
- Check the library for free access
- Use your TAP funds to buy or rent a copy
- Reach out - help is available!
1. Check the library for free access
Consider:
- Is it available?
- Will it be practical to use?
Is It Available?
- Search Tripod
- Is there free digital access?
- Is there a print copy at Swarthmore?
- Course Reserves (front desk)
- Stacks books (regular shelves)
- Request it in Tripod, or
- Find your book on the shelf
- Can you request delivery from Bryn Mawr or Haverford?
- EZBorrow - if no TriCo copies available
Will it be practical to use?
- Digital access
- Are there restrictions on simultaneous readers?
- Are there limits on downloading chapters?
- Print copy
- Can you get a hold of it in time?
- Can you keep it for long enough?
Course Reserves
Professors set aside copies of course readings at the library for your class. Kept behind the front desk. Just ask for the book by title.
You can borrow reserve books for 3 hours, unlike other library books.
Otherwise, you can usually borrow library books for the semester.
You can get books delivered from
Bryn Mawr and Haverford
Login to Tripod, then choose Request Physical Copy.
Usually arrives the next day. Over the weekend, you'll get it Monday.
Books at Swarthmore: You can use Request Physical Copy to have the book pulled for you and held at the front desk. Usually available the next day.
You can also get books from the shelves yourself! Here's how to find a book.
Tri-College Consortium
E-Z Borrow
Academic libraries
in PA, NJ, NY
Libraries all over
the world
Penn Drexel Temple NYU Rutgers
Swat Haverford Bryn Mawr
Oxford Columbia Sciences Po
Harvard Stanford University of Chicago
You can request copies from beyond the TriCo, too.
If you need a book that's not available in Tripod, check EZBorrow for it. EZBorrow requests usually arrive in a week. You can keep them for 3 months.
2. Use your TAP funds to buy or rent
Look over TAP Information for Students to learn more about how this program works
$800 for the year - use it or lose it!
Think ahead: Do you plan to take STEM courses next semester? More likely to have $$$ textbooks
Andrea Baruzzi
Science, Math, Engineering
Christina Bush
Educational Studies, Black Studies, Psychology
Roberto Vargas
Art & Art History, Classics, Latin American & Latino Studies, Linguistics, Philosophy, Religion, Spanish, English
Simon Elichko
Economics, Gender & Sexuality Studies, Peace & Conflict Studies, Political Science, Sociology & Anthropology
Liz Waltman
Dance, Music, Theater
Abbie Weil
Modern Languages & Literatures
Amanda Licastro
Digital Scholarship
Thanks for coming!
30 Minutes On... workshops all semester
Fridays at 12 noon
Before Fall Break: McCabe Atrium
After Fall Break: Sharples Commons
Feel free to reach out with questions!
Simon Elichko selichk1@swarthmore.edu
librarian@swarthmore.edu
Thanks to Emily Higgs-Kopin for the cover photo of Agnes.
30 Minutes On Textbooks & Course Materials
By Swarthmore Reference
30 Minutes On Textbooks & Course Materials
Learn how to save money on textbooks (and other course materials) by using library resources and TAP funds
