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:

  1. Check the library for free access
  2. Use your TAP funds to buy or rent a copy
  3. 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?
    • 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

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.

screenshot course reserves page of library website

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

screenshot of Tripod record for copy of Giovanni's Room at Haverford

Login to Tripod, then choose Request Physical Copy.
Usually arrives the next day. Over the weekend, you'll get it Monday.

haverford's tripod logo
swarthmore's tripod logo
bryn mawr's tripod logo

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

InterLibrary Loan

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

Librarians can help you find course readings & materials

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

30 minutes on schedule

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.