In order to support the teaching and research needs of students and faculty through its collections and services, the Greenwood Library is committed to utilizing technology to enhance educational quality and access to information. The following guidelines address issues that are unique to the Library’s acquisition of e-books and e-book collections, since electronic publications are often treated differently from printed publications by publishers and vendors. Because technology and access models tend to change rapidly, it is expected that these guidelines will be under continuous review.
What are e-books?
An electronic book is defined as a digital monograph that is searchable and integrated with other sources and multimedia. The Greenwood Library offers e-books that are accessible via the Internet as well as e-books that may only be viewed on an e-reader.
Where can I find e-books?
E-books are listed in the library catalog. You may restrict the format of your keyword search to E-Books. You may also search the full text of many e-books from the E-Book Collections page.
Refer to the E-Readers Guide to learn more about the formats and titles of e-books available for the Library’s Kindle and Nook e-readers.
Who can access the library’s e-books?
E-books the Greenwood Library purchases or pays access fees to vendors are restricted to Longwood University faculty, students and staff and walk-in users of the Library except for the Kindle e-books, which are limited to LU faculty/staff and students due to the nature of the pilot program.
May I download library e-books onto my personal e-reader device (e.g., Kindle, Nook, etc.)?
Vendor formats and license terms determine whether e-books or portions of e-books may be downloaded to a personal computer or e-reader for offline viewing. Currently, Kindle e-books and academic e-books acquired by the Library may not be downloaded on users’ personal devices due to the seller/vendor restrictions.
May I request an e-book that is not available in the Greenwood Library through interlibrary loan?
The license terms of the lending library determine if and how e-books may be provided through interlibrary loan. In most cases, there are restrictions on lending e-books through Interlibrary Loan. The Greenwood Library will first try to obtain a print copy of a book.
Approved May 2011
