Our form for 2021-22 requests is now closed.
We purchase journals and eresources (databases, ebook collections and streaming media) by annual subscription. We can't order licensed software or material which needs to be hosted on a server.
As well as your business case, we also look at criteria that affect access. This includes compatibility with Library Search, usage statistics and how many users can access the resource. We rarely buy print journals as their format limits access.
We also gauge value before purchasing by looking at similar resources in our collection, and number of students in the subject area. We will run trials based on demand and staffing capacity.
Each year, we put together a review of requests, which go forward into our budget planning. Please contact your Academic Liaison Librarian if you'd like to see a review of last year’s requests.
Please add books for your courses on our Resource Lists system. It’s a one-stop shop for students to view all their module readings, and integrates seamlessly with Blackboard. Find out how to find, edit, and publish your lists.
Add the books you want your students to read, send the list for review and we’ll do the rest.
We will:
Remember to tell us whether books are recommended for student purchase, essential or further reading. This will help us work out how many copies to buy.
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Dates requests placed |
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Semester 1/Term 1 Lists |
May – July |
August |
September – December |
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Semester 2/Term 2 Lists |
October – November |
December |
January – March |
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Term 3 Lists |
February - March |
April |
May – August |
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Will books be available to my students for the beginning of semester/term? |
Likely |
Possible (peak acquisitions period) |
Unlikely |
You can order books and audio-visual materials that are not recommended on Resource Lists, for example, books that cover current scholarship or research in your area.
These items can be ordered up until the beginning of May each year, subject to budget and should be requested via your Academic Liaison Librarian.
We're also looking to expand our teacher training resources. Let us know your ideas through our Teaching Collection suggestion form.
Enhanced ebooks and etextbooks have quizzes and assessments, alongside standard book content. They often allow for live collaboration and provide staff with enriched data on each user. They are normally aimed at undergraduates. Unlike standard ebooks, access is restricted to named students.
Pricing is per student as an annual subscription. As we only purchase resources that are accessible to all, Schools will need to buy enhanced ebooks and etextbooks directly.
Please be aware that some publishers are hugely increasing their prices. In some cases, standard ebooks are being badged as enhanced and sold on subscription-only platforms, with expensive per student pricing.
Our standard ebooks and etextbooks and digitised chapters are best for providing students with simultaneous access to key texts, such as in a teaching session. You should only consider buying an enhanced version if they aren’t available.
We’d recommend that you make a few checks before purchasing.
We can advise on alternatives, discounts and how to get good value for money and licensing terms. We can also put you in touch with other departments who use enhanced ebooks and etextbooks. Please contact Phil Jones, Head of Content and Discovery for support.
We keep a record of enhanced ebooks and etextbooks used in the University, to help with collective pricing. Please add Deirdre Windsor, Finance Administrator, as a watcher in your procurement process.
The Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) unit can help with making your purchase available through Blackboard. Please provide them with administrative rights to your purchases.
Contact the publisher representative for help with the platform and training.