Online Students Resources and Services
Using Library Resources
- Ebook Central - GuideWith ebooks available through our Ebook Central database, you have access to over 100,000 titles anywhere you have an Internet connection. View the Guide pages to help you make the most of this valuable resource. You can search for ebooks in the library's Online Catalog.
- Library Online Catalog TutorialVisit the tutorial page to learn how to use the catalog better. Many of the items listed in the Library Catalog are available electronically (ebooks and films). You can request for books to be mailed to you.
- Online CatalogClick the link to search the Library Online Catalog
- Online ResourcesNot sure how to use one of the databases? This guide provides tips, and can help you navigate each resource.
- Textbook Information - GuideVisit the Library's Textbook Information guide to find out about the required books for your classes, using the online bookstore, ebook versions of textbooks, and more. Contact the Textbook Coordinator at TextbookCoordinator@centralpenn.edu with textbook-related questions.
- Types of Sources TutorialVisit this tutorial to learn more about different types of sources and how to use them in your classwork and research. Most of the sources discussed are accessible online.
Book and Article Requests
Use the Book and Article Request Form to request books from our catalog, books you find elsewhere, and/or full-text journal articles.
Please provide as much information as possible about the book/article on the form, especially if it is not from our library catalog. You can provide an email address other than your school address if you prefer.
- Print books from the Library Catalog:
- You can request any print book the Library owns, with the exception of books with a Shelving Location of Reference or "At the Circulation Desk" (Item Type of '2-Hour Reserve'). Books with a Status of "AVAILABLE" will be sent right away. After receiving the form, we will contact you to confirm your mailing address. We will include a pre-paid mailing label for you to use when you return the book(s).
- Print books found elsewhere:
- If you find a book somewhere else (e.g. Amazon, another library catalog, cited in an article/book), we can try to borrow the book from another library. These books can be for fun reading (e.g. novels) or for class/research purposes. This process can take a week or more, so please plan accordingly if you have a paper/project deadline. We will notify you when the book is received at the library and mailed to you, and we will provide a pre-paid mailing label for return to the library. (See also: Interlibrary Loan)
Here is an example of the Book section of the form, filled out with the needed information. In this example, "Other Library" is chosen, and "Amazon" listed for 'Which Library?'
- Articles without full-text links found in databases or on the web:
- If you find an article in EBSCO or Gale, and/or mentioned/cited in another source that we do not have full-text access to (no PDF or HTML link), we can usually request it from another library. This process is not instantaneous but usually only takes a few days at most. We will then email the article to you. (See also: Interlibrary Loan)
Here is an example of the Article section of the form, filled out with the needed information. For "Source Title," please use the name of the journal (e.g. Perspectives in Clinical Research), and for "Where did you find the information..." please use the name of the database (e.g. Gale).
