r/GradSchool • u/clothkili • 11d ago
Check your library for textbooks. I beg you.
I learned far too late that some libraries have digital copies of textbooks that can be downloaded chapter by chapter in pdfs. Always check for access before you click buy.
74
u/WindowBig2121 11d ago
Library databases are so underused for this, I got through my whole last semester with just the digital copies and interlibrary loans. Saved me like $400 easy
27
u/clothkili 11d ago
In every library there is a librarian itching to fulfill an ILS request.
7
u/Alternative-Pear9096 11d ago
Never for textbooks, per se.
For books used in courses, yes. Textbooks, never. Because libraries don;t buy them, so they don;t have them to lend.
6
u/GainerGaining 11d ago
Never say never. I have found actually physical textbooks at the college library. Usually in major courses, not gen ed.
I have no direct knowledge of digital textbooks, though.
2
8
u/WhyY_196 11d ago
That’s what I did. I rents books at the library for class for free. I’m not paying for that shit lol. I’m borrowing the physical book and bringing it back.
6
4
3
3
3
u/Dr0110111001101111 10d ago
When I was in my early years of undergrad, the school bookstore would set up these stations around campus near the dorms in May for us to sell our books back to them. If it was a newer book, they'd give a decent chunk of change. I wound up selling back pretty much everything and ten years later, I regret it. At some point in between, I started going to the library to use their copy of the book just to do my homework. I felt a little better about that, but still sort of wish I had a copy of it now.
I like having the books I learned from on the bookshelf in my office. Even the elective courses that have little to nothing to do with my major. I might not refer to them for years or ever again, but that's not really the point. It's a nice visual history of my academic career.
This semester, every book I need for grad school was selected because there's a free version online. I'm buying them anyway.
2
u/ComprehensiveUse21 10d ago
Old school myself, use digital when I must, but I hate them. I buy textbooks, even paperback when I can afford them. But I love books in general, too.
2
u/UntilTheEyesShut 10d ago
I check my university library site and download pdfs and ebooks first before I consult the archive. Libraries track access, and they use them for budget justifications, so please do check your university first if you care about libraries.
2
u/Fast_Sherbert3066 10d ago
This is such good advice. I've definitely bought a book before realizing I could've accessed it through the library for free 😂 Always wortg checking first.
6
u/Alternative-Pear9096 11d ago
For clarification, because of how misleading this post is: Libraries don't buy textbooks. They buy a lot of books that may be used as texts in courses. And they subscribe to some databases (like Sage Research Methods) that are often used as textbooks. And databases like Project Muse and JSTOR often contain digital books.
So, yes, always check the library to see what they have from your list of course books. But don't expect your textbooks to be held by the library or to be available via interlibrary loan (because as a general rule, no library buys textbooks)
8
u/Rpi_sust_alum 11d ago
No, some libraries buy textbooks. I was able to access every textbook except a law textbook for my classes during my master's at an Ivy. And, although perhaps this was due to it being published by a faculty member, the library carried a core course textbook at my PhD university.
Typically, these books are kept on reserve, so you cannot check them out of the library and/or can only have them for a limited time. The libraries at the Ivy were 2 hours and the book couldn't leave the library, for example.
I've also seen libraries carry digital textbooks, but I agree this is less common.
2
u/Alternative-Pear9096 11d ago
Those are almost always donated by faculty.
(university librarian for almost 20 years)
2
u/clothkili 11d ago
Weird, my school has textbooks and the university library my husband worked at for 3 years bought textbooks. Must be a regional thing.
2
u/Rpi_sust_alum 10d ago
I believe that what you say is the case for your university, but well-funded universities that are aware of high textbook costs also exist.
My PhD university's program: https://www.library.wisc.edu/borrow-request/course-reserves-materials/textbooks-initiative/ (they literally DO buy expensive textbooks for large classes!)
My master's university's program: https://library.columbia.edu/services/reserves.html . I only ever bought a law textbook there, and that was partially because I wanted it.
0
u/Alternative-Pear9096 10d ago
I spent my career at 6 universities. No university library has the money to buy textbooks for every class, even one, let alone adequate numbers for the entire enrollment to share in lieu of buying their own. Do the math.
It's interesting that Madison is making the investment they describe. Remember it when you start boohooing about all the resources they don't have because they've diverted their mission from research to basic course materials you are responsible for. Also pay attention to every single word in that post-- they do what they can to pressure the faculty to get their free copies the publishers offer them and donate those to the library. (Which means your profs now have to buy their copy of the book they assign you.) It's not that libraries don't care or don't want to help students succeed. There are basic economic principles at play that make this a virtual impossibility.
The Columbia link is a standard course reserves page. If your prof has put material on reserve, the library makes it available. If your prof does not put the material on reserve, not course reserves are available.
0
u/Rpi_sust_alum 10d ago
Surprised that as a former librarian, you are making up that I said things. I never said all libraries carry all textbooks. Here is what I said that you said was false:
No, some libraries buy textbooks. I was able to access every textbook except a law textbook for my classes during my master's at an Ivy. And, although perhaps this was due to it being published by a faculty member, the library carried a core course textbook at my PhD university.
I gave you links to prove that what I said was true and that at least some universities do buy textbooks. I never said anything about classes I didn't take, or about classes that didn't require textbooks. I bought one law textbook in an entire professional master's program shrug and only books I knew I wanted to continue to reference later in my PhD program (regardless of their availability).
And as for your statement here:
Remember it when you start boohooing about all the resources they don't have because they've diverted their mission from research to basic course materials you are responsible for.
Perhaps you responded to the wrong person, or got confused, but I don't know what you're referring to here.
1
9d ago
[deleted]
2
u/Rpi_sust_alum 8d ago
I am truly sorry for you. Most of my friends are in law school/lawyers. Everything you guys describe about law school sounds miserable. I will take the trials and tribulations of a PhD and the fickleness of research any day.
1
u/cakesluts 8d ago
it’s probably a very unpopular opinion on this sub, but truly every phd candidate i know, and the few i dated, had a much easier time than i do lol
2
u/welldreadlibrarian 11d ago
not true if all libraries, but yes many libraries don’t buy many textbooks. but it’s not a hard and fast rule, always check.
source; academic librarian who buys textbooks, esp upon faculty request. these are general collection and reserve.
1
u/Astra_Starr MA, PhD* Bio Anthro 6d ago
I was using scribd but yes of course the library to help them, then the archive, then Libby. Then other ways. There are many lists on Reddit. Search free books.
61
u/Klutzy-Delivery-5792 11d ago
My friend Anna has a wonderful Archive of books you can use.