1 of 1

Write now Article Tools

Any tertiary student will mournfully attest to the fact that textbooks for university and college are expensive. Decent textbooks will have a price well over the one hundred dollar mark and when you add it all up, a semester's worth of textbooks could go into thousands of dollars. Besides, even if you could afford to buy a textbook, lugging it around campus is not a viable option. In the 21st century where electronics rule supreme, students are considering ways of downloading books as a cheaper and more convenient alternative. So where can you download textbooks the legal way?

BUY TEXTBOOKS WITH ONLINE ACCESS

Publishers have acknowledged that electronics are getting more popular and is now how most things are accessed. Increasingly, publishers have offered online access along with every book purchase. That way, students will be able to use the book at home at their convenience and then on campus or elsewhere, access the online version using their unique access code. Elsevier, for instance, allows students to create accounts on their student consult website (www.studentconsult.com) and then activate online books as they purchase them, effectively creating their own personal online library. It's simple!

LIBRARY ONLINE ACCESS

University libraries that have purchased such books will have no doubt already scratched off the access codes and added to their own personal online collection. Students can then access such textbooks online through the university library catalogue or a similar system. Usually, the number of students that can access the online textbook is limited to how many copies of the book the library has purchased. But most of the time, this is not a major issue.

ACCESS DATABASES OFFERING FREE TEXTBOOKS

Any university will no doubt provide their students with access of numerous databases. From this point, it is simply a matter of asking around (especially older students) which database offers online textbooks. For instance, in the health field, databases such as Access Medicine offer a wide range of textbooks on their database including "Clinical Neuroanatomy", "Principles of Critical Care" etc. However, it must be noted that most databases cost money to access and thus, you should ask your university which ones they have subscriptions to.

CLASSIC TEXTBOOKS OFFERED FREE ONLINE

Finally, if the book you are looking for is a classic textbook that is the standard in its particular field and has been used for decades, chances are, the publisher may be offering an older edition online absolutely free. Textbooks that spring to mind include "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine", which is an absolute classic in the pathology field. Simply Googling the book's title may lead you straight to a free online version.

In conclusion, downloading textbooks does not always have to be illegal. This article is not about where to download pirated textbooks as it would not be fair to the publishers, authors or to you. There are several ways of access the textbook you want online at no cost in a perfectly legal manner. The options suggested above are just some starting points to consider. Often, when you have just entered a new semester or course, it is best to wait before buying textbooks and ask the older students if the university offers such textbooks online and/or where to get a free copy.

Learn more about this author, Y Tian.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Where to download textbooks?
We want to hear your view. Write now!