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The University of Manitoba campuses are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation. More

UM Libraries Staff Working From Home: Ordering Electronic Books/Texts for Courses

The following is the process we will be following for when faculty approach library to purchase electronic books/texts for their courses.

Academic Engagement Staff Instructions

  1. Faculty directed to fill out and submit the online E-Textbook Availability Information Request Form.
  2. AES Heads receive requests and distribute to liaison librarians accordingly.
  3. Liaison Librarians:
    1. Check Primo (or Alma) to see if we already have online access to the e-textbook.
      If there is no access move to step B.
    2. Communicate with faculty about their e-textbook needs.
    3. Check GOBI for e-version availability.
      1. Order ebook in GOBI using COVID:T fund IF
        1. the item is available in an e-version, with an appropriate user limit for the course (check under Purchase Options)
        2. Under Status it says “Available”
        3. Under Library Availability it says “Contract on File”
        4. The item is under $5,000 US
          1. Check GOBI pricing carefully. Suppliers such as EBSCO might be offering unlimited access for the same price as 1- or 3-user access.

NOTE: Remember to click on the appropriate purchase option to highlight your user-limit selection before submitting your order.

  1. Email Leslie.Moor@umanitoba.ca IF
    1. The item is over $5,000 USD
  1. If the electronic book version is not available in to purchase in GOBI, please work with your faculty to identify an appropriate alternative e-text that is available to purchase in GOBI and/or an available OER. Faculty and student may also contact the UM Bookstore to investigate purchase options.

Ordering Updates

UPDATE - July 10, 2020

Publishers who do not provide online institutional access to their textbooks:

  • Cengage
  • Elsevier imprints (especially in veterinary and health science) such as:
    • Elsevier Health Science
    • Mosby
    • Saunders
  • Houghton
  • Macmillan
  • McGraw Hill
  • Nelson
  • Oxford University Press Canada (Textbook Division)
  • Pearson
  • Thieme
  • Wiley

Other information:

  • GOBI has let us know that the availability of electronic versions of books are determined by the contracts the authors sign with the publishers. Thus, GOBI is unable to help get electronic access to books currently not available.
  • Most of the publishers above offer direct sales to individuals (i.e. students) for their ebooks/etextbooks.These publishers do not have a platform to sell to/provide access to institutions. However, you can still check GOBI to see if an aggregator (such as EBSO or Proquest) has picked up a title and is providing online institutional access.