Libraries are like the secret weapon of a learner. I don't know why our industry has such a lack of knowledge about this one! I only recently found out about being able to do this myself
(In some ways, we benefit, since there is little pressure for the large publishers not to offer these kinds of things for free via the library system)
Ancedota (and unrelated to the topic of this thread, but interesting none the less I think):
In California, if you go to a state university (but if I recall correctly this doesn't apply to the University of California system, but the CSU system, if I got my facts straight) they must provide a minimum number of copies of each textbook / reading material required for a class be available via the campus library.
I hardly paid for books once I found this out. I just coordinated with others to make sure it was available when needed. Worked well for me.
I could be hazy on the regulation on this though, it might have just been dumb luck that the two places I went to school had this as a policy, but I remember it being explained as I did above.
(In some ways, we benefit, since there is little pressure for the large publishers not to offer these kinds of things for free via the library system)
Ancedota (and unrelated to the topic of this thread, but interesting none the less I think):
In California, if you go to a state university (but if I recall correctly this doesn't apply to the University of California system, but the CSU system, if I got my facts straight) they must provide a minimum number of copies of each textbook / reading material required for a class be available via the campus library.
I hardly paid for books once I found this out. I just coordinated with others to make sure it was available when needed. Worked well for me.
I could be hazy on the regulation on this though, it might have just been dumb luck that the two places I went to school had this as a policy, but I remember it being explained as I did above.