Articles in journals not at SFU Library may be directly requested through many of our databases by clicking on "Get@SFU" or you may fill in an Interlibrary Loan request.

Browse ebook collections

SFU has access to many collections of ebooks from a variety of publishers and providers.

Search ebook collections: Library catalogue

The SFU Library Catalogue lists all books, journals, etc. owned by the Library, including ebooks.

To search only for materials you can read online, you can:

• conduct a Basic search, and then use the filters on the search results screen to Refine results: select Full text online. 
  • To limit further to ebooks, select Books under Resource Type. 
• conduct an Advanced search, and select Books as the Material Type.
  • ​Use the filters on the left side of the search results screen to Refine results: select Full text online. 

To search in a particular ebook provider's collection, add it as a keyword using AND. Example: paleolithic AND "Cambridge Books Online"

For more help searching the Library Catalogue, see the Library Catalogue Search Guide, or  Ask a Librarian if you require further assistance.

Instructors: Using ebooks for a class?

Please view the Electronic collection information for librarians and faculty web page to determine whether an item is suitable for reserves or for use as a textbook.

If your use is not permitted by a license, or one of the exceptions in the Copyright Act, you will need to ask for permission. The permission must come from the copyright owner so the first step is to identify who the copyright owner is and whether there is an organization that represents the owner. Usually you will be able to identify the owner somewhere on the work by looking for the copyright symbol ©, which should have the copyright owner’s name next to it. You will often find this at the beginning of a book, at the side or caption of a photograph or at the bottom of a webpage. For published works, such as books and journal articles, the publisher or journal is usually the best place to start - they likely own copyright, or they can direct you to the correct contact.

If the copyright owner is easily identifiable and locatable, simply email or write to them, explaining how and why you want to use the work and requesting permission. The permission should be in writing so that there is evidence of what was agreed to between you and the copyright owner. You should also keep a record of who gave the permission, what was permitted, the date, and how to contact the person who gave the permission. Leave plenty of time for this process, since you can't control how quickly the copyright owner might respond.

There are a number of copyright collectives which can give you permission (in the form of a license) on behalf of the copyright owner to use their work. So, for example, if you want to use music and your use does not fall within any of the Copyright Act’s exceptions, you may be able to obtain permission from copyright collectives such as SOCAN, Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA) or Re:Sound that administer copyright in music. 

Remember that copyright owners have the right to say no, charge a fee or impose conditions on the use of their work.

Contact the Copyright Office (copy@sfu.ca) with any questions you might have about obtaining copyright permissions.

You have two options for getting SFU Library Catalogue records into EndNote:

1. Search the SFU Library's Catalogue from within EndNote using a Connection file. See the instructions "How do I use EndNote 3.0 or higher to connect to SFU Library databases and the Library Catalogue".

   OR

2. While in the SFU Library Catalogue, click on the "Endnote" icon to transfer Catalogue records to Endnote.

Check out the SFU Vancouver at Harbour Centre map for its location.

Copyright protection arises automatically when a work is created and generally subsists until 70 years after the author’s death, though this can vary depending on the type of work and where you want to use it. Works protected by copyright include literary, dramatic, artistic and musical works; sound recordings; performances; and communication signals. After copyright expires, the work enters the public domain and can be used freely without the need for permission or payment.

In Canada, there is no requirement that the work be registered or that the word "copyright," or the symbol ©, appear on the work in order to be protected under the law.

When you want to use a particular work in Canada, the safest approach is to assume that the work is protected by copyright, unless there is a clear indication to the contrary or the author has been dead for at least 70 years. 

The Canadian Public Domain Flowchart can help you determine whether a work's copyright has expired.

There are several ways to know when a book you have requested is ready for pickup:

• The library will send you an email notification within 24 hours of the item's arrival advising you that it is available for pick-up.
• You can check online by logging into your Library Catalogue account. The item is available for pickup when your record says "Ready for pickup".
• You can call any branch of the library to see if your requested book is available:
  • Bennett Library (SFU Burnaby): 778.782.4345
  • Belzberg Library (SFU Vancouver): 778.782.5050
  • Fraser Library (SFU Surrey): 778.782.7411

Updating your preferred email address with the library:

For students and faculty/staff on payroll, notices are emailed to your official SFU email address @sfu.ca. 
You can redirect library and other notices from your official SFU email address to your preferred email address at my.sfu.ca. Go to account management and then forward your email. 
Alternatively, contact staff in Access Services at the SFU Library at libcirc@sfu.ca.

For alumni, notices are emailed to the preferred address on file with the SFU Alumni Relations Office. 

For all other borrowers, library notices will be sent to the email address you have registered with the SFU Library.

When you check out a book, you will get an email notification that includes the date when your books are due back. 

You can also Check your borrower record (also known as My Library Account), which will tell you when your books are due back.

Students, faculty, and staff

Current faculty, students and staff must log in to SFU library computers with their SFU Computing account ID and password.

Express station computers permit browsing the SFU Library website and Catalogue without logging in. To view other websites or access databases, you will be prompted for an SFU Computing ID and password.

Alumni with SFU ID cards

Alumni have off-campus access to selected electronic resources. For more information on Library Services for Alumni please see Services for Alumni Borrowers. Alumni can log in with their SFU computing ID or request a guest ID.

Express station computers permit browsing the SFU Library website and Catalogue without logging in. To view other websites or access databases, you will be prompted for a login.

Guests: Patrons with no SFU ID cards, external borrowers, BC secondary students.

Guests to the Library may request a temporary guest ID and password from the checkout counter of any SFU Library. Free public computer access is granted with the guest ID, which expires at the end of the day (or one hour at Belzberg Libary, SFU Vancouver).

All external borrowers need a temporary guest ID and password to access the library computers. For more information on Library Services for External Borrowers, please see Services for External Borrowers. 

Logging in

• Enter your username exactly as it appears on the slip -- it will start with IC followed by a space, and then have a letter combination of your first and last names.
• Your username and password are case-sensitive -- enter both exactly as they appear.

Access and restrictions

• Guest access to the Mac workstations is not available
• At the Belzberg Library (SFU Vancouver), guests are limited to one hour per day.
• SFU Community users have priority use of library workstations.
• Independent and visiting scholars have guest library computing privileges.
• A guest login does not provide access to the SFU wireless network
• NOTE: Borrowers must not share their login information

More information

Where can I find computers at SFU Libraries?

Does the Library provide wireless access to the SFU network?

What software is included on library desktops and laptops?

SFU Library Public Computer Policy and Guest Log-in Terms and Conditions

Guest Log-in Terms and Conditions

Finding Ebook Central books

Browse or search the Ebook Central collection or search for the book within the SFU library Catalogue.

Anyone may use ebrary from within SFU libraries with either an SFU Computing ID or a Guest Login. Students, faculty, and staff may use ebrary from any computer with their SFU Computing ID.

Features: Personal accounts, downloads, and more

Accounts:  If you wish to do more than just read the book in your browser, you will have to sign up.

Printing from ebrary: Click on "InfoTools." You can print to paper or PDF a maximum of 30% of the pages, to see how many go to the book's Detail Page.

Downloading: Click on "Download." You will be prompted to sign into your account.

Download a maximum of 30% of the pages as a PDF, permanently

Download the entire book for 14 days using Adobe Digital Editions

Text search, highlighting, and annotation: On the banner above your ebook display. Use your account to save changes.

Accessibility options for the visually impaired.