Searching for and finding e-books and books

BIB 20-020

What you need to know

The BOSS research portal lists all licensed e-books and print materials held by the HFU libraries.

You can search by title or author, or carry out a subject-based search.

What you have to do

  1. Open the External link opens in a new window:BOSS search portal.

  2. Enter the title, author or ISBN number, or use the advanced search function.

    • In the advanced search, every input field is provided with a selection menu. For example, if you are searching for an author (enter: Surname, First name). You can search with any combination of keywords you wish.

    • You will receive a list with one or more hits.

    • For a clearer overview you can carry out a more advanced search, e.g. restrict to e-book or printed book.

  3. If a title is not available in the HFU libraries, you can order it from another library, see Internal link opens in the same window:Using interlibrary loan (Helpcard BIB 20-040).

    • Please note: e-books cannot be ordered over the interlibrary lending system.

  4. Click on a title.

  5. If it is an e-book, click on the ‘Go to online document’ link in the search results or in the full view.

  6. You come to the platform which offers the e-book.

  7. Open the e-book or download it.

    • Depending on the publisher, you will have to download the chapters one by one, or in some cases, download may not be possible at all. In this case you can only open the e-book and read it online.

  8. If the book in question is a printed book, look at the information on the title, for example the year of publication and the edition.

    • Location and shelfmark tell you in which HFU campus library and on which shelf the book is located. You will also see whether the book has been borrowed or is available.

Problems or questions?