Finding and requesting materials
Course materials
Library staff will select, acquire, catalogue and manage materials to support teaching, learning and research at Leiden University. We aim to have all required study literature available online or in print at the beginning of the semester. Do you think that some titles are missing? Contact your subject librarian/medical information specialist or make an acquisition request.
We give preference to licensing materials in an online format with 'unlimited' access and without Digital Rights Management involved. This allows multiple students to access an e-book simultaneously and without restrictions on the amount of printing, downloading and saving.
Unfortunately, not all e-books are available with an unlimited license: some may have a 1- 3 user license only, that could confront students with a confusing 'not-accessible' pop-up when logging in; in other cases, the difference in pricing between digital and printed books is so unfavourable that we choose to buy the paper version. We can place this book in the open stacks as non-lendable; if you wish to make a book part of your course, please take to make a request that we put it on a so called course reserve.
The Library holds a large DVD collection as well as streaming videos that you can find in the Catalogue. The subject guide Films and Music explains how to search for films and tv-programs. Please make sure that you always check the terms of use before displaying a film in your class.
Staff members of Leiden University can borrow DVD's for a maximum loan period of 3 days. The University Library also has two dedicated media rooms available to teachers and students wishing to watch video materials on site: reservations are mandatory and can be made at the reception desk.
Take some time to get inspired by our extensive collection of articles and books on teaching!
Articles and books are available online through the Catalogue and you are welcome to the Social and Behavioral Science Library to browse through the collection. You can also find journals and books in the ICLON media library. The library collection on education studies is continuously updated.
The Library holds extensive collections of special materials. Our curators will be happy to help you integrate these primary sources in your teaching and can make items available for your classes in dedicated lecture rooms in the Library. In some cases, they can also play an active role in the actual teaching. You can read more about this on this Special Collections webpage.