Library and Learning Services subscribe to a number of online services, most of which can be accessed both on and off campus using your Aston username and password. A good starting point when searching for information is to use Library Search, as this sits on top of our electronic books, journals, databases and journal articles to allow you to search most of our content from a single search box.
We advise you to log in to Library Search before starting your search for a more streamlined searching experience. You can do this by clicking on the sign in link.
You can either do a general topic search or if you know the exact title that you are looking for enter it into the search box and it should appear as one of the first items in your results list.
- For an eBook click on the link in the record to take you through to the full text of the book
- For an article click on the View PDF button or View Full Text button which will take you to the full text
For more in-depth searching or research you may need to go directly to a database or journal.
Most of our online services will need you to log in to access the full text. As an Aston student or member of staff you will need:
- Your Aston username and password provided to you when you first joined the University (which is also used for logging on to a University computer or accessing your email account.)
- To set up MFA on your account.
When logging in to any of our online resources with our Aston details your username should be in the format of username@aston.ac.uk and once you have signed in you may also be asked to authenticate using MFA for additional security.
Having trouble accessing online resources?
If you are having trouble accessing online resources these are some of the most common issues:
1. E-book Licence Restrictions
Although wherever possible we try to purchase titles with an unlimited access licence, some e-books are restricted to a single user or 3 concurrent users. If you are trying to access one of these e-books and are having problems it may be that the e-book has reached the limit of users logged in at the same time. If this is the case, you can place a reservation or try again later. If the problem persists please notify your Information Specialist and we will investigate whether we can purchase additional licences.
2. Problems with the browser
If you have previously had problems accessing an online resource but the issue has been resolved it may be that your browser has saved the previous error. Try using a different browser to see if you can now access the resource. If you can, try clearing the cache of the browser where you are seeing the error.
3. The online resource is unavailable
Occasionally the supplier will make us aware of issues they are having with an online resource. Any known issues will be shown on the current status of Library Systems dashboard
4. Username and password are not accepted
You should use your Aston details to log in to an online resource. If there are any issues when using them to log in please let us know and we will try to resolve the issue
If you experience any problems accessing online resources let us know. Contact library@aston.ac.uk with the following details:
- What you are trying to access
- Whether you are on or off campus
- A description of the issue
- A screenshot of any error messages
This will help us to troubleshoot the issue for you
Kortext eTextbooks
Library and Learning Services provides access to Kortext, a digital eTextbook provider which gives access to digital copies of key textbooks where possible.
Through Kortext you will have access to an eBook version of a textbook you can treat as your own personal copy for the duration of the module or research you are undertaking.
Watch this 'Getting started' video to explore Kortext e-book functionality or go to a section of your choice:
- General navigation - 0:14
- Reference export - 0:46
- Navigation toolbar, notes and bookmarks - 1:17
- Printing pages - 2:34
- Accessibility - 2:52
- Tests, videos and resources - 3:37
- Kortext bookshelf - 4:17
- Exporting references (Endnote and Refworks) - 4:39
- Groups and sharing - 5:05
E-book Collections
Ebook Central is a large database covering multiple subjects. Library and Learning Services has provided access to over 120,000 e-books on this platform, all of which are available via Library Search.
Features include:
- Online reading
- Downloading chapters
- Downloading entire e-books for 14 days
- Making notes within e-books
- Exporting citations in to EndNote
Further help can be found in the Ebook Central How to Guides.