Electronic Textbook Requests

Students who are registered with Student Disability Services (SDS) at CMU and have the approved Reading Technology accommodation may obtain electronic textbooks for their courses by following the process below.

Gather necessary book information

This information can be found through the CMU Bookstore and on your course syllabus.

• Book Title
• Book Author
• ISBN (International Standard Book Number) 13 digit
  
• Publisher/Journal Name
  
• Publication Year
  
• Edition
  
• Number of Pages
  
• Course Number (ex: BIO 101)

Search online for electronic versions

Start by checking the book publisher's website to see if they sell it directly. If they do not, check these other sources to purchase or rent electronic textbooks.

• VitalSource
• Amazon
• Chegg
• Project Gutenberg
• Barnes & Noble
• RedShelf
• APH Louis Database
  

Submit a request for SDS assistance

If you are unable to acquire an electronic version of your textbook, you may submit a request for SDS assistance through your Accommodate account.

You must have already purchased or rented a copy of the book before requesting an electronic format, as proof of purchase is required.

Please log in to Accommodate by clicking on the Gold RETURNING USERS button below. 

Under the Home button, click on Accommodation  > Alternative Format  > Student Entered  > Upload Document for Alternative Format Request.

Fill out the form completely for each textbook request, including the ISBN and your receipt or proof of purchase as an attachment. Once you are all done, hit Submit and SDS will receive your request. 

Please submit requests as early as possible, as eTexts can take several weeks to process. We will email you an update when your eText is available.

Please note that if we cannot receive the eText through our publishing partners, we may contact you to bring your textbook to our office for scanning and digitization. This would require the binding to be cut off so the book can be scanned and then rebound.