Virtual Library FAQ's

• What electronic resources are available from the Library?
• Are there resources available to members only?
• What is the difference between the Virtual Library and the Digital Library?
• Can I access the IET's journals online through the Library web site?
• How do I access the Library's electronic resources?
• I am a Library only subscriber - how do I access these resources?
• I seem to be registered as a non-member - how do I upgrade to member registration?
• What if I can not remember my username and password?
• I am registered as a member and have logged in, but I still can't access the electronic resources - why?
• What electronic book services are available?
• Are the books available as full-text?
• What if I find an article I want to read - this system only gives me an abstract?
• What about full-text online journals?
• What subjects do the journals cover?
• What if I want to save an article or a chapter of a book?
• What if I'm looking for a specific piece of information?
• Is it possible to search all of the resources at once?
• Are all of the Library's online resources available remotely?
• Why are some of the resources subject to licensing agreements?
• I'm interested in a particular resource which you don't have. Is there a chance you might get it?

What electronic resources are available from the Library?

There are currently three electronic book services and a wide range of electronic journals available for Library users, all of which can be accessed through the Virtual Library section. There are also market reports from Keynote available through the Virtual Library also. 

Are there resources available to members only?

Yes, most of the resources are available to members only, including Library only subscribers. However there is a listing of web-based journals which are freely available to all - you can browse by subject or by title and anybody can access them.

What is the difference between the Virtual Library and the Digital Library?

The Virtual Library is the IET Library’s collection of online external resources, available for members. The Digital Library is the IET’s own journals online, which is managed by the publishing department as a subscription service.

Can I access the IET's journals online through the Library website?

No, the IET's journals online are accessed through a subscription to the Digital Library, available from our Publishing department.

How do I access the Library's electronic resources?

You need to have registered on the IET website and received a username and password. You will need to log in to the IET website using your username and password, each time you want access to the electronic resources on the Library website.You can navigate to the Virtual Library page by following the `I want to...Use the Library and Archives' link from the IET homepage. This takes you to the Library and Archives homepage, and there is a link to the Virtual Library in the left hand menu.

I am a Library only subscriber - how do I access these resources?

When we set up your Library only membership, we also set up your access to the electronic resources. You can log in and access the Virtual Library in the same way as full IET members.

I seem to be registered as a non-member - how do I upgrade to member registration?

Your MyIET page has a link on the right hand side `I want to...convert to member registration'.

What if I can not remember my username and password?

You can ask for a reminder (see link on right side of this page)

I am registered as a member and have logged in, but I still can't access the electronic resources - why?

You need to ensure that cookies are enabled on your browser and that the security levels are set to medium or lower. Sometimes it helps to log in at the main home page and then navigate back to the Virtual Library page.

What electronic book services are available?

There are three electronic book services available -
Wiley: Member online access to over 100 full-text engineering and technology books.
Knovel: offers 453 scientific and engineering handbooks from well-known publishers.
The Engineering and IT Reference Library:  powered by Books 24x7, has 400 e-books on engineering and information technology from major technology publishers.

Are the books available as full-text?

Yes, the full-text of the books is available, along with interactive tables and other multimedia. For the Wiley books, you can click directly on the title from the list on our website. For Books 24x7, ensure that ‘IET Reference Library’ is selected in the search box at the top. For Knovel, you need to select ‘My Subscription’ from the drop down menu on the left in order to search the books which are available to IET members.

What if I find an article I want to read - this system only gives me an abstract?

If the journal is available in the Library, there will be a note saying so - you can contact the Library for a photocopy of the article or see our Document Supply page. Alternatively you can obtain the article from your workplace or public library.

What about full-text online journals?

EBSCOHost provides access to four databases, which between them give access to over 7000 full text journals and other sources of information. 

What subjects do the journals cover?

There are journals on information technology, engineering, technology, technology, business, and the environment. There are also country and industry profiles and company information.

What if I want to save an article or a chapter of a book?

Knovel, The Engineering and IT Reference Library and EBSCOHost all allow you to save, print or email articles, or file them to read later.

What if I'm looking for a specific piece of information?

All of our resources (except for the free web e journals list) allow you to search by keyword, and will search the text of articles as article titles, authors and subject keywords.

Is it possible to search all of the resources at once?

Yes – follow the link to ‘Search entire Virtual Library’ (on the left hand menu or at the top of the Virtual Library page. This takes you to EBSCO A-Z, which, as the name implies, is an A-Z listing of the online resources available through the IET Library. It allows you to search all the resources at title level, i.e. for book and journal titles. If you want to search for specific articles, you will still need to search the individual resources.

Are all of the Library’s online resources available remotely?

No, other resources such as IEEEXplore, the IET Digital Library, ScienceDirect and British Standards Online are only available in the Library. This is because there are licensing restrictions which prevent us from making them available remotely. The IET Digital Library,  IEEEXplore and ScienceDirect can still be searched in EBSCO A-Z (‘Search entire Virtual Library’) and you can request copies of articles from the Library Document Supply service.

Why are some of the resources subject to licensing restrictions?

The resources available in the Virtual Library are (with the exception of the free e journals list) subscription services for which the Library pays a premium rate. Many publishers prefer to restrict access to a particular site or range of IP addresses. Where possible we negotiate with publishers and suppliers to make remote access available, so that all IET members can make use of this member benefit, and when new resources are selected the possibility of remote access is a key factor.

I’m interested in a particular resource which you don’t have. Is there a chance you might get it?

If there is a particular resource in the field of engineering and technology to which you would like to have access, you can contact us with the details. We will always give full consideration to requests from members, although online resources are not cheap and we need to focus our limited budget on the most useful resources available.

 

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