You can use the library catalog to search for over 30,000 eBooks and 27,000 books and audiovisual materials found specifically at the Cerro Coso Community College Library. Pay attention to the listed location, because some books are only available at specific campuses. EBooks can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection.
Searching the library catalog isn't exactly like searching Google. Here are a few basic tips to get the most of your search.
Once on the results page, you can view available items. Click a title to find out more about it.
If the item is Available Online, it is an eBook. Click the green link to view the eBook.
If the item is physical, it will list the campus (IWV, Bishop, Mammoth, and Tehachapi), then the location:
The Call Number in parentheses tells you where the book is on the shelf. We use the Library of Congress filing system, though a small reference collection hosted at the Mammoth Public Library uses the Dewey Decimal System. To learn more about what call numbers mean and how Library of Congress Classification is organized, check out the Library of Congress Website.
If the item is lost, missing, or otherwise unavailable, it will display the message "Check for available services." You will be prompted to request the item through ILL, which you can do from the ILL Request link, also found at the top of the catalog.
If the item is checked out, it will display the message "Not available." If you want to request the item, log in with your student email and password and click "Request" under "Get it."
If the record shows "# versions found. See all versions," click it to view the similar records. This may include different editions of the same title.
Once you get the list of all your search results, you can refine them to weed out records that you don't want. Use the drop-down options to limit what you see by date, subject, etc. For example, if you cannot access the physical library, you can select "Available Online" from the Availability drop-down to see only eBooks. If you live in Mammoth, you can select "ESCC Mammoth LRC" from the Library drop-down to see only books at that campus.
If you are doing a lot of research, it can be tedious to fiddle with these settings every time you try a new set of keywords. There is a solution! Once you select the filters you want to keep, hover over them until the lock appears. Clicking the lock will keep the filter active for the remainder of your search session. Note that it will disappear once you close your browser.
Click a title to view the bibliographic record.
1. Top: Here is a brief view of the item's title, author, edition, publication date, and its location.
2. Get It/View Online: This will tell you where the item is and whether or not it is available to you. If you are signed in, you may be able to request the item to be held for you. If the item is an eBook, click the link provided under "Full text availability."
3. Details: Here you can find information about the item, including its title, ISBN, table of contents, and more. To see what else the creator has written, click their name. To find more books and eBooks on the same subject, click one of the subject links.
4. Send To: You can link, email, or print the record - note that this is only for the record itself, not the full text of the material. Citation automatically generates a citation of the record in MLA or APA format. Since the data can be glitchy, you should double-check it for accuracy before using it in an essay.
5. Virtual Browse: If you are viewing a physical item, this shows you the titles on the shelf next to your item, which usually means that they are on the same subject or are similarly related.
EBooks are electronic versions of print books. Like print books, the text found in eBooks is often enriched with photos, illustrations, graphs and tables. EBooks are available through any internet connection 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for registered Cerro Coso students and employees. Users can easily search for specific passages or words in ways not possible in print.
EBooks can be found through the Cerro Coso Library catalog. They can be recognized by the green “Available Online” link below the title.
To read an eBook, click the green "Available Online" link. If you are off-campus, you may be taken to a login screen where you will need to enter your full college email address and password.
If the eBook is hosted by EBSCOhost (which will appear in the URL), you can access the eBook via the full text icons on the left column. You can also scroll down to the Table of Contents to jump to a chapter, or you can search the text or browse the index for specific terms or subjects.
If the eBook is hosted by Gale (which will appear at the top of the page), you will be taken to the table of contents. You can choose a volume and jump to an entry, or you can Search within Publication to find an article.
The library also includes some Open Educational Resource eBooks, such as OpenStax, which take you to the eBook without requiring you to login. From here, you can usually view the book online or download a PDF copy of the full text.
If you are experiencing trouble accessing eBooks, please see the troubleshooting tab.
Must I be connected to the Internet to access EBSCO's ebook titles?
Yes. To browse and view your library's eBook collection, you must be online. At this time we are unable to provide access to our eBook collection through an eReader (Kindle, Nook, etc.).
Can I print an eBook?
You can print individual pages of library eBooks. How many pages you may print will depend on the publisher's permissions.
Can I download an eBook?
While generally not recommended, eBooks can be downloaded one at a time for a 24 hour period. Please view the eBook Download Tutorial if you need assistance with this process.
Who do I contact if I need more information?
Library staff at Cerro Coso Community College can answer your questions about using eBooks. Don’t hesitate to contact us!
The best way to view Cerro Coso eBooks is online via a desktop computer. However, it is possible to download an EBSCOhost eBook for up to 24 hours of offline viewing. The instructions are located in the PDF tutorial below.