How to:
purchase
textbooks
and learning
materials
Learning materials and
purchasing textbooks
The learning resources
provided by the University
of London are central to your
studies. This guide provides
information on the materials
you will receive and the books
you will need to access.
Materials provided
by the programme
• Subject guide – a subject guide
is provided for each of your
modules. It is designed to take you
systematically through the module
topics, with instructions on reading,
learning activities (with feedback)
and guidance on answering
sample examination questions.
•Statute book – a book which reprints
Statutes/Acts of Parliament which are
relevant to a particular area of law.
These are provided to you by the
programme for certain subjects where
you are permitted to take one into the
examination. Only this statute book will
be permitted into the examination hall.
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Materials you will
need to source
From 2015–16, students are required
to purchase their own textbooks.
To ensure you that you obtain the
correct textbooks, follow these steps.
1. View the Booklist
In June, the programme publishes
a comprehensive booklist detailing
the essential reading textbooks and
other recommended books that will
be included in the subject guide.
The Booklist is published on your
virtual learning environment (VLE).
(VLE home page > Study support >
Booklist), and you can also access it from
the main website: londoninternational.
ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/
intercollegiate/bachelor-laws-llbdiploma-law-0#study-materials
There are three categories of reading
which indicate the importance of
the texts in relation to the module.
Further guidance is provided in the
introductory pages of the booklist.
Learning materials and purchasing textbooks
2. Check the editions
When sourcing a textbook it is
important that you obtain the
correct edition. This can be done by
following two key reference points:
• The ISBN
This is the serial number for a specific
edition of the textbook. You should
use this number to search for the book
through booksellers or libraries.
Example: McKendrick, E. Contract law.
(London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013)
10th edition [ISBN 9781137293701].
• Edition number
You should look for the specific edition
named in the booklist (i.e. fifth edition).
We recommend that you obtain the
most recent edition of any book listed.
Occasionally, a new edition of a book
is published during the course of the
academic year. We would not normally
expect you to purchase this book.
3. Sourcing your textbooks
How you source your textbooks is up
to you. If you are studying with a local
institution you may receive guidance
from your tutors and you might want to
check the institution library for books
relevant to your modules. Students
seeking to purchase textbooks can
consider the following options:
• Publishers’ websites – you can buy
books directly from the publisher online.
• University of London online bookstore
– this can be a helpful source for books:
londoninternational.ac.uk/booksonline
• University of London Online Library
– you can find many relevant journal
articles, case reports, statutes and
ebooks through the Online Library.
To access the Online Library from the
Portal, select the ‘Online Library’ tab.
• Other libraries – you may find that
your local library service has some of
the books you need. Many libraries
allow membership to students who
are undertaking a programme of
study regardless of the institution.
It is important to research this
opportunity, particularly if you only
wish to view a small section of a
particular book. The University of
London Registration office will provide
you with a certificate of registration
on request if your library requires it.
Second hand retailers – you may be
able to obtain books second hand,
but take care that you are buying the
correct edition. If you have any further
questions about study materials please
log an enquiry through your portal.
• Local bookshops – depending
on your location you may find
that a local bookshop stocks a
number of the books you need.
• Online booksellers – frequently
cheaper than local bookshops, you
can easily compare prices across
a number of the large retailers.
londoninternational.ac.uk/llb
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