Scan and Deliver: Finding a table of contents
When is a table of contents useful?
If you just need a chapter from a book you can either request a scan from a book the Library already has, or you can request a scan through the Inter-Library Loans service. In order to request a scan you'll need to know what's in the book. Table of contents provide a good indication of the content of a book.
If you want the Library to consider buying a book, the table of contents can provide an insight into what you can expect to find.
Table of contents in Library search records
You'll find table of contents in three potential places in book records on Library search. Not all book records include a table of contents. Search for the book using the search box on the Library homepage, click the title of the book to view the record:
Book jacket image
At the top left of the book record you may see an image of the book jacket. If you click this you may see an option to view the table of contents.
Contents statement
Within the record for the book you may see a contents statement:
Look inside
Scroll to near the bottom of the book record page to see if there's a 'Look Inside' option, if there is click 'See full table of contents"
Other potential sources of table of contents
Google books - Search using the title of the book, you will sometimes see the table of contents as part of a preview. You may also be able to see a selection of pages, this can be quite an extensive selection, in some cases Google books preview may allow you to view all or some of the content you need to use.
Amazon Kindle books - search using the title of the book. If there's an Amazon Kindle edition you can download a preview free to any device uisng the "Try a sample" option, this will normally include the table of contents and the first chapter of the book. Please be aware that Kindle books aren't available for Libraries to purchase.
Amazon "look inside" - for some books on Amazon you'll see a Look inside feature. Search by the title, and if the book includes a Look Inside option this will normally provide a table of contents.
Publisher's website - for books which are published recently there's a good chance that the publisher will have included a table of contents within the details of the book on their website.
If you can't find a table of contents
If you've checked for a table of contents and can't find it, and the Library holds a copy of the book, you can email Library@st-andrews.ac.uk to request a scan of the table of contents. This will not count towards the permitted chapter scan you can request through the Request a scan service.