Where to find your Courseware in Blackboard
Students, here’s how to access your course materials-including textbooks and publisher content- within Blackboard
1. Access Course Materials via Blackboard Navigation
- Your Blackboard course includes a Tools link in the left had navigation bar. (In Blackboard Ultra it may be called Books and Course Tools inside the Course itself)
- Log into your Blackboard account.
- Locate and click Tools in the left side navbar (the vertical menu on the left side of your screen)
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Click on VitalSource Course Materials.
2. Explore Your Publisher or Third-Party Content
Within the VitalSource Course Materials tab, you’ll find materials from your instructor or publisher.
Depending on your course setup, this may include:
- eTexts or interactive tools (e.g., Pearson+, MyLab, McGraw-Hill Connect)
- Additional modules or content added by your instructor
While eBooks can be opened directly from My Courses, some of your course materials may be available through other websites. There are a few options as to how you will access that material.
Below are four scenarios with the corresponding actions you should take if one applies to you:
Scenario: #1
You see Access Instructions button next to your title
What to Do:
Obtain your access code by clicking Access Instructions. A box will pop up displaying the access code as well as the URL when you will redeem the code to access your content. You will likely need to register for your instructor’s class.
Scenario: #2
You see an Open button next to the title
What to Do:
Click the Open which will log you into the publisher’s courseware site.
Scenario: #3
You see View Details button next to your title
What to Do:
Publisher-direct materials are not accessed through My Courses. Typically, you’ll see instructions advising you to return to your Learning Management System (LMS) to access these materials through the publisher’s tool in your LMS course.
- Check the “Syllabus” tab to find specific links or access instructions for publisher content.
- Go into your course and click the “Books and Course Tools” and look for a tool with the publisher’s name on it.
- Look for direct links to the material in your weekly assignments
Scenario: #4
You are able to locate the link but receive an error message when clicking it.
What to Do:
3. Can’t Find or Access Required Publisher Content?
If you notice missing or inaccessible materials—especially those listed in your syllabus—try the following:
- Check the “Books and Course Tools” or “Syllabus” section in your Blackboard course for any guidance or links.
- Look for a link in the course menu or content area. It might be called:
- Course Materials
- eBook
- Assignments
- Or the publisher’s name (e.g., Pearson MyLab, McGraw-Hill Connect, Cengage MindTap, VitalSource, etc.)
If there’s still no access or missing content, email your instructor to confirm access details or resolve the issue
Need Help?
If you still need assistance after trying the above steps, email your instructor to see where they have placed the link for your specific course.
If you receive an error when you click the link to your text please take a screenshot of the error message and contact Support for assistance troubleshooting the error.
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