Google Books often contains generous previews of academic books, the full text of which can be searched. By searching topical keywords and phrases, then reading them in context, you'll gain a more definite sense of a book's relevance to your research. You'll also save the time otherwise lost in skimming. Use this technique to expand your working bibliography or to determine which books merit deep investigation.
You can search Coates Library's e-books in exactly this way, then download only the portion you need. For help using our e-book collection, see the Tips and Tools tab of this research guide.