Frequently Asked Questions About PsycBOOKS^®

These are the top questions asked most by our visitors. If you have a question that's not on this list, please email us. We'll send you a personal response within the week.

What is PsycBOOKS?

PsycBOOKS^® is a full-text database of scholarly titles published by APA Books^® and others. PsycBOOKS also features the exclusive electronic release of the APA/Oxford University Press Encyclopedia of Psychology. The Encyclopedia of Psychology contains more than 1,500 authored entries.

How do I get access to PsycBOOKS?

Libraries and other institutions: You can license PsycBOOKS from APA or through another vendor. Please visit the Site License Fees for Institutions page for more information.

Individuals: PsycBOOKS is included in the APA PsycNET Gold and APA PsycNET Platinum packages.

How often is PsycBOOKS updated?

PsycBOOKS is updated monthly.

What is the embargo period for PsycBOOKS?

The embargo period for PsycBOOKS is approximately 12 months.

How can I get search help?

Most search systems provide context-sensitive online help, so that's the best place to start. There's probably a help button somewhere on the screen.

If you're searching PsycBOOKS through your institution's library, a reference librarian may be able to guide you through the search.

Visit the Search Help and Training Center. It has search guides and other useful information specific to each vendor system that provides PsycINFO databases, including PsycBOOKS.

For help with a specific search strategy, email PsycINFO. We can give you suggestions about what terms to search and help you if what you've searched for already isn't giving you the information you want.

What books are contained in PsycBOOKS?

PsycBOOKS contains books published by APA Books and others. Browse the complete list of titles.

What is a "Classic Book"?

Classic Books are books selected as landmark titles in psychology—these titles are typically out of print. Most systems give you the option to limit your search to "Classic Books Only."

Is PsycBOOKS COUNTER compliant?

COUNTER is a statistics standard for reporting online usage statistics. APA PsycNET, the APA delivery platform, is fully compliant with COUNTER Release 3.

For more information visit the Usage Statistics page of the Librarian's Resource Center. We also have a tutorial (4 minutes, 9 seconds) that gives a detailed overview of the APA PsycNET usage statistics reports we provide and the formats in which they are available.