Here are answers to some of the most common queries we receive. If your question is not answered here, please contact us on issues@independence.co.uk or by phoning (01223) 550801.
- How can I get access to Issues Online?
- I subscribe to Issues and receive the books every term. Why haven't I been sent access details for Issues Online?
- I have lost my Issues Online username and/or password. What can I do?
- I am considering subscribing to Issues so I can have access to Issues Online, but am not sure the service would be suitable for my students. How can I find out more?
- I would like to take out a subscription to Issues Online but do not wish to receive Issues titles in hard copy. What is the cost of this?
- Can I buy individual titles from outside the UK?
- I wish to order your books from outside the UK. Is there anywhere within my own country I can buy your titles?
- I am a subscriber, but my students are not using your books. Is there any way I can promote them?
- I have an idea for a title in your series. Can I send this to you?
- I can't seem to view the order forms or book samples available on your website. What is the problem?
- How do you decide which titles in the Issues series will be renewed each term?
- Why can't I order an accompanying Exploring the Issues study guide for the Issues title I have purchased?
- I would like to work in publishing and am looking for work experience placements. Do you have any opportunities for me?
- I am looking for publishing positions. Do you have any vacancies?
- I am a freelancer. Do you have any opportunities for me?
- I am an author. Would you consider publishing my book?
- I am a UK-based bookseller. Can I order your titles online?
- I am going to an exhibition and would like to promote your books. Do you have any promotional materials I can take with me?
Queries about Issues Online
- How can I get access to Issues Online?
- Issues Online is a free service offered to all Firm Order subscribers to the Issues series. It contains HTML versions of many of the articles featured in the Issues books, as well as graphs and tables; key facts snapshots; glossaries; assignment suggestions; a research guide containing links to useful websites for students writing reports, and links to hundreds of relevant charity and lobby group websites. Schools and school libraries receive a free 40-user licence to use this service when they subscribe, making it ideal for use with whole-class student groups. Public libraries receive a free 5-user licence. See our subscriptions page for more details about Issues subscriptions.
In addition, it is also now possible to purchase subscriptions to Issues Online as a standalone product, at a cost of £99 per year. For details on how to order, please use this order form. - I subscribe to Issues and receive the books every term. Why haven't I been sent access details for Issues Online?
- Issues Online is only offered to subscribers who receive Issues titles on firm order every term. If you receive the books on an on-approval basis, you will not have been provided with access details for Issues Online. However, you can upgrade your subscription at no extra cost by contacting the publisher, who will then send out your Issues Online access details. If you know you have a Firm Order subscription but do not have your Issues Online access details, please contact the publisher by email, giving the name of the institution and subscribing staff member, to have these emailed to you.
- I have lost my Issues Online username and/or password. What can I do?
- Please contact the publisher by email, giving the name of the institution and subscribing staff member, to have these emailed to you.
- I am considering setting up a subscription to Issues Online, but am not sure the service would be suitable for my students. How can I find out more?
- We offer free trials to Issues Online for those who may be interested in starting a new subscription or upgrading a current one. Please email the publisher, giving your name and the name of the institution, and we will supply a temporary username and password, which will expire after 7 days.
- I would like to take out a subscription to Issues Online but do not wish to receive Issues titles in hard copy. What is the cost of this?
- Issues Online is provided free of charge to all Firm Order subscribers to the Issues series. However, for customers who wish to subscribe to Issues Online without receiving the hard copy Issues books, we do offer a stand-alone subscription to the online service at a cost of £99 per year. If you are interested in purchasing a stand-alone subscription, you can find out more details and place your order using this order form.
- Can I buy individual titles from outside the UK?
- Yes, overseas customers who wish to buy titles in the Issues series can do so online or using the form here, which can be posted or faxed to the publisher. Issues Today titles can also be ordered using our online facility. All overseas orders are subject to a £2.00 handling fee in addition to postage costs.
- I wish to order your books from outside the UK. Is there anywhere within my own country I can buy your titles?
- Below are links to recommended booksellers who stock our publications:
Austria
Denmark
Eire
France
Germany
Greece
Netherlands
Sweden
Switzerland - I am a subscriber, but my students are not using your books. Is there any way I can promote them?
- We offer posters promoting Issues, Issues Today and Issues Online which can be displayed in libraries and classrooms to raise awareness of our titles among students and teachers. If you would like some posters, please email the publisher, stating clearly how many posters you would like and the postal address of your institution. We can also supply a logo in GIF or JPEG format if you wish to link to Issues Online via your intranet.
- I have an idea for a title in your series. Can I send this to you?
- Yes, we welcome ideas for titles in the Issues and Issues Today series, and if you feel there is an important social issue which we have not yet covered we would love to hear your idea, along with any other feedback on our titles. Please use the form on our Feedback page for any submissions, or email the editor at lisa@independence.co.uk
- I can't seem to view the order forms or book samples available on your website. What is the problem?
- All order forms and book sample pages are available as PDFs (Portable Document Format). A program called Adobe Acrobat is needed to view them. The latest version of this software can be downloaded and installed for free from the Adobe website here.
- How do you decide which titles in the Issues series will be renewed each term?
- Titles in the Issues series are on a three-year cycle. Much changes in that time. Not only do the statistics need updating but also there are often significant shifts in both public opinion and government policy. However, some issues are more topical over time while others fall by the wayside. Thus not all Issues are automatically renewed and new topics emerge.
- Why can't I order an accompanying Exploring the Issues study guide for the Issues title I have purchased?
- We are no longer producing our Exploring the Issues study guides, and you will not be able to purchase one for any Issues title from volume 200 upwards. Instead, these titles will feature a new Assignments section, containing between 12 and 15 exciting and creative activities to compliment the information in the book, including written, oral, multimedia, research and statistical tasks. The questions encourage students to objectively consider the issues surrounding each topic and carry out further independent research.
For titles up to and including volume 199, you will automatically receive a free study guide when you place your Issues order, and can order additional Exploring the Issues via the website or from the publisher at a cost of £1.95 each. - I would like to work in publishing and am looking for work experience placements. Do you have any opportunities for me?
- Unfortunately Independence is a relatively small organisation, and does not have the resources to offer work experience placements to students. We would recommend that anyone looking for work experience in the Cambridge area try one of the larger publishing houses such as the Cambridge University Press.
- I am looking for publishing positions. Do you have any vacancies?
- As we are a small company, internal vacancies are relatively rare. Any vacancies which arise will be advertised via our website or on the Cambridge Media Group website.
- I am a freelancer. Do you have any opportunities for me?
- We occasionally have opportunities available for freelance proofreaders, indexers and illustrators. If you would like to send us details of your work, please email lisa@independence.co.uk. Please do not contact us about typesetting or design opportunities, as work in this area is handled by our staff in-house.
- I am an author. Would you consider publishing my book?
- Independence publishes only its own titles. We do not accept external submissions and cannot guarantee a response to any which are sent unsolicited. You may like to contact the Independent Publishers' Guild, who provide information on getting a manuscript published.
- I am a UK-based bookseller. Can I order your titles online?
- We recommend that booksellers place orders directly with the publisher by phone so that we can apply all relevant discounts. Please contact us on (01223) 500801. This form can also be used to place your order.
- I am going to an exhibition and would like to promote your books. Do you have any promotional materials I can take with me?
- We can supply flyers and posters giving details of our products to anyone wishing to promote our titles at educational and publishing exhibitions. We may also be able to supply samples of our titles in some circumstances. Please contact the publisher by phone on (01223) 550801 or by email to discuss this further.
