Ebooks

Publishers place different restrictions on their ebooks licensed to libraries because of copyright and digital rights management (DRM).

The full record for the ebook will tell you what is allowed under the "Permissions" heading.

• Available: Tells you how many copies we have licensed.
• Not available: Means the book is currently in use by someone else.
  • Try checking back later.
  • Chat with Ask a Librarian is you repeatedly cannot access the book. We may be able to buy another copy.
• Chapter download, print, email & save: Tells you how many pages you can download in a given session. 
  • "Unavailable" means no download, printing, emailing, or saving is allowed. You can only read on-screen in the e-viewer or in the EBSCO app on your device.
  • If you reach the page restriction in a single session, close the current browser and open it a new tab to start a new session.
• Full eBook download: Available or Unavailable.
  • "Only available from the viewer" means you need to use the Access now (eBook) link to open the e-viewer before downloading.
• Copy & paste: "Unavailable" means copy & paste is disabled for the title.

Example 1

Inventing the Modern American Family, above, has few publisher restrictions:

• 100 pages at a time may be downloaded, printed, emailed, or saved.
• The full ebook may be downloaded from the e-viewer screen.
• You can copy and paste the text.

However, it is a 1-user ebook, so only one person may use it a time.

Example 2

This book, When Women Invented Television, has numerous publisher restrictions.

• No chapter download.
• No copy and paste.
• No full download

This book must be read on-screen or in the EBSCO App by clicking the Access now (eBook) button.

You can view the PDF or epub of the eBook right in your browser without downloading. You can also read it via the EBSCO app (iOS, Android).

• Click the Access now (eBook) button to open up the e-viewer.
  • Ebooks may have options for Epub or PDF.
• Navigate using the Table of Contents on the right side of the screen or arrows at the bottom of the reader.
• Download chapters by clicking on the download arrow next to the chapter (when publisher permissions allow).
• Use the Share menu (arrow curved up to the right) to directly link to this book.
• Limited copy/pasting and printing restrictions are due to copyright restrictions (found under "Details," the icon that looks like a partially shaded book).
  • Open a new session (window or browser) to reset the page count for print/e-mail/save.
• Full ebook Download.
  • May not be available on some titles.
  • Full downloads are in a special format (not PDF), so free Adobe Reader software is required. This is because of copyright and digital rights management (DRM) by publishers.

Due to cost or publisher restrictions, some of our ebooks are purchased as 1-user-at-a-time.

This is noted in the record under the Permissions heading under Available.

If the book is currently in use, you will see that is "Unavailable, 0 of 1 copies remaining." 

"Unavailable" means that someone is currently viewing that ebook in their browser or the app, or has the book checked out. You will be denied access until the current user is finished, that is, closes the in-browser eBook viewer for that title or checks the title back in. You will see this message:

If this happens, check back later.  For ease of access:

• SAVE the ebook to your Dashboard by clicking on the bookmark icon
• ADD it to a project on your Dashboard (the folder with a plus sign)
• Email yourself the citation (quotations mark), which contains the permalink to the book
• Copy the link by using the SHARE button (arrow curving up to the right).

• If you have repeated problems accessing the title, contact a librarian. We may purchase another copy for you.

Some 1-user ebooks are restricted from download if they are in use by a class and thus in high demand. Thus, the "full download" button in the PDF viewer will not show.

Such titles are noted under "Full eBook download" with the note "Unavailable for download, per the library." These ebooks can still be read on-screen or in the EBSCO ebook app.

In order to download an entire eBook from EBSCO using the "Full Download" option from the e-viewer screen (above), you first have to be logged in. This will happen when you sign in with your Rider Key. 

Full download requires special software.

• Download Adobe Digital Editions and authorize your computer via Adobe (create a free account).
  • This is how EBSCO manages copyright and digital rights management (DRM)
  • You will also need to use Adobe Digital Editions to transfer an eBook to a supported portable eReader device. Adobe Digital Editions is a free download available at this link: http://www.adobe.com/products/digital-editions/download.html

Procedure:

1a. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to do so. If you are already logged in with your Rider Key in another browser window, it should connect you automatically.

1b. Signed in, you will choose a download option, PDF or EPUB.  You must check the box "I have Adobe Digital Editions or equivalent installed." Follow the link in the dialogue box for the Adobe software if you do not have it.

2. When the book is downloaded, the dialogue box will display in green "Your file has downloaded." The viewing requirements again link to Adobe Digital Editions.

• Your file was downloaded to wherever your browser download location is set.

3. Find your downloaded file in your Downloads (or other path). The file will be an .acsm file. Double click on the file to open, or right click and choose, open with Adobe Digital Editions or other compatible software.

4. When you use Adobe Digital Editions for the first time, you will need to enter your Adobe ID. If you do not already have an Adobe ID, you can create one by clicking on the link.

• You can also authorize your computer without creating an Adobe ID, but you won't be able to transfer files from this device to another. This shouldn't be a problem, because you can download the ebook from your MyEBSCO account again by going to your Dashboard.

5.  Once you log in, you will be able to proceed. This includes reading eBooks on this computer and transferring them between devices.

8. Your book will load in Adobe Digital Editions.

• If the file doesn't open automatically, under the File menu, choose Add to Library. Find your file. You will need to change the file extension to .acsm in the drop-down box to find it.

9. In Adobe Digital Editions, right click on the book to get more information about it, such as how many days are left in the checkout period and options to return it:

• You can also get this information by going to the File menu and selecting Item Info.

10.  You can view all of your checked out eBooks from your Library One Search Dashboard.

To return a downloaded/checked out book, you need to do so within Adobe Digital Editions itself (or Bluefire Reader).

Adobe Digital Editions:

1. Open Adobe Digital Editions and view your bookshelf.
   • Be sure you are in "Library" view. (If you are actively reading the ebook, click the Library back button in the upper left-hand of the screen.
2. Under Bookshelves, select "Borrowed"
3. Select (highlight) the ebook to be returned.
4. Right click the ebook to be returned to open the options menu
5. Select "Return Borrowed Item."Open Adobe Digital Editions and view your bookshelf.

BlueFire Reader (no longer supported by EBSCO)

1. File menu: Select Return Loan.

2. A dialogue box opens. Select "Return."

Need more help? There are short tutorial videos and links to the mobile app and various readers on EBSCO's User guide here.