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LBC-Owned eBooks: Using eBooks

This guide helps faculty and staff determine whether an eBook is owned by LBC and if so how many simultaneous users may access it.

EBSCO eBooks

eBooks can be searched and read 

Facts:

  • When you connect to EBSCO from on or off campus it is through OpenAthens authentication.
  • My Ebscohost account allows you to checkout and save items to a personal bookshelf for a limited time, to save search strategies, and more.
  • Individual chapters may usually be downloaded in PDF format.  The typical print allowance for most titles is 40% of the book. This varies by book and is determined by the publisher.
  • Most books can be "checked out" and read offline for a limited time, usually up to 48 hours.  You cannot download an entire book indefinitely. 
  • Most books generally check out for 48 hours.
  • For reading offline (checking out entire books for a limited period) you will need Adobe Digital Editions, a free program that is different than Adobe Reader.
  • Access titles through the EBSCO eBooks link on the library's database tab or through the library catalog. 

ProQuest eBooks

ProQuest eBooks can be searched for, read online, marked up, or downloaded and checked out to be read offline.

Reading online:

  • When you connect to ProQuest from on-campus the eBook is able to be read online without logging into ProQuest. 
  • To access an eBook and read off-campus, you will need to login using your LBC credentials.
  • Ebooks may be saved by placing them into your personal "Bookshelf" in ProQuest. 
  • Individual chapters may usually be downloaded in PDF format.  The typical print allowance for most titles is 40% of the book. This varies by book and is determined by the publisher.

Reading offline:

  • Most books can be "checked out" and read offline for a limited time, usually between 1 and 21 days.  You cannot download an entire book indefinitely. 
  • Access titles through the ProQuest eBooks link on the library's database tab or through the library catalog. 
  • To "check out" an eBook in order to read it offline you will need The Ebook Central Reader App. The Ebook Central Reader App is a mobile and desktop app designed for reading downloaded eBooks from the Ebook Central platform.
  • This app supports EPUB and PDF formats, allows users to manage their loans and devices, and is available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. The app is free from the App Store or Google Play.
  • You will receive from a 7-digit registration code to register your reading device. You will need to enter this code with the app the first time you use the device.
  • Once you've downloaded the book, you can access the complete eBook offline using the Ebook Central Reader app.

Accessibility Statement: Click HERE

Text-only Mode for Screen Readers: Click HERE

Gale eBooks 
Gale eBooks covers multiple topics, including great history, issues and literature eBooks. Entire chapters can be downloaded as HTML, PDF or MP3. 

Titles can be browsed, searched and downloaded anytime from any device:

  1. Search
  2. Advanced Search
  3. Get Link
  4. Browse the eBooks by Covers
  5. Browse the eBooks by Subject

Features:

  • Entire chapters can be downloaded.
  • Save to OneDrive or Google Drive.
  • Read content online or an a device.
  • Choose listen mode to hear the content.
  • Limit to specific subjects or document types such as primary sources or critical essays after your search.

Get the PDF

Gale provides several ways to get a chapter. 

  1. This is the most direct way to get a chapter on your device. select the download option and choose from your devices apps that can read PDF documents
  2. Email the document to yourself.
  3. Save to your OneDrive.
  4. Save to your Google Drive.

iPad or iPhone

Follow the steps below to load documents into Books:

  1. Search and find a document that you’d like in Gale.
  2. Click the Download button. This button is only available at the document level.
  3. A new browser window will open with the PDF version of the document.
  4. You’ll see a “Open in Books” button beneath the address bar; tap it. If you don’t see it, tap your screen.
  5. The document will load in Books and become part of your PDFs bookshelf and you can use it anytime!

Kindle or Nook

Note that Gale does not transfer entire eBooks to your device but you can download multiple individual chapters.

The most reliable way to put Gale documents on your Kindle or Nook is to use file transfer:

  1. Search and find a document that you’d like in Gale.
  2. Click the Download button. This button is only available at the document level set to Text View.
  3. Save the file to an appropriate place on your hard drive like My Documents/Documents or your Desktop.
  4. Connect your Kindle/Nook to your computer via its USB cable.
  5. Copy the file from your hard drive to the appropriate place on your Kindle/Nook. If you’re unsure where to put it, consult your instruction manual.
  6. Your document should now appear on your device!

Note: Amazon offers the ability to email PDF documents directly to your Kindle.

Gale Help

Project MUSE eBooks 

Facts:

  • Downloads are available as PDF files only.
  • Downloads are by book chapter, rather than the whole book (although you could download each individual chapter to access the whole book if you chose).
  • Downloaded PDF files do not expire.
  • Access titles through the Project MUSE link on the library's database tab or through the library catalog. 

Supported devices: Any device with the ability to browse the Internet or open PDF files.

Credo eBooks

eBooks can be searched and read in the same way as Credo articles.

Facts:

  • Downloads are available as PDF files with no print limits
  • Downloads are by book chapter, rather than the whole book (although you could download each individual chapter to access the whole book if you chose).
  • Individual entries may usually be downloaded and kept indefinitely or saved to Google Drive
  • Read Online:  Tools for saving, sharing citing, reading aloud, and translating the item (for longer entries) a bibliography listing sources or recommended additional reading.  Use the Find it! links to find these items in our collections.  A full citation for the full book at the bottom of the record. 
  • Read Offline: Use the Print icon to save the entry as a PDF or to Google Drive. 
  • Access titles through the Credo link on the library's database tab or through the library catalog. 

Supported devices: Any device with the ability to browse the Internet or open PDF files.

JSTOR eBooks

eBooks can be searched and read in the same way as JSTOR articles.  

Facts:

  • Downloads are available as PDF files only.
  • Downloads are by book chapter, rather than the whole book (although you could download each individual chapter to access the whole book if you chose).
  • Downloaded PDF files do not expire.
  • Access titles through the JSTOR link on the library's database tab or through the library catalog. 

Supported devices: Any device with the ability to browse the Internet or open PDF files.

Cambridge eBooks

eBooks can be searched and read

Facts:

  • Downloads are available as PDF files with no print limits
  • Individual chapters may usually be downloaded in PDF format or you can send some chapters to your Kindle. 
  • Individual chapters downloaded to your computer or your Kindle are available indefinitely. 

    • This publisher allows you to download in PDF format as well as save items to Google Drive, Dropbox, or your Kindle. Some PDF downloads may be "zipped" to save on download time. Download tools appear on the left menu when viewing a book table of contents. 

  • Access titles through the Cambridge eBook link on the library's database tab or through the library catalog. 

Supported devices: Any device with the ability to browse the Internet or open PDF files.

Oxford eBooks

eBooks can be searched and read 

Facts:

  • Downloads are available as PDF files only.
  • Individual chapters  or reference entries may usually be downloaded or emailed in HTML format.  Some books also offer PDF format. 
  • Individual chapters or entries downloaded to your device are available indefinitely. 
  • Reading offline:  For most reference texts, you may print or email the HTML text of an entry to save it for later offline reading.  The "save" icon does not download the entry or chapter but instead saves the item to a personal Oxford account for later consultation.  The first time you use this service, you must create a personal account. 
  • Access titles through the Oxford link on the library's database tab or through the library catalog. 

Supported devices: Any device with the ability to browse the Internet or open PDF files.