How do I use an ebook from the EBSCOhost Ebooks collection?
This page demonstrates how to read eBooks on EBSCO interfaces, including how to view detailed record information about eBook titles.
eBook Detailed Record
A Detailed Record can be viewed by clicking an eBook title in the Result list. From the Detailed Record, you can read or download the eBook using the links in the left column. From the right column, you can print, email, save, or export the record, as well as add the details about the eBook to your folder.
Concurrent User Level: If available for a title, the Detailed Record displays the number of copies available via Concurrent Access. Concurrent Access allows e-books to be available to users on an unlimited concurrent access basis up to an annual maximum number of uses (typically 365 uses). Once that number is met, the eBook becomes unavailable until the anniversary of the original purchase date.
At the bottom of the Detailed Record, you can view Most Relevant Pages from this eBook and the Table of Contents. Both sections can be collapsed or expanded by clicking the plus (+) or minus (-) in the upper left corner of the section.
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Most Relevant Pages from this eBook: Displays the most relevant sections of the eBook in which your search terms appear in the text.
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Table of Contents: Displays the Table of Contents for the eBook you are viewing. Clicking on a hyperlinked chapter opens the chapter in the eBook Viewer tool.
eBook Viewer
eBooks can be read online in the eBook Viewer by clicking the eBook Full Text link on the Result List or Detailed Record.
In the top toolbar of the eBook Viewer, you can click the Back to Results, New Search, or Exit links to check in the eBook after you have finished viewing it.
Included in the column on the left are tools that allow you to view the contents of an eBook, search within the text of the eBook, and save a note on the eBook in your My EBSCOhost folder.
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Contents - Click to view the Table of Contents for the eBook title you are reading.
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Publisher Permissions - The Publisher Permissions indicator displays the number of pages that can be printed or saved, whether copy/paste functionality is allowed, and whether the eBook can be downloaded to read offline. When printing/saving is allowed, the number of available pages is updated as you print or save eBook pages to your computer.
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eBook Availability - The eBook Availability indicator displays the number of copies currently available from your institution.
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Chapter Download - Click the Download icon [
] to download a chapter of the eBook title you are viewing.
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Search Within - Click to search for terms within the eBook. (See: Searching within EBSCO eBooks)
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My Notes - Click to view your notes or to create a new note about the eBook or a page of the eBook and save it to your personal folder.
Included in the row of tools across the top of the Viewer are tools that allow you to look up words in a dictionary and share eBook information.
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Add to Folder - Click to add the eBook to your My EBSCOhost folder.
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Save Pages - Click to save eBook pages.
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E-mail Pages - Click to e-mail eBook pages.
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Print Pages - Click to print eBook pages.
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Cite - Click to copy citation information for the eBook.
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Dictionary - Click to search for definitions of words in the eBook you are reading.
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Export - Click to export citation information to a bibliographic manager.
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Permalink - Click to copy a persistent link to the eBook.
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Share - Click to share the eBook information on one of several social networks.
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Google Drive - Click to save the eBook pages to your Google Drive account. Note: If your browser has a pop-up blocker enabled, you must allow pop-up windows to open to sign into your Google account.
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Full Download - Click to download the eBook to your computer for offline reading or transferring to a portable device. See Downloading an eBook.
Using the eBook Viewer Toolbar
When viewing eBooks in PDF format, the following options are available on the toolbar at the bottom of the viewer.
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Page Navigation: Use the page navigation arrows to move up or down one page at a time or enter a page number in the field provided and click Go.
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Zoom Out: Click the icon to zoom out on the page.
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Zoom In: Click the icon to zoom in on the page.
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Fit Page Width: Click the icon to fit the page by width in the viewing area.
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Fit Page: Click the icon to view the entire page in the viewing area.
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Fit Page to Viewport: Click the icon to fit the entire page into the viewport.
EPUB Format
EPUB is an open eBook standard and file format that allows you to increase the size of the font, enabling you to optimize the viewing experience on desktop computers, smart phones, and tablets.
EPUB format eBooks use vertical scrolling to display the text of each chapter. Use the navigation arrows to change the chapter you are reading.
In cases when you are viewing an eBook in EPUB format, the toolbar appears as shown.
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Chapter Navigation: Use the navigation arrows to change the chapter or section of an eBook title you are reading. Contents of the chapter or section can be read using vertical scrolling.
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Zoom Out: Click the icon to display the text in a smaller font size.
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Zoom In: Click the icon to display text in a larger font size.
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Fit Page to Viewport: Click the icon to fit the entire page into the viewport.
Notes:
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EPUB format is not compatible with Internet Explorer browsers 7 & 8. When trying to open an EPUB format eBook in IE 7 or 8, you are prompted to upgrade your browser to IE 9. For more info about EPUB, click here.
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While the text-to-speech feature is not available in the eBook Viewer, you are able to save parts of an eBook in PDF format and use the Adobe Reader Read Aloud functionality to hear the eBook section read out loud.
Citing eBook Passages
When viewing an eBook in the Viewer, you can copy passages of an eBook and paste them into a document with the citation automatically included.
Please Note: Availability of copy/paste functionality is determined by the publisher, and that information is presented in the Publisher Permissions information on the detailed record and in the eBook viewer.
To copy eBook passages with citations:
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Highlight a portion of eBook text and use your browsers copy function (Ctrl + C) to copy the text.
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Paste the text into a Microsoft Word document, Notepad, etc. using your browser's paste function (Ctrl + V). The default citations are automatically included with your text.
Notes:
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The default citation formats pasted in your document are APA and MLA.
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If you have selected a default citation format in your saved Preferences and you are logged into your personal account, only that format is included with your copied eBook text. See Setting Preferences in EBSCO Interfaces to learn more about saving your default preferences.
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Administrators can set a default citation format for their entire institution by changing the Include when Printing/E-mailing/Saving setting in EBCOadmin. See EBSCOadmin: Settings on the Delivery Options Sub-Tab to learn more.
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eBook text is pasted as it is hosted in the eBook file. You may need to adjust the spacing in your document.