» How long can I borrow an ebook?
» Do I need any special software to view an ebook?
» Can I print and/or download pages from the ebook?
» How many people can borrow it at once?
» How many ebooks can I borrow at one time?
» Can I download an ebook to my mobile device (phone/tablet)?
» I just want to read online. Why am I being asked to borrow the book?
There are a wide range of ebooks available through the Library's three ebook platforms:
Ebooks can be searched via Library Search or directly via the ProQuest and EBSCO ebook platforms. To access ebooks/and or the platforms, you will need to log in with your Holmesglen username and password.
ProQuest: You can either choose to Read Online or Download.
With Read Online, you get 10 minutes of free browsing time, after which you will be prompted to either create a loan or return to the catalogue. To download, you need to have Adobe Digital Editions installed. You can then download and read the ebook offline.
EBSCO: You can either view the E-Book Full Text or Download This E-Book (Offline).
If the publisher allows downloading, users will see the Download option. You will be prompted to sign in to your My EBSCOhost account to download. My EBSCOhost accounts can be easily created by clicking "Sign in" (top right corner) then "Create a new account". You will also need to have Adobe Digital Editions installed. You can then download and read the ebook offline.
ProQuest and EBSCO: No extra software is required for reading an ebook online.
To download an ebook for reading offline, you will need to have the following:
EBSCO: In addition to the above, you will need to create a My EBSCOhost account if you decide to download an ebook. To create an account, click "Sign in" (top right corner) then "Create a new account".
ProQuest: If you choose the Download option, you can select between 1-21 days.
EBSCO: If you choose the Download option, you can checkout the ebook for 1 day.
ProQuest and EBSCO: Yes you can print/download pages from the ebook in a PDF format. There is a limit to how much you can print/download at a time, which is determined by the publisher. The limit is reset after 24 hours, which means you can print/download further pages the next day.
ProQuest: Most of our EBook Central titles are currently on the "Non-Linear" and "Unlimited" lending model.
"Non-Linear" model: There is no limit to the number of concurrent users. However, there is a limit to the number of 24-hour loan instances, which is 325 per year. This number resets every year. For example, if one student borrows a book on a 1 day loan, and another student borrows it on a 3 day loan, that means 4 loan instances have been used up.
"Unlimited" model: There is no limit to the number of concurrent users.
EBSCO: Most of our EBSCO ebooks allow only 1 user to access at a time. There is no limit to the number of loans per year.
If your ebook is being used by another user, you can place a hold on it through your myEBSCOhost account. You will be notified when the book is available for you to access. You can place a hold on up to 5 items.
ProQuest: No limit.
EBSCO: Up to 3.
ProQuest and EBSCO: Yes. You must sign up for an Adobe ID here.
You can still keep reading online without downloading the book; just select one of the duration lengths from the popup box then your ebook will reload and you can continue reading. It's there for statistical purposes.
