FAQs

When you use eBooks from an academic library they can appear different than other online resources, like pdf reports, articles, or even from eBooks borrowed from public libraries. This page explains what you need to know to use our eBooks easily.

Tips for reading CBC Library eBooks

When you are reading an eBook, you usually start reading on the web page that it opened on.

We recommend that whenever possible, you use your internet browser (Chrome, Firefox, etc) to read the eBook. 

Why do we say that? Downloading eBooks usually requires that you have particular (although free) software that most people don't already have installed on their computer. (More on that below.)

If you want to download a chapter, within the usual copyright rules you can usually download a chapter as a pdf file with minimal fuss. If you want more of the book available to you in another format, you will need to follow the steps to download to your preferred device (computer, tablet, or phone).

Please note that there is no single, standard way of accessing eBooks:

• Many can be downloaded as a PDF file
• Some require Adobe Digital Editions to download
• Others can only be read online

Reading eBooks within a Browser Window (Recommended, Easiest Method)

Click the 'access options' button; when more than one format is available a drop-down menu allows you to choose between PDF Full Text or EPUB Full Text.

Reading an eBook within your browser allows you to click into different chapters, download segments of pages, and access powerful tools like "Search Within" which can be used without creating an EBSCO account.

Downloading eBooks (Not Always Recommended, Increased Difficulty)

eBook providers differ in the way they facilitate the downloading of their eBooks. When you look at the ebook detailed record you'll see one of the following in the permissions:

Full eBook download messages

1. Download does not expire - these will download without requiring sign in, typically as PDFs.
2. Available - requires Adobe Digital Editions to read eBook - you will have to sign in to EBSCO and use special software to read the book.
3. Unavailable for download, per the publisher - no full download, and many of these don't allow chapter downloads either.

For books that are 'available' (#2 above) you will need to install Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) before you can download the book. Once that is done, here are the steps for downloading eBooks:

1. On the eBook information page, click the button that says Download.
2. Sign into your EBSCOhost account. If you do not have an account, create a free account using the link provided.
3. Select the checkout period in the Borrow for dropdown menu.
4. Make sure the box reading "I have Adobe Digital Editions or equivalent" is checked.
5. Click Download.

Note that some ebooks can only be used by 1 person at a time. If the book is already checked out, a note will advise "this book is in use".

eReaders (Kindle, Nook, etc)

Most eReaders will read a PDF version of a book.

For eReaders that use ePUB file types, you can select and download to your device. Not all eBooks offer this file type as an option.

EBSCO documentation: EBSCO ebooks on the New EBSCO Interfaces User Guide (12/24)