All eBooks are not accessed the same way. This guide will provide tips on how to access eBooks.
Unlimited Users vs limited users- Not all eBooks are available to everyone all the time. Some eBooks are available to everybody with unlimited access. Some only allow 3 users at a time, or only 1 simultaneous user at a time. How to tell? First in OneSearch, look at the provider listed under Full Text availability. If there is a note saying unlimited access, then the ebook is available to all and you should be able to access it.
If you don't see a note about unlimited access, it is still worth it to click through to the ebook and see if you can reach it. Some ebook providers aren't set up to provide that note in OneSearch.
Click through into the eBook and look for information about the book.
In the example below, in Proquest eBooks, if under "Availability" you see "Your institution has access to 1 copy of this book," this means that only 1 user can access this eBook at the same time. The second person who tries to read this book at the same time will be unable to access the text.
UNF Library has several eBook Collections where all the titles in the collection can be used by an unlimited number of users at the same time.
These collections are: Cambridge Core eBooks, eBook Academic Collection, JSTOR eBooks, Project Muse eBooks, SpringerLink eBooks, Taylor & Francis eBooks, and Wiley Online Library Books.
If you have any questions on limited or unlimited user ebooks, you can email lib-acq@unf.edu
The eBook publisher determines how much copying and printing is allowed. The publisher also decides if downloading chapters or downloading the entire book is allowed. Digital Rights Management (DRM) uses technology to limit copying or printing to the publisher's choices. DRM also controls if downloading is allowed or if a 3rd party technology is required. To know how much you can use an eBook, click into the eBook from OneSearch and scan down into the record for the ebook in the vendor's interface, not in OneSearch. Below are some examples of DRM limits and where to find the information.
In EBSCOhost eBooks, scan down to Publisher Permissions in the record to see what is allowed. In this individual eBook, you can print or email 60 pages. You can also copy the entire book.
This is where the copying and printing information is in a ProQuest eBook. Where it says you can download 43 pages, that is how many pages the DRM allows users to download for this individual ebook. The DRM allows 22 pages to be copied. While it does say "download book" it also says a 3rd party software is needed for the "book" to be downloaded, which means that the book can be "downloaded" into a third-party app or something similar and will disappear after 21 days. It cannot be downloaded into a permanent pdf.
Some websites seem the same on desktop computers and on mobile devices, referring to tablets and smart phones.
EBooks are more complex and some eBooks need additional software to work on mobile devices.
EBSCO eBooks can be accessed on mobile devices after the user downloads the EBSCO Mobile App. Using the app requires creating a personal EBSCO account.
Proquest eBooks on a mobile device require downloading Adobe Digital Editions to the mobile device.
Taylor & Francis eBooks on a mobile device require Adobe Flash which is not usually supported by mobile devices. It is better to read Taylor & Francis eBooks on a desktop.
