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Help With ~ Viewing eBooks

Helpful Tips

The library provides access to more than 300,000 ebooks in the library catalog.

All of the library's ebooks can be read online with no additional software or downloading required.

To read DRM protected books offline, when you are traveling or do not have internet access, you will need to install software (Adobe Digital Editions or Bluefire Reader) and create Adobe and EBSCO or ProQuest accounts. For information on how to download and view books on personal devices, follow the links below:

1. Set Up Your Device

To download and read eBooks offline you will first need to set up your computer or mobile device for DRM protected eBooks. Follow the instructions below to set up your device.

Choose Your Device and Operating System:

Computer

Mobile device


Mac OSX

An Adobe ID and Adobe Digital Editions software are required to download and read DRM protected eBooks.

Create an Adobe ID
  1. Go to Adobe.com and click Sign In.
  2. Click Not a member yet? Get an Adobe ID.
  3. Complete the form and click Sign Up.
Download Adobe Digital Editions
  1. From your computer, go to Adobe Digital Editions.
  2. Click the Macintosh download link.
  3. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.
Authorize Your Computer
  1. Open Adobe Digital Editions.
  2. Click Help > Authorize Computer....
  3. Enter your Adobe ID and password. Click Authorize.
  4. Click OK.
  5. Your computer is now set up to read Adobe DRM protected ebooks.
Next Steps
  1. Find eBooks at Hamilton.
  2. Get help viewing and downloading eBooks.


Windows

An Adobe ID and Adobe Digital Editions software are required to download and read DRM protected eBooks.

Create an Adobe ID
  1. Go to Adobe.com and click Sign In.
  2. Click Not a member yet? Get an Adobe ID.
  3. Complete the form and click Sign Up.
Download Adobe Digital Editions
  1. From your computer, go to Adobe Digital Editions.
  2. Click the Windows download link.
  3. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.
Authorize Your Computer 
  1. Open Adobe Digital Editions.
  2. Click Help > Authorize Computer....
  3. Enter your Adobe ID and password. Click Authorize.
  4. Click OK.
  5. Your computer is now set up to read Adobe DRM protected ebooks.
Next Steps
  1. Find eBooks at Hamilton.
  2. Get help viewing and downloading eBooks.


Apple iOS

An Adobe ID and a reader app are required to download and read DRM protected eBooks.

Create an Adobe ID
  1. Go to Adobe.com and click Sign In.
  2. Click Not a member yet? Get an Adobe ID.
  3. Complete the form and click Sign Up.
Install and Authorize Bluefire Reader
  1. Install the Bluefire Reader app.
  2. Enter your Adobe ID and password. Tap Authorize.
  3. When you download eBooks they will open in Bluefire Reader.
Next Steps:
  1. Find eBooks at Hamilton.
  2. Get help viewing and downloading eBooks.


Android

An Adobe ID and a reader app are required to download and read DRM protected eBooks.

Create an Adobe ID
  1. Go to Adobe.com and click Sign In.
  2. Click Not a member yet? Get an Adobe ID.
  3. Complete the form and click Sign Up.
Install and Authorize Bluefire Reader
  1. Install the Bluefire Reader app.
  2. Enter your Adobe ID and password. Click Authorize.
  3. When you download eBooks they will now open in Bluefire Reader.
Next Steps:
  1. Find eBooks at Hamilton.
  2. Get help viewing and downloading eBooks.


Kindle Fire

DRM protected eBbooks must be downloaded to a computer and then transferred to your Kindle Fire. If you haven't already done so, you will need to create an Adobe ID and install  Adobe Digital Editions software on your computer.

Create an Adobe ID
  1. Go to Adobe.com and click Sign In.
  2. Click Not a member yet? Get an Adobe ID.
  3. Complete the form and click Sign Up.
Download Adobe Digital Editions On Your Computer
  1. From your computer, go to Adobe Digital Editions.
  2. Click the Windows or Macintosh download link.
  3. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.
Authorize Your Computer
  1. Open Adobe Digital Editions.
  2. Click Help > Authorize Computer....
  3. Enter your Adobe ID and password. Click Authorize.
  4. Click OK.
  5. Your computer is now set up to download Adobe DRM protected ebooks.
Install and Authorize Bluefire Reader on your Kindle Fire
  1. Tap the Settings icon.
  2. Tap More.
  3. Scroll down to Device.
  4. Set Allow installation of Applications to ON and tap OK.
  5. Download Bluefire Reader.
  6. Tap the notification bar at the top of your Kindle Fire’s screen, select the file you just downloaded, and tap Install.
  7. Open the Bluefire Reader app and tap Info. Under Enable Adobe eBooks, tap Authorize.
  8. Enter your Adobe ID and password. Tap Continue.
  9. Your Kindle Fire is now ready to transfer books from your computer.
Find and Download Books on Your Computer
  1. Find eBooks at Hamilton.
  2. Get help viewing and downloading eBooks.
Transfer Books to Your Kindle Fire
  1. Open Adobe Digital Editions on your computer.
  2. Connect the Kindle Fire to your computer.
  3. Drag and drop your book from Adobe Digital Editions Library to your Kindle Fire.

2. View and Download eBooks

The library provides access to more than 300,000 ebooks in the Library Catalog.

All of our e-books are included in the library catalog. To limit your search to electronic books:

  1. Search the catalog.
  2. Select AVAILABLE ONLINE from the SHOW ONLY drop-down menu.
  3. Select BOOKS from the RESOURCE TYPE drop-down menu.

All of the ebooks can be read online with no additional software or downloading required. If you want to download an ebook to your computer or mobile device follow the steps below for each ebook collection. Some publishers choose to set more restrictive limits on borrowing, downloads, copying and printing.

Compatible mobile devices include: Apple iPad, iPhone, Kindle Fire, Android devices, and many more.

Need more help? Ask a Librarian. We'd be happy to set up an appointment to introduce you to ebooks at Hamilton.

For details about the library's major ebook collections, go to:

EBSCOhost
ProQuest Ebook Central

​EBSCOhost

Link: Connect to EBSCOhost
Collection: 150,000 academic titles
Loan Period: 14 days
Printing: Up to 60 pages can be printed as a PDF
Copying: Up to 60 pages can be saved as a PDF
Read an eBook Online
  1. Click the Ebook Full Text link. No additional software is required to read online.
To Download an eBook, Set Up Your Computer or Mobile Device
  1. If you have not already created an Adobe ID, downloaded Adobe Digital Editions, or installed a reader app, you will need to set up your device.
  2. Create an EBSCOhost account. You will need an EBSCOhost account to download, use your bookshelf, annotate books, etc.
    • Connect to EBSCOhost. 
    • Click the the Sign In link in the top toolbar.
    • Click the Create a new Account link on the Sign In page.
    • Fill out the form and click the Save Changes button.
Checkout and Download the eBook to a Computer or Mobile Device

If you are using a computer in the library or a public lab, use EBSCO's online interface to read the book. Public computers do not have the software necessary to view downloaded files.

  1. Select an eBook
  2. Click the Download (Offline) link.
  3. Select a checkout period and format. ePub is the preferred format.
  4. Click Checkout & Download.
  5. You will be prompted to open the ebook on your device with a compatible app, or save it to your computer to read later.
More Help


ProQuest Ebook Central

Link:

Connect to ProQuest
Collection: 155,000 academic titles
Loan Period: 7 days
Printing: Up to 60 pages per book each browsing session
Copying: Up to 60 pages per book each browsing session (text only, no images)
Read an eBook Online
  1. Click the Read Online link. No additional software is required to read online.
To Download an eBook, Set Up Your Computer or Mobile Device
  1. If you have not already created an Adobe ID, downloaded Adobe Digital Editions, or installed a reader app, you will need to set up your device.
  2. Create a ProQuest Ebook Central account. You will need a ProQuest Ebook Central account to download, use your bookshelf, annotate books, etc.
    • Connect to ProQuest Ebook Central's Create an Account page. 
    • Fill in the form, agree to the terms of service, and click the Create New Account button.
Checkout and Download the eBook to a Computer or Mobile Device

If you are using a computer in the library or a public lab, use ProQuest Ebook Central's online interface to read the book. Public computers do not have the software necessary to view downloaded files.

  1. Select an eBook.
  2. Click the Download button in the ProQuest Ebook Central tool bar.
  3. Choose a download option:
    • PDF format. Up to 60 pages may be saved permanently.
    • Adobe Digital Editions format. Entire book is accessible for 14 days.
  4. Click OK.
  5. You will be prompted to either open the book with Adobe Digital Editions or save it to your computer to read later.
More Help

 

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