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To search within eBooks:

• Open the PDF or EPUB Full-Text for the eBook.

• Click "Search Within"

• Enter in the words you want to find in the eBook and click the magnifying glass button. A list of pages that contain those words will come up.

• Click one of the results to go to that page in the eBook. The words you searched for will be highlighted on the page.

When using the library's Discovery Search, you may come across eBooks.

eBooks can be read directly on your browser by using the Full Text Link. Many eBooks can also be downloaded onto computers, smartphones, eReaders, and other mobile devices for offline reading.

The following are instructions for downloading an eBook onto a computer:

• Click the Download button on the eBook record.

  

• You will be prompted to sign in to your EBSCOhost account. Sign in or create an account if you don’t have one.

  

• If you do not have Adobe Digital Editions downloaded onto your computer, download that first by clicking on the link next to Desktop under Viewing Requirements. It is free to download.

  

• When Adobe Digital Editions is downloaded, open it and click Help --> Authorize Computer

• Sign in with your Adobe ID. If you don’t have one, click Create an Adobe ID. It’s free to create an account and you will be able to use the same ID to authorize any eBook readers you use (mobile or desktop). Once you have an ID, return to Adobe Digital Editions to authorize your computer.

• Once Adobe Digital Editions is setup, return to your browser and checkout the eBook by clicking Checkout & Download. The eBook is checked out and will be added to your checkouts folder in your EBSCOhost account for future reference.

• You will be prompted to save the eBook (this screen may look different depending on the browser being used). Click the arrow beside Save to Save as and choose where on your computer, you would like to save the eBook.

• In Adobe Digital Editions, open up the eBook to read it: File --> Add to Library.

• Find the eBook where you saved it, click on the file and then Open. You may have to change the file type to Adobe Content Server Message at the bottom for the eBook file to appear.

• The eBook will be added to your Adobe Editions Library and open up in the reader.

• Once the checkout period expires (7 days in this case), the eBook will automatically be checked in and the file will no longer be accessible.

There are multiple ways to access NIC eBooks via mobile device such as through Discovery Search or the eBook Academic Collection link on the articles & databases list. Note that, accessing the eBook Academic Collection directly gives you the option to search for eBooks that can be downloaded.

This is the eBook Collection mobile website. Click the download available limiter lower down on the search screen to only find eBooks that can be downloaded.

Type in a keyword, and click the Search button.

A results screen will appear with a list of eBook titles that are available to download.

Click on a title to open up the eBook record.

Click Full Download to download the eBook for offline reading.

To download the eBook you will need to sign into your My EBSCOhost account, or create an account if you do not have one. 

Click Sign In / Create Account

Here's the My EBSCOhost sign in screen. If you have a Google account, you can use that to sign in to avoid creating a new My EBSCOhost account.

If you do not have a My EBSCOhost account, click Create one now and follow the steps.

After signing in, the download eBook screen will appear. If the eBook is available for download, you can choose a borrowing period (the max and default is 7 days).

If you don’t have an eBook reader on your device, download the recommended eBook reader listed. You will also need an Adobe ID. If you have downloaded eBooks before, perhaps from the public library, you will already have an Adobe ID.

These next steps will differ depending on what eBook reader app you are using, but will essentially be the same. After installing the eBook reader app (these examples show the Bluefire reader), you will have to authorize it for use with Adobe. Open the app and look for this option under info or settings.

Next, you will be prompted to log in with your Adobe ID. If you don’t have one, click create a free Adobe ID. Once your Adobe ID has been created, return to this screen, fill in your ID and Password, then click Authorize.

You will only need to do this once. Once your reader app is authorized, you can download and read NIC eBooks.

Now you can return to your browser and finally download the eBook. Choose EPUB (Recommended for mobile devices), check "I have Adobe Digital Editions or equivalent installed" and click Full Download.

If your phone asks you to download the file, click 'Download' or 'Yes' and the download will then proceed. Open up your eReader app and the eBook should appear in there, or you may need to open up the eBook file you just downloaded and choose to open it with your eReader. This will depend on your device and which eReader app you are using.

The eBook will be stored in the reader app for you to access and read until the checkout period is over. When 7 days pass, the eBook will automatically discharge from your account and be removed from your app, so there is no need to “return” it like a physical book.

Here is an example of what eBook pages look like when the book is opened in an eReader app. You can flip through the pages by swiping across the screen.

Students will find that they have access to hundreds of thousands of e-books through the library catalogue. Included in this video is a brief introduction to a most helpful resource - the Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB).