How to use eBooks at SRSU Library
In some ways, eBooks are very straightforward. However, the variety of platforms available for storing and accessing eBooks (and other eContent) lends itself to frustration as you are required to learn how to do things different ways in different systems.
Accessing or Viewing versus Downloading
At SRSU Library, checking out an eBook is handled through each of the third party platforms that provide eBooks. Downloaded eBooks are not recorded in your My Library account. This means that downloading an EBSCO eBook will require you to log in to your my EBSCOhost account, and downloading an eBook from ProQuest will require you to log into your ProQuest eBook Central account.
Further, downloading an eBook to a mobile device or eReader will also typically require you to log into your Adobe Digital Editions account as well as to download and configure the Adobe Digital Editions app to that device.
If that sounds complicated, librarians are standing by to help. However, if all you're after is to quickly access and browse parts of the book, accessing and viewing may be sufficient for your needs.
Adobe Digital Editions (ADE)
Adobe Digital Editions is required for offline reading of many eBooks. It differs from Adobe Reader and requires an Adobe Digital Editions ID.
You must download the Adobe Digital Editions installer file AND complete the installation process. After you have confirmed the installation process, double-click on the book file (ending in .acsm) and depending on your settings, it will either launch Adobe Digital Editions or ask you what program you would like to open it with. (Unless you wish to use a different program, select Adobe Digital Editions).
Note: The first time you open a book (which has an .acsm extension) with ADE, you will be asked to "Authorize Your Computer". The eBook vendor showing by default is "Adobe ID"; do not modify this default.
Concurrent Users
Just like print books, institutions must make decisions on how many copies of an eBook to purchase. Sometimes an eBook comes with unlimited availability (one copy with many simultaneous readers), but more typically the availability is limited to single use (one copy, one reader) or limited in some other way. To find out how many copies of an eBook title are available, look for the Concurrent user levels information on that item's record.