✦ 24/7 access

✦ Instant access

✦ Borrow from home

✦ Text searching allows you to quickly find the key concepts you're studying

✦ Read on your mobile devices

✦ Adjust the font size to suit you

✦ Huge range of books on all subjects at UWA

How do I ...

Read offline?

You can easily read ebooks offline by downloading Adobe Digital Editions software. All your ebooks can be stored and read in the one place. Create an Adobe account to share ebooks across devices. Create an EBSCOhost account to download ebooks provided through EBSCO.

Download an entire book?

Depending on the ebook provider, you may be able to download an entire book at once, or chapter by chapter.

Read on my phone or tablet?

Download one of the available reader apps such as Adobe Digital Editions or Bluefire Reader.

Can I keep downloaded ebooks?

If the ebook is not a loan, yes. Some ebook platforms allow you to download a whole book without checking out/loaning it for a set time. These ebooks are not on loan and so won’t expire.

An ebook I downloaded won't open

Look for the .acsm file which is part of the download and open it. Once your ebook reader or app can locate the .acsm file, it should open the ebook.

Why do some ebooks prompt me to loan/checkout?

For some ebook platforms you will need to loan or select a download duration to download a whole ebook. These loans have a set time limit and once they expire the ebook will no longer be available to read on your device.

Why has my ebook loan expired?

Loaned ebooks have time limits. When the loan expires, you lose access to the ebook. Different ebooks can have different loan periods: a textbook might even have a one day loan. In programs like Adobe Digital Editions, when an ebook’s loan expires you will lose access to any annotations you have made. You can loan the ebook again if you require it for longer.

How long are ebook loans?

It varies depending on the provider. Sometimes you can choose your loan period, so look out for that and select a longer loan if you need it. High Demand titles are often a one day loan.

My notes and annotations expired with the ebook!

If you have downloaded an ebook as a PDF, you can highlight text and make notes using a program such as Adobe Reader, or Preview on a Mac. Some ebook platforms such as ProQuest Ebook Central allow you to make annotations in the online viewer, if you register for a free account. In programs like Adobe Digital Editions, when a downloaded ebook’s loan expires you will lose access to any annotations you have made, so make sure to keep another copy!

Can I print out ebooks?

Different ebooks have different printing limits, depending on the ebook provider. Find out more on the Ebook Central and EBSCO eBooks page of this Guide.

How do I ...

Take notes in an ebook?

If you have downloaded an ebook as a PDF, you can highlight text and make notes using a program such as Adobe Reader, or Preview on a Mac. Some ebook platforms such as ProQuest Ebook Central allow you to make annotations in the online viewer, if you register for a free account. In programs like Adobe Digital Editions, when an ebook loan expires you will lose any annotations you have made.

Keep my notes after an ebook expires?

This is only possible if you are allowed to download the ebook as a PDF, but not for loaned ebooks. Some ebook platforms such as ProQuest Ebook Central allow you to make annotations in the online viewer, requiring a sign-in.

Why do these ebook platforms look different?

UWA Library purchase ebooks from several different companies, each with a different platform that may have different rules about loan periods, printing and how many people can read an ebook simultaneously. For more information see the Ebook Central/EBSCO page and VitalSource Explore/Cambridge Higher Education page of this guide.