Disability Support: Using ebooks
Finding ebooks
On Locate
1) In the search bar, enter your keywords and select 'Books'.
2) In the filters on the left select ‘Full Text Online’.
3) Find a book and click on 'Online Access'.
4) Look under 'View it' and click on the blue link where it says 'Full text available at'.
5) The public notes area gives the licence details and the accessibility statement link.
6) Login with your Coventry University username and password (remove the uni. from your email address).
7) Once you have opened the ebook, look for the contents page to help you navigate through the text.
On the Internet
Some books are available openly on the Internet. These are known as Open Access books. They are usually recognised by an unlocked padlock symbol.
If you use an openly available ebook on the internet in your coursework, make sure you include the DOI or web address when referencing them. Learn more on APA referencing guide.
Examples of open access book websites are:
Downloading ebooks
Always read the details on the screen of each ebook to check:
- how much you can download – a chapter or a whole book
- how long you can keep the book – permanently or limited time download
Why can I download some books in full and others only in part?
Some books are protected by Digital Rights Management (governed by the publisher) and this limits what you can do with the book. See the Digital Rights Management section for more information.
DRM-free books
Look on the screen for your download option / format - PDF or EPUB - both formats are not always available.
Chapter example
Whole book example
DRM books
Look on the screen to see:
- how long you can download the book for
- how many pages you can permanently download
Whole book download
Ebook Central example
1) Click on ‘Download Book’ and note how long you can download it.
2) Confirm the device you are using.
3) Click on 'Get Adobe Digital Editions', or ‘Done with this step’ if you have the software installed.
4) Select the loan length of time and download format.
5) Once the download has expired from your device you can download it again.
EBSCO example
1) Click on your preferred format - PDF or EPUB (both formats are not always available).
2) To download the full ebook for a limited time, click on ‘Full Download’ on the top right.
3) Select your borrowing hours and download format. Make sure you have already downloaded Adobe Digital Editions.
Chapter download
Ebook Central example
1) Click on ‘Download PDF Chapter'. Note the number of pages you can download.
2) Click on ‘Download PDF’ for your relevant chapter. Any pages you have remaining in your download allowance will be indicated.
EBSCO example
1) Select a chapter and click on the download arrow. 
2) Select the chapter option, or download a certain number of pages within your download limit.
PDF vs EPUB download format
A PDF is a static file in a fixed format e.g. the font size cannot be changed. The appearance is that of the original book. The page adapts to your screen size, but this usually means having to zoom in and manually move the page around to read it. Therefore you can easily get lost within the document. PDFs are a better format however for printing.
EPUB files automatically resize the text to fit your device, avoiding the need to zoom or pinch and usually allow you to change the font size/colour and background colour. EPUBs include headings to allow for easy navigation, but they do not support graphic-heavy documents. The EPUB format is best for small screens and for online viewing.
Printing ebooks
DRM-free books – you are allowed to print up to 1 chapter or 10%.
DRM books – the ebook provider will specify the number of pages you can print. This is usually done by creating a PDF for you of the pages or chapter.
DRM-free books
Printing DRM-free books is usually done by downloading the PDF or EPUB first so look for the download option.
Example
DRM books
You can print a limited number of pages. Either download the pages and print them, or using the online readers, follow the steps below for Ebook Central and EBSCO.
Ebook Central
1) Look in the top ribbon for the printer symbol.
2) Fill in the box with the required pages and make sure you select APA for the citation style.
EBSCO
1) Click on your preferred format – PDF or EPUB
2) Select your required pages. Note that if a whole chapter is over the printing limit you need to state the page numbers you wish to print.
Coventry University
Frederick Lanchester Building
Gosford Street
Coventry, United Kingdom
CV1 5DD
Telephone:+44 (0) 24 7765 7575
Email: ask-a-librarian.lib@coventry.ac.uk
