Ebooks: Help using & downloading ebooks

All UST libraries' ebooks can be read through an internet browser, meaning you do not need an ereader to access them. However, in most cases you will be required to create a free, personal account to take advantage of special features, like:

• Printing pages or chapters
• Creating virtual bookshelves
• Highlighting passages
• Taking notes on the text
• Downloading to a personal computer, ereader, or mobile device

Though you can read most ebooks with just a few clicks of the mouse,

• not all ebooks can be downloaded
• the number of pages you are allowed to print varies
• some restrict the number of users that are allowed to use it simultaneously

Because the experience can vary so greatly depending on the hosting service, when in doubt, it is best to to consult the HELP inside the service or ask us.

On this page you will find some basic help for our three biggest collections of ebooks. For questions about other hosting services, see their posted HELP or ask us.

For Ebook Central and Ebsco eBooks, you must have an Adobe account. This is a freely available account. You must install Adobe Digital Editions on your computer first in order to download and transfer some ebooks to a mobile device. 

UST offers Adobe Digital Editions for your personal or public computer.  On your St. Thomas work computer,  it is available in Software Center (PC) and Self Service (Mac) to be installed without needing admin.

For mobile devices, you'll have to have Bluefire, available for Adroid and iOS.

If you wish to link to an ebook from Canvas, you'll have to create a persistent link. 

Search LibrarySearch and click PERMALINK to get the LibrarySearch record, or go directly to the ebook and find the persistent link there.

 Support for the most popular ereaders on the market:

• Kindle
• iPad

For all other ereaders, please refer to the manufacturer’s website or packaging help documentation for assistance.

Because the e-book experience varies so widely depending on several different factors, your best bet when using e-books is to create an account and read the book in the browser.  By that I mean, don't download the book.  In general...

• Find a book in LibrarySearch
• Click to the book
• Login (or create an account)
• Add the book to your bookshelf
• Use the book from your bookshelf (and not from a download).

If you really need to download, use the HELP within the product. That's your best bet for getting help.

• Search Ebook Central
• Create an Ebook Central account
  Required for downloading, reading off campus, annotating, highlighting, or bookmarking a book.
  You will need to login both via the proxy (your username and password for St Thomas) AND via your Ebook Central account from off campus.
• For more information, use ProQuest's Ebook Central Libguide.  Includes helpful hints and videos.
• Some books are limited to a single user. Others allow unlimited users.  The book will indicate the number of users:

Limited user

Unlimited users

LIBRARIANS PLEASE NOTE: LibrarySearch and the book will both have a note of the number of users.  In the case of LibrarySearch, there are times that the note will indicate a smaller number of users than the actual book. This is because we purchased the book for a limited number of users, but subscribe to it for unlimited use.

• Printing Guidelines:  The number of pages allowed for printing is different for every book and is stated under the book's AVAILABILITY section.
• Downloadable.
  • Not all titles may be downloaded. 
  • You may download an entire chapter by opening the book and using the download to PDF command. This chapter will not expire (DRM-free).  
  •  Downloaded books are checked out for 1 - 21 days, after which they expire. The book will say how long.
  • Downloading to a mobile device. 
    • You will need to use Bluefire Reader, free from Google Play (Android devices) or the App Store (iOS devices)
    • You will need  Adobe Digital Editions (freely available) and an Adobe username/password. 
  • HELP DOWNLOADING

• Search eBook Collection
• Create an account - click SIGN IN at the top right.
• Some books are limited to a single user. Others allow unlimited users. The book will say specifically what is allowed:

Example: Single user, downloadable, chapter PDFs

• Printing Guidelines: The number of pages may vary depending on individual publisher-specified limits.  The most common are 60 pages, 100 pages, or unlimited.
• Downloadable.
  • Downloaded books are checked out for 1 day, after which they expire. 
  • GET IN THE QUEUE if you want to be notified when a book becomes available.
  • Requires Adobe Digital Editions (freely available) and an Adobe username/password. 
  • HELP DOWNLOADING

We have thousands of other ebooks not found in the collections above. These books tend to be easier to use with no restrictions for printing or downloading (DRM-free).  For the most part:

• Ebooks can be found in LibrarySearch. 
• Click to view an ebook or chapter, or simply click Download PDF
• Unlimited number of users
• Unlimited checkouts
• Because these are PDFs, you may download them to any device that accepts PDFs.  They never expire. There is no need to delete or return them.