Making the Most of Ebooks

SCU Library
Databases, Devices, Documents

Databases
(read on PC)

Reading on
devices

Reading PDFs
Ebrary - starting

• Follow the link on our Databases or

Ebooks page
• Use the search function (either default or
subject search)
• Click the book title to read it in the
browser
• Click to open Ebrary Reader
• Click if within browser view
Ebrary – using & sharing

• The URL at the top of the page can be

copied and pasted into Bb or email
• InfoTools to access most functions
• Add to Bookshelf - prompts login/create
• Bookshelf shows books, highlights, can
make folders
• Highlight, copy, print, search & bookmark
• Add .ezproxy.scu.edu.au to end of
ebrary.com in bookmark URL
Ebrary – screenshot
EBL – starting & sharing

• Follow the link on our Databases or

Ebooks page
• Use the Quick or Advanced Search
• Select book by clicking title
• Links at top left allow you to email link to
book (send to yourself to paste in Bb) or
to add to a collection (can email this too)
• Click “Read Online” to open book
• Will allow you to browse for 5 minutes
EBL – “This Book” view
EBL – bookmarks & downloading

• Use Content tab to navigate

• Use Notes tab to add bookmark/notes
• Copy icon is on top bar, usually copies or prints
a page. Limited by copyright
• Read Aloud icon reads the text
• Details shows page limit
• This Book at top returns to main page
• Can use Download tab to read offline in Adobe
Digital Editions (ADE)
• Video – using EBL and ADE
EBL – Open Book view
Devices – Ereader trial

• Ereader Trial at Library – generally Kindle

is more popular than Kobo.
• Tracy Tees – Literature Review appearing
in this month’s Australian Library Journal,
discusses ereaders in academic libraries.
Generally device limitations mean that
they aren’t ready yet for academic uses.
• Soon to be available in ePublications for
those interested.
Accessing EBL with your own device/app

• You need to have a device compatible with

Adobe Digital Editions
• Videos and details on our ereader page
• You will need to install ADE and create an
Adobe ID.
• EBL allows downloads – Ebrary doesn’t
• Some public libraries use Overdrive eg. Gold
Coast.
• Video showing how to download to Kobo
(Kogan or Sony would be similar)
Buying your own?

• See our ereader page for considerations and

review links.
• Eg: weight, e-ink, charge time, file formats
• Definitely try before you buy – page flash time,
look and feel
• E-ink vs LCD / ereader vs tablet
• Kogan – Target, Kobo – A&R (new edition
soon), Kindle – Amazon only. New iPad April
2011?
• Kindle not compatible with Adobe DRM
iPad apps

• Bluefire reader allows for EBL books (and

other epub DRM titles) to be read on iPad
• Follow instructions on ereader page
• Other apps include Kindle, Kobo, Stanza,
iBooks
• Can also download “stand-alone” ebooks
– books that iTunes have released as
apps: eg The Grinch, Twilight
Graphic Novel
Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone 7?

• Android used on phones like HTC Desire

and Wildfire. Also on tablets like Telstra t-
tab, Samsung Galaxy
• Possibly Aldiko or txtr apps will work with
ADE (eg EBL and Overdrive). Also check
Kobo & Sony (coming in December)
• Kindle offers Android & Blackberry apps.
Phone 7 coming soon. But remember
Kindle doesn’t play with ADE (eg EBL)
Related topic – PDF annotating/reading

• PDF reading not great on e-ink. Zoom

means panning, screen refresh is slow
• iPad is better option (though consider
screen reflection/LCD issues/cost issues)
• Apps that allow annotations include pdf
-notes (free), GoodReader ($1.99),
iAnnotate ($12.99)
For more information…

Remember also the free suppliers such as

Project Gutenberg, Google Books (some
titles) and Feedbooks

SCU ereader page:

http://libguides.scu.edu.au/ereader
Will be updated as we discover which apps
work best, and results of our ereader trial
Summary