The University of Melbourne library has a large and growing collection of ebooks, which you can access anytime, anywhere.
Most ebooks are easy to use, but finding and accessing them can be confusing. The ebooks in the library come from a large range of sources, with an array of different formats and rules about how they can be used.
The aim of this guide is to help you find and make the most of the thousands of ebooks available to you in our library.
Using ebooks in the university library is different to using ebooks you have bought or ebooks you have borrowed from a public library. The ebooks in the library have various rules applied to them that determine how many users can access the content at any given time, and how you can use the content.
Understanding ebook licences can help you get the most out of ebooks, and to plan ahead when using ebooks that are in high demand.
Ebooks with limited user licences have restrictions on how many users can access them at one time:
Ebooks with unlimited user licences can be accessed by an unlimited number of users at the same time. There may still be restrictions on how much of the ebook's content can be downloaded and/or printed (see the section below on Digital Rights Management).
In addition to licences that determine how many users can access an ebook, some ebooks have restrictions on how their content can be used.
Digital Rights Management (DRM) is used by ebook providers to limit the amount of downloading, copying or printing you can do, and whether the content you download will be automatically deleted from your device after a set period of time. Ebooks that are provided on the library's large aggregator platforms, such as ProQuest Ebook Central and EBSCO eBooks, generally have DRM restrictions placed on them.
Ebooks that are provided via their own publisher's platform are generally DRM-free, as the publisher owns the rights to the content. DRM-free ebooks have no limitations on downloading, printing or saving their content. Examples of DRM-free ebook platforms include SpringerLink, Taylor & Francis and JSTOR.
Where possible, the library purchases the most flexible user licences available. Ebook user licences are set by publishers, and cannot be changed by the library.
Ebooks are easy to read online on your computer or mobile device. Like print books, they come in a variety of formats, although how their content can be accessed and used varies:
How an ebook can be accessed and used depends on the platform on which it is hosted and/or the ebook publisher (see the Ebook licences tab to learn more).
Most ebooks display as PDF or EPUB files and do not require any additional software to read online. PDFs have fixed page sizes, making them easy to cite but not always ideal for all devices. EPUBs adapt to different screen sizes, use HTML, and offer better compatibility with screen readers, improving accessibility and navigation.
There are also many features available when reading ebooks online such as the ability to print, copy and save a limited number of pages, search within the book, annotate (highlight, create notes), bookmark pages, share links and cite. These features vary from one ebook platform to another. Many of these ebook features are available in the online preview, so you don't need to download the book unless you want to save pages or a section of the book.
Some platforms, such as EBSCO eBooks, may require you to create an account and sign in or borrow the book to access these features.
The note-taking options for an ebook vary based on whether you have a permanent or temporary copy and how you are accessing the ebook, such as through an online preview with the specific ebook platform, Adobe Digital Editions, an e-reader, or Adobe Acrobat Reader.
For instructions about how to annotate ebooks and save your notes, view the following resources:
Many of the ebooks in the library can be downloaded either partially or fully as PDF files.
Ebook downloading and printing options vary between platforms and even between individual titles. For some ebooks you will be able to download the whole book. For others, you will be limited to a set number of pages per day. The restrictions are set by the ebook publishers and cannot be changed by the library.
To read PDF files you will need a PDF reader on your device, such as:
Downloading DRM-restricted ebooks will make the book available on your device for a set period of time (usually one or seven days). Once the download period is up, the book expires and is automatically returned to the ebook platform.
To access and manage downloads of DRM-restricted ebooks, you will need a compatible program on your device such as:
To download DRM-restricted ebooks from some platforms such as ProQuest Ebook Central and EBSCO Ebooks, you will need Adobe Digital Editions.
You will need an Adobe ID to use Adobe Digital Editions. To set up your Adobe ID, visit the Adobe accounts site and register using your University of Melbourne student/staff email address.
When used with Adobe ID, Adobe Digital Editions allows seamless access to downloaded books across your devices. When you borrow a book on one device, it will automatically download to all your devices that you have activated with the same Adobe ID.
Note: Adobe Digital Editions is designed for personal use, so it is not available on the student PCs in the library.
Bluefire Reader allows users to read PDF ebooks and EPUBs on devices running iOS 13.0 or later and Android devices version 4.0 or higher. To download ebooks to your iOS or Android device you will first need to create an Adobe ID.
Accessing library ebooks with limited user licences can sometimes be a challenge, particularly for course textbooks.
To make sure everyone gets a fair go at accessing limited user licence ebooks, follow these simple tips:
Using library ebooks is usually an easy and seamless experience, but sometimes things don't work as they should.
If you are having trouble accessing an ebook via the University of Melbourne library, here are a few things you can try:
Try accessing the ebook via the link in the library catalogue
Clear your browser cache and restart your browser
Try a different browser
Try using an incognito window
If you're still experiencing problems, check out our Library access troubleshooting tips page.
You can also contact us via Library Chat during library opening hours.
TIP: If you are receiving an error message, we will ask for a screenshot, so it's good to have one ready before you start the chat.