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Hiram College Library

Hiram College Library fosters intellectual excellence and encourages lifelong learning in the Hiram community.

Using eBooks at the Library

Library eBooks are convenient and a great use of your iPad. Most eBooks are available for you to download and keep as long as you need them. However, some will only allow you to download a small section, while others will only let you check them out for a limited period of time (usually 7 days). Most Hiram College Library eBooks are available for unlimited use, meaning that you and all of your classmates can use the same book at the same time. Sometimes your professor will use a library eBook as their textbook.

If you have questions about using the library or downloading eBooks, please ask. We are here to help you!

Finding an eBook

Using EBSCO eBooks

Most of our eBooks are hosted with the EBSCO platform. You can read an EBSCO eBook in your browser, but you may be asked to sign in before downloading the book if a download is available. This is because the publisher wants to preserve copyright and make sure that access is limited to authorized users (in this case, Hiram students). 

To read an EBSCO eBook in your browser:

Click on the preferred file format, typically PDF or ePUB (if available). You must be connected to the internet to read in your browser.

To download an unrestricted EBSCO eBook using your iPad:
  1. If an EBSCO eBook is available for full, unrestricted download, a Full Download link will appear.
  2. Click Full Download.
  3. Select PDF.
  4. Click Full Download again.
  5. Click Close
  6. Click Download in the small menu at the bottom of your screen.
  7. Click "Open in..."
  8. Select your app of choice, such as Notability or iBooks. 
Some EBSCO eBooks will only allow you to download a few pages. To read them offline, use the EBSCO mobile app.

 

Using the EBSCO Mobile App

The library's eBooks are always accessible, and many are available without any restrictions for download or usage. However, some eBooks provided by EBSCO have limits set to prevent downloading a PDF. These books can always be read in a browser, but did you know that you can download them for 7 days in the EBSCO Mobile App? 

To access the EBSCO Mobile App:

  1. Download the EBSCO Mobile App
  2. Open the App and click "Get Started."
  3. Search for Hiram College to connect to the content Hiram purchases on your behalf
  4. Click on the "Person" Icon in the lower right corner.
  5. Create a free EBSCO Account or Sign in to MyEBSCO using your existing EBSCO Account so that you can download, bookmark, and save content in the App.
  6. Once signed in, search for your book by title. 
  7. Use the Source Type button to limit to eBooks. 
  8. Click on the title of the book.
  9. Click "Access Now" to download the book or begin reading online. 

For complete information about using the EBSCO Mobile App, visit EBSCO's quick guide and view the video below.

Using O'Reilly/Safari eBooks

The library subscribes to the O'Reilly (formerly Safari) online library of eBooks. These books include a number of subjects from computer manuals to business resources. Accessing O'Reilly eBooks is a little bit different than standard library eBooks. You can find O'Reilly eBooks in the library's regular catalog, or you can search the platform directly using the first link below.

Using JSTOR eBooks

All JSTOR books have unlimited downloads, but they must be downloaded one chapter at a time.

  1. From the library's catalog, click "JSTOR View online."
  2. You will then be on the JSTOR website.
  3. Select Download below the chapter you want to download.
  4. Accept and download the Terms & Conditions of Use after reading them.
  5. The downloaded chapter will open in a new browser tab.
  6. Use the "Sharrow" to send your PDF to an app like notability or iBooks, or use the "Open in..." menu.
  7. If using Notability, you will be prompted to create a new note or add to existing note. We recommend either a new note and adding each chapter to a "Subject" you have named as the book title.