What
are eBooks?
What is netLibrary?
San Bernardino County's eBook Collection
Accessing the eBook Collection
Creating an eBook account
Logging In
Searching for an eBook
Browsing an eBook
Checking Out an eBook
Must I be connected to the Internet to access netLibrary's titles?
What are the system requirements for the netLibrary eBook Reader
software?
How long can titles be checked out?
What happens when the loan period expires?
Can I print an eBook?
Who do I contact if I need more information?
What
are eBooks?
eBooks
are electronic versions of print books. Like print books, the text
found in eBooks is often enriched with photos, illustrations, graphs
and tables. In eBooks, users can navigate through the text (e.g.
easily search for specific passages) in ways not possible in print.
What is netLibrary?
The
San Bernardino County Library has purchased more than 500
electronic books (eBooks) from netLibrary. netLibrary offers
libraries and organizations around
the world the most comprehensive collection of electronic books,
or eBooks, available. San Bernardino County Library, in
concert with netLibrary, makes it possible for you to access a wide
range of research, reference and reading materials online.
San
Bernardino County Library's eBook Collection
The eBooks in this collection were purchased
to meet the needs of our end users. In addition, when you search
the collection, you'll note an option for publicly accessible eBooks
— classic works of literature and history. We
provide access to over 3400 of these titles from "Project
Gutenburg."
Accessing the eBook Collection
First, think about how you wish to use eBooks. If you only wish
to search and browse eBooks, you will not need to create an account.
In this case, skip to “Searching for an eBook” to get
started. If, however, you wish to check out eBooks for an extended
time and/or access them from outside of your library using a PC
with an Internet connection, you will need to create an account
that identifies you as an authorized user. See “Creating an
eBook Account.”
Creating an eBook account
Establishing an account allows you to check out an eBook or access
it remotely, but you should first create the account from within
your library or organization.
How
to create an account:
1. Ask your librarian or the netLibrary contact in your organization
how to access the web page with the Create an account function.
In most cases, you can enter www.netLibrary.com
and use the Create an account link.
2. Enter your identifying information (user name, password, email
address).
3. Select the Submit button.
Logging
in
Each time you wish to check out an eBook or access it remotely,
you must first log in. (If you are creating a new account, you will
be logged into your library's eBook collection automatically.)
How to
log in:
1. Go to www.netLibrary.com
and enter your user name and password on the right side of the
screen.
2. Select the red Log In button.
3. You now have access to all eBooks available in your library’s
collection.
Searching
for an eBook
Start your search in one of two places:
The Keyword Search box is located at the top right of your
browser window on the main navigation bar. A keyword search allows
you to search for a word or phrase in the title, author, Library
of Congress subject heading, publisher, and ISBN fields. To perform
a keyword search, enter the search term. Note: To do a phrase search,
submit your search in quotes – for example, “small business.”
Select the Go button to display search results.
To perform a more advanced search, fill in any or all of the fields
that appear on the home page including title, author, subject, keywords,
full text, publisher, pub year, and ISBN. Note: To do a phrase search,
submit your search in quotes – for example, “small business.”
Select the red Search button to display search results.
You have the option to select the Add to My Favorites box
to the right of each title. This feature allows you to add titles
to a list so you can easily access them at a later time without
executing another search.
Browsing
an eBook
You may browse an eBook without logging in. Browsing an eBook is
the equivalent of taking a book off the shelf and looking through
it. While you are actively using it, no other user will have access
to it. If 15 minutes elapses without active use, the book is “put
back on the shelf” and another user will have access.
How to
browse an eBook:
1. Search for an eBook.
2. Select the eBook title from your search results to display
the eBook Summary page.
3. Select the Browse this eBook online link.
4. The eBook is displayed. To learn how to use an eBook, select
the Help tab at the top of your screen.
Checking
out an eBook
To check out an eBook, you must first log in. Checking out an eBook
gives you exclusive use of the eBook for the checkout period determined
by your library or organization. The eBook is automatically returned
when the checkout period expires.
How
to check out an eBook:
1. Search for an eBook.
2. Select the eBook title from your search results to display
the eBook Summary page.
3. Select either the Check out and read online link or
the Download and read offline link. Both options automatically
check out the title and place it on your eBookshelf. (To
access your eBookshelf, you must be logged in. You can
either select the eBookshelf link on the right side of
the screen or the button located on the navigation bar at the
top of the home page.)
4. If you select Download and read offline you will first
need to download the FREE netLibrary eBook Reader.™ Select
the Downloading eBooks link from the Learn More About
eBooks section on the home page.
Must I be connected to the Internet to
access netLibrary's titles?
Yes. To view, browse, and check out your library's
eBook collection, you must begin online. After you have created
an eBook account through your library, you may choose to download
an eBook for offline viewing using the free netLibrary eBook Reader™
Software.
What are the minimum
system requirements for the netLibrary eBook Reader software?
1. Pentium 100 or equivalent processor
2. 32 MB of RAM
3. 20 MB of free hard disk space
4. Windows 95/98, NT 4.0 or greater
Note: Not compatible with Macintosh, WebTV, or any version of Unix
How long can titles be checked
out?
The loan period is 72 hours. This loan period may be adjusted in
the future as we gain a better understanding of user needs and interests.
What happens when the
loan period expires?
The eBook will be automatically checked back in and will be made
available to other users. You can also return the book before the
due date by simply choosing that option.
Can I print an eBook?
You can print single pages of an eBook, much like you can print
a single page of a print book on a photocopy machine. Sections of
pages, within limitations, can also be copied and pasted into reports
and presentations.
Who do I contact if I need
more information?
Staff at San Bernardino County Library can help you set up
a netLibrary account and answer your questions about using eBooks.
Need help over the telephone? Call our phone help line at 909-387-5717
(M-F, 8am-5pm). Questions can also be submitted by email to library@lib.sbcounty.gov
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