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Library Services on eFundi: Books/eBooks

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Books as Information Sources

  Books:  extensive in volume, provide background and historical information, lengthy bibliographies. 

  • Textbooks:  factual, introduce the basics of a particular discipline e.g. Introduction to Communication.
  • Handbooks:  aimed at specialists in a specific field e.g. Handbook of Communication Theory.
  • Manuals:  contains procedures relating to a specific field e.g. Manual to install communications software.

Finding Printed Books on the Shelf

Resources at your finger tips

Reading eBooks online

  • You can read eBooks online with software that comes standard on most computers and portable devices.
  • If special software is needed to open and read an eBook online, the eBook will often provide its own (e.g. eBook Central) software.
  • On Library computers, you can only read the eBook online.

Reading eBooks offline

  1. Not all of the Library’s eBooks provides this option.
    • If you are not offered a downloading/offline option then it is not available.
    • PDF documents that are not controlled by digital rights management software may be downloaded to most PCs without the need for additional software.
  2. Downloading eBooks using Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) software
    • If you wish to download eBooks to your computer or device, you must have both a free Adobe account and the free Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) software installed. Adobe Digital Editions allows you to access eBooks downloaded to your computer in either ePub or PDF format protected with Adobe Digital Rights Management (DRM).  

    • Download Adobe Digital Editions.
      During the installation of Adobe Digital Editions, there should be an option to Authorize Computer. Select Authorize Computer and login with your Adobe ID and Password. Note: If you select Don’t Authorize Computer you cannot transfer an Adobe DRM protected e-Book to another computer or any tablet devices/smartphones and/or eBook readers. In other words, all the purchased or borrowed books afterwards belong to that computer. You are able to download or transfer the same eBook to 6 computers and tablet devices/smartphones and eBook readers where either Adobe Digital Editions is installed and authorised with the same Adobe ID.​

  3. Video on how to downloading eBooks available on EbscoHost
  4. SpringerLink Tutorial
  5. EbooksCentral Tutorial

Read more about our eBook collections.