Finding eBooks
With access to ebooks from over 200 databases, there are a wealth of options available to help you find the information you need when you need it most.
There are two ways to access ebooks in our collections: through the UCF Libraries catalog or by going to the specific database that contains the book you need.
A complete list of databases that include ebooks can be found at: https://guides.ucf.edu/az.php?t=2245
Limiting your search in the catalog
You can limit your search in our catalog to online resources.
From the library's homepage:
- Select "Advanced Search" in the lower left-hand corner of the Primo Search box.
- Select the "UCF Library Catalog" radio button in the "Search for:" category at the top of the "Advanced Search" box.
- Enter the keywords you would like to search.
- Choose "Books/eBooks" under the "Material Type" drop-down menu.
- Select the green "Search" button in the lower right-hand corner.
- Located the "Filter or expand your results" menu on the left-hand side of the page.
- Click on "Available online" under the "Availability" menu.
Finding eBooks from UCF Libraries on Vimeo.
Major eBook Platforms
-
Cambridge CoreCambridge Core provides access to journals and eBooks on a broad range of subjects. The Cambridge University Press currently publishes over 250 peer-reviewed academic journals for the global market. Here are details about the Libraries' newly expanded collection of Cambridge eBooks.
-
Oxford Scholarship OnlineAccess to the full text of over 4,000 Oxford monographs in Biology, Business & Management, Classical Studies, Economics & Finance, History, Law, Linguistics, Literature, Mathematics, Music, Neuroscience, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Public Health & Epidemiology, Religion, and Social Work
-
ProQuest Ebook CentralFull text eBooks, including selections by UCF faculty, students, and staff. The ProQuest eBook platform houses many of our eBooks. Watch Library eBooks on ProQuest to get an overview of the reading options. CAUTION: Although some books provide for unlimited simultaneous users, some have restrictions which make them unsuitable for assigning as course readings.
-
Taylor & Francis eBooks (T&F)Full-text access to over 12,000 eBooks on the Taylor & Francis platform.
Accessing eBooks
All of the ebooks available through UCF libraries can be read on a PC or Mac.
Many of our eBooks can be downloaded and read on your computer or device. Some vendors will require you to use Adobe Digital Editions to download books. You will need an Adobe ID and Adobe Digital Editions or another App such as BlueFire Reader to access these books.
- To get an ID, change or reset your password, sign in to the Adobe.com website.
- Install Adobe Digital Editions on your computer device and create a personal account, OR
install BlueFire Reader for your Kindle, iPad, or other tablet. - Once you find an eBook, follow any instructions from the host site to view or download the eBook.
In most cases that will get the content onto your Kindle or other reader. For some eBooks you will have the content for a limited time. Some eBooks only allow one person to use the book at a time.
Why can't I access this ebook?
There are several different options vendors can choose from when it comes to how library users can access ebooks. If you are having problems accessing an ebook it may be for one of the following reasons:
- Limited Number of Users: Some vendors limit the number of users who can access an ebook at a time. For example, if you are trying to access an EBSCO ebook, some titles are limited to one user at a time. If the book is currently unavailable you will be able to place a hold on the book and you will be emailed when it is available (note: you may be required to set up a free personal account to place a hold)
- DRM: DRM stands for Digital Rights Management. DRM is a security feature that some publishers use to protect their content from being shared with unauthorized users. When DRM is present you will need to read the ebook online within the database, or use a specific software to download the ebook to your device. There are two main apps you will be asked to use, Adobe Digital Editions or Blue Fire Reader. Both apps require you to have an free Adobe ID to authorize the ebook.
Still no luck? Ask a librarian!
I'm getting an error message
- Adobe error messages and what they mean
Description of common error messages when using Adobe Digital Editions and how to fix them from ProQuest Ebooks.