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Ebooks at Western Library

This guide is a very rudimentary description of how to read ebooks, and load them onto a book reader.

Quick Guide for Ebook Use at Western Library

Western Libraries provide access to thousands of ebooks through a variety of platforms. To locate and access most of the ebooks we provide follow the steps below. If you have questions or feedback please feel free to contact us.

Step 1: Locate ebooks in OneSearch

You can locate ebooks using the Western Libraries OneSearch interface. After doing a search on the "WWU" tab, click on the "eBook" format filter.

Image shows where to locate an ebook format limiter to focus a search. This limiter is found under the "Format" filter.

Step 2: Access the eBook platform

Most of the ebooks showing in OneSearch need to be accessed through a publisher or distributor's platform. Click on "Access Options" then use "Get access from" link shown.

Images shows accessing ebooks in OneSearch by clicking "Access Options" button then following the link that appears to access the book. The example link text in this case is "Ebook Library (Orbis Cascade Alliance Ebooks)"

Step 3: Using the ebook you are accessing 

After following the access link from OneSearch you will likely be asked to log in using your WWU credentials (the same ones you use for MyWestern). In some cases, where we are partnering with other libraries for access to the books you may have to choose Western Washington University from a list of institutions first (click here for an example of what that looks like).

Once your book is open for reading, you have the option to download the book for a check-out period that varies depending on the publisher of the book. Downloading full books typically requires you to have an Adobe Digital Editions account and an app that can authorize access to books using Adobe Digital Editions (for example, Bluefire Reader).

Since downloading an entire book takes some effort creating accounts and using apps that you may not have yet, if you only want to read a selection from within the book it might be preferable to do so through your browser or by downloading individual chapters as a regular PDF.

Downloading books to a reader

Downloading and/or transferring these books to a reader (Nook, Sony, IRiver), or checking the book out requires a computer with Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) installed. Note: Kindles do not work with ADE, hence cannot be used to download EBL books. Kindle Fire and Apple Devices such as IPads or IPhones use the BlueFire app. 

Once ADE is installed, follow these steps:

  • Download the book of your choosing, rename and save to your desktop
  • Open ADE
  • Drag the book into ADE -- it will be immediately added to your library
  • Read at your leisure

If you want to transfer it to a device:

  • Plug your device into the computer using the USB cord that accompanies the device
  • The device will be recognized by ADE
  • Drag the book from your ADE library into your device
  • The book will now be available to read on your device.

Remember, many of these books check out for a specific amount of time (1 day or 7 days) and will disappear from your computer or device after that amount of time.