Apps for Research & Writing

Note: In order to download eBooks, you must have Adobe Digital Editions installed on your computer. We recommend ensuring you have the most recent version of Digital Editions installed. This is a free download available at http://www.adobe.com/products/digital-editions/download.html.

To learn more about installing Adobe Digital Editions, please see: How do I install and authorize Adobe Digital Editions?

This page demonstrates how to download EBSCO eBooks as well as how to place a hold on an eBook that is in use by another user when using a desktop computer or the full EBSCO interface experience on a tablet. To learn about downloading eBooks to a mobile device, please see: Download and read books on a mobile device.

Downloading an eBook

To download an eBook:

1. Click the Download icon for the eBook you would like to download.

If you are not logged into your My EBSCOhost folder, you are prompted to do so. If you don't have an EBSCO login, you will need to create one.

2.Select a Download duration from the drop-down menu and confirm that you have Adobe® Digital Editions or equivalent reader software installed. (If you are on a tablet device, you must confirm that you have Bluefire Reader or an equivalent app installed.)

Note: For some titles, you may see the option to select either the PDF or ePub format for an eBook.

3. Click the Download button.

The eBook is added to the Checkout area of the folder, accessible from the upper-right corner of the EBSCOhost interface.

4. Select to Open or Save the file from the resulting dialog box.

If you Open the file, your eBook is opened with Adobe® Digital Editions.

If you Save the file, the eBook is saved to your computer and can be opened with Adobe® Digital Editions at a later time.

5. When a downloaded eBook is opened, it is displayed in Adobe® Digital Editions.

Notes:

If when trying to download an eBook to Digital Editions you receive the following error message, E_AUTH_BAD_DEVICE_KEY_OR_PKCS12, you may need to completely remove any authorization using ctrl-shift-D to Adobe Digital Editions (cmd-shift-D if on Mac). Then restart Digital Editions, and reauthorize with your Adobe ID.

When downloading an eBook using the Chrome browser, the download will not automatically open but appears in the download bar at the bottom of the browser as URLLink.acsm. Click the download in the bar and select Open to open the eBook or select Always open files of this type to automatically open future EBSCO eBooks downloads in ADE.

If the eBook you have chosen to download is in use by another patron, and if your library offers Holds capabilities, you have the opportunity to place a hold on the eBook to download when it becomes available. Sign into your personal My EBSCOhost folder account (if not already signed in) and click Place Hold to be notified when that eBook is available for you to download.

The eBook is placed in the Holds area of your My EBSCOhost Folder. When the eBook is available, you are notified via the e-mail address associated with your account and the eBook appears in the Checkouts area of your folder.

After you check-out and download your eBook:

• You may choose to transfer your eBook to your Adobe Digital Editions-compatible eBook Reader device.

• You can re-download the eBook from your My EBSCOhost folder at any time during your checkout period.

Note: Users may also checkout an eBook for download at a later time.

To Checkout an eBook with the option to download at a later time:

1. Click the Download icon for the eBook you would like to download.

2. Select a Download duration from the drop-down menu and click the Checkout & Download button.

   If you are not logged into your My EBSCOhost folder, you will be prompted to do so.

3. Select Cancel from the resulting dialog box.

   The eBook has been added to the Checkouts area of the folder and can be downloaded at a later time.

eBooks can be downloaded to your mobile device and read with the free Bluefire Reader app.

You will need the following:

Bluefire Reader App (Installed on your Apple, Android or Kindle Fire device)
An Adobe ID
Safari Web Browser (Apple device users)

Note for Apple Device Users:  Pop-ups must be allowed in the settings for the Safari web browser as the downloaded eBook file opens in a new tab before opening in the Bluefire app.

Install Bluefire Reader App

Download the Bluefire Reader App from your device's app store:

• Google Play: Android Phones and Tablets
• iTunes App Store: Apple iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touch
• Kindle Fire App Store: Kindle Fire Tablets

Create an Adobe ID

If you have previously created an Adobe ID to download and read EBSCO eBooks with Adobe Digital Editions on your desktop computer, you already have an Adobe ID you can use to authorize the Bluefire app.

• Create an Adobe ID at the following link: https://helpx.adobe.com/manage-account/using/create-update-adobe-id.html
• If you forgot your Adobe ID password, see the following link: https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/account-password-sign-help.html

Note: You must authorize the Bluefire app with your Adobe ID.

Authorize Bluefire App with your Adobe ID

Before you download an eBook to Bluefire, you must authorize the app with your Adobe ID.

Please note: You will only need to authorize the BlueFire app with your Adobe ID once. After this has been done, you will only need to tap Download any time you wish to download and read an eBook on your device.

To Authorize the App:

1. Open the Bluefire app from your device's applications menu.
2. Enter your Adobe ID and password in the fields provided.
3. Tap Authorize.

Your device is now authorized to read EBSCO eBooks.

Searching for EBSCO eBooks on Your Mobile Device

1. Use the Safari browser to log into your institution's EBSCO eBooks collection at https://search.ebsco.com.

2. Enter your search terms in the Search Box and click the Search button.

A Result List of eBooks related to your search terms is displayed.

3. View the detailed information for the displayed eBooks until you have found one you would like to checkout and download to your mobile device.

Checkout and Download an eBook on an Apple Device

After you've located an eBook to download to your device, do the following:

To download an eBook:

1. Use the Safari browser to search your institution's eBook Collection on EBSCOhost.

Note: Pop-ups must be allowed in the settings for the Safari web browser as the downloaded eBook file opens in a new tab before opening in the Bluefire app.

2. Tap the Download link for the eBook you would like to download.

If you are not logged into your personal My EBSCOhost folder, you are prompted to do so.

3. Select a Download duration from the drop-down menu.

4. If multiple formats are available (PDF or EPUB), select the desired format, indicate that you have Bluefire Reader or an equivalent app installed and tap the Download button.

The eBook is added to the Checkout area of your My EBSCOhost folder and begins to download to your device.

5. Once the eBook downloads, tap Open Bluefire Reader and go to the + plus at the top right hand corner.

 

6. Choose the file for the book you just downloaded

7. Now the book is in  your library and you can begin reading the eBook.

You may now begin reading the eBook on your device.

Note:

After your eBook checkout expires, the eBook file is still be on your device but can not be opened. You must remove the file manually by opening Bluefire and selecting to remove it from your library.

Checkout and Download an eBook on an Android Device

Next, locate an eBook you wish to download to your device and use the following steps to download it.

To download an eBook:

1. Use your device's web browser to search your institution's eBook Collection on EBSCOhost.

2. Tap the Download link for the eBook you would like to download.

If you are not logged into your personal My EBSCOhost folder, you are prompted to do so.

3. Select a Checkout period from the drop-down menu.

4. If multiple formats are available (PDF or EPUB), select the desired format, indicate that you have Bluefire Reader or an equivalent app installed and tap the Download button.

The eBook is added to the Checkout area of your My EBSCOhost folder and begins to download to your device.

5. After the download has finished, tap the downloaded eBook file from the pull-down menu at the top of your device's screen or from the Downloads area.

6. Once the downloaded eBook opens in Bluefire, tap to view your library or begin reading the eBook.

Note:

After your eBook checkout expires, the eBook file is still be on your device but can not be opened. You must remove the file manually by opening Bluefire and selecting to remove it from your library.