Borrowing an E-book On Demand title
If the book you discover in the Library Catalogue is an E-book On Demand title, clicking on it will bring you to the book record at the EBL’s website.
A short summary and the table of contents are included in every title. When you click on “Read Online”, you get 5 minutes of free access to read a few pages or browse the book before deciding whether to borrow the title.
Once the 5 minutes is up, a dialogue box will pop up asking you whether you want to borrow the book. Click “Yes” to proceed.
Borrowers need to have a valid NTU network account for authentication by EBL and the Library.
First time users will also need to fill up an online form to create an account.
Titles can be loaned out for either 1 or 7 days. The title will appear under “Current Loans” and remain checked-out during the loan period. Borrowers may access and read the title online anytime and anywhere so long as they have logged onto the NTU network.
Downloading an E-book On Demand
Titles that are check-out may be downloaded to the borrower’s personal devices whenever offline reading is preferred. Click on the “Download” button.
Adobe Digital Editions is required to open and read any title that has been downloaded. Installation of this reader is free. Please download from http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/.
You will be asked to create an Adobe ID if you haven’t done it in order to complete the installation.
Do install the program before downloading the e-book because the e-book will be automatically saved into your Adobe Digital Editions Library.
Downloading an E-book On Demand title to portable devices
Downloaded e-books can be synced to mobile devices. The following apps are recommended.
- iPhone, iTouch and iPad
Install the free Bluefire Reader app from the App Store or at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bluefire-reader/id394275498?mt=8
Once you have installed Bluefire, go to Settings to enter your Adobe ID to authorize the app.
Once the app is successfully authorized, connect your iPhone to iTunes on your computer. Click on your iPhone under Devices and select Apps.
Click on Bluefire to select it and Click Add… to find your downloaded e-books and add to Bluefire Documents for transfer to your iPhone.
Once your iPhone is synced, the e-books in your Adobe Digital Editions Library will automatically show up in your Bluefire Library.
You can open and read the book as if on your computer.
- Android Smartphones and other Tablets
Although Mantano Reader and Aldiko can be used to read the downloaded title, these readers are not officially supported by EBL. Bluefire Reader, that is soon to be Android compatible, is recommended.
Loan Expiry
- Current Loans
Expired items in your Current Loans account will be removed automatically on the expiry date.
- Adobe Digital Editions Library
Expired items in your Adobe Digital Editions Library will display an Expired notice and cannot be opened anymore.
- Portable Devices
Expired items in your portable devices cannot be opened anymore.
You will not incur any overdue fines.
Personal Copies
For borrowers who want to acquire a personal copy of the title, they can purchase it by clicking on “Purchase this book” that appears after the ‘Read Online’ and ‘Download’ buttons.
Printing and Copying
Adhering to copyright law, the printing and copying of a title for the purposes of research or study is limited to 10% or not more than a chapter of the book.
Last but not least
Please borrow only titles that you can complete within the loan period. Do not borrow multiple e-books within one session as each loan is chargeable.
