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Electronic Books Collection

What are eBooks?	Logging In	What are the system requirements for the netLibrary eBook Reader software?
What is netLibrary?	Searching for an eBook	How long can titles be checked out?
Ronald Williams Library eBook Collection	Browsing an eBook	What happens when the loan period expires?
Accessing the eBook Collection	Checking Out an eBook	Can I print an eBook?
Creating an eBook account	Must I be connected to the Internet to access netLibrary's titles?	Who do I contact if I need more information?

What are eBooks?
eBooks are electronic versions of print books. Like print books, the text found in eBooks is often enriched with photos, illustrations, graphs and tables. In eBooks, users can navigate through the text (e.g. easily search for specific passages) in ways not possible in print.

What is netLibrary?
The Library has purchased approximately 2000 electronic books (eBooks) from netLibrary. netLibrary offers libraries and organizations around the world the most comprehensive collection of electronic books, or eBooks, available. The Library, in concert with netLibrary, makes it possible for you to access a wide range of research, reference and reading materials online.

The Ronald Williams Library eBook Collection
The eBooks in this collection were purchased to meet the needs of our students, faculty and staff. In addition, when you search the collection, you'll note an option for publicly accessible eBooks such as classic works of literature and history.

Accessing the eBook Collection
You may access the eBook Collection from any computer on-campus. To use the eBook Collection from off-campus you must be an NEIU student, faculty or staff member and use NEIU as you Internet Service Provider. Click here for additional help in using the library's electronic resources from off-campus.

Access also varies depending on how you wish to use eBooks. If you only wish to search and browse eBooks, you will not need to create an account. In this case, skip to Searching for an eBook to get started. If, however, you wish to check out eBooks for an extended time and/or access them from off-campus, you will need to create an account that identifies you as an authorized user. See the next section on Creating an eBook Account.

Creating an eBook account
Establishing an account allows you to check out an eBook or access it remotely, but you must first create the account from within the library or another on-campus location. You must be an NEIU student, faculty or staff member to create a netLIbrary account.

How to create an account:
1. From a computer on-campus, go to netLibrary. Use the Create an account link to create your account. Again, you must be on-campus and affiliated with NEIU to access this page and create an account. If you do not see Northeastern Illinois University at the top of the welcome screen you are not at a computer that enables you to create an account. Come to the library for additional assistance.
2. Enter your identifying information (user name, password, email address). Make sure you choose a user name and password you can easily remember. Your email address should also be one that you check regularly as you will be receiving notification when your account has been processed.
3. Select the Submit button.
4. That's all there is to it! Your netLibrary account will be activated in a day or two. You will receive email notification when your account is ready. In the meantime, feel free to search for and view eBooks much as you would the paper collection in the library. However, you will not be able to perform additional functions such as checking out an eBook until your account is activated.

Logging in
Each time you wish to check out an eBook or access it remotely, you must first log in. (If you are creating a new account from on-campus, you will be logged into the Library's eBook collection automatically.)

How to log in:
1. Go to netLibrary (www.netLibrary.com) and enter your user name and password on the right side of the screen. If you do not have a user name and password you will need to create a user account as described above.
2. Select the red Log In button.
3. You now have access to all eBooks available in the Library's collection.

Searching for an eBook

You can search for specific titles in the Library's online catalog, or the complete collection at netLibrary.

The Library's online catalog - Search for eBooks in the same way you search for print books in the collection--by author, title or subject, etc. EBooks in the Library's online catalog are distinguished by a location of "E-Resource, Available Online". Click on the associated link to go directly to the eBook title in netLibrary. Once you see the eBook title in netLibrary you will be able to view the eBook online and do additional searching on the book's content. Additional functions such as temporarily "checking out" the book for offline viewing requires creating a user account as described above.

netLIbrary - Start your search in one of two places:
The Keyword Search box is located at the top right of your browser window on the main navigation bar. A keyword search allows you to search for a word or phrase in the title, author, Library of Congress subject heading, publisher, and ISBN fields. To perform a keyword search, enter the search term. Note: To do a phrase search, submit your search in quotes ( " ), for example, "small business". Select the Go button to display search results.

To perform a more advanced search, fill in any or all of the fields that appear on the home page including title, author, subject, keywords, full text, publisher, pub year, and ISBN. Note: To do a phrase search, submit your search in quotes ( " ), for example, "small business". Select the red Search button to display search results.

You have the option to select the Add to My Favorites box to the right of each title. This feature allows you to add titles to a list so you can easily access them at a later time without executing another search.

Browsing an eBook
You may browse an eBook without logging in or creating a user account. However , you must be using a computer on-campus or affiliated with Northeastern Illinois University and using NEIU as your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Browsing an eBook is the equivalent of taking a book off the shelf and looking through it. While you are actively using it, no other user will have access to it. If 15 minutes elapses without active use, the book is "put back on the shelf" and another user will have access.

How to browse an eBook:
1. Search for an eBook in the Library's online catalog or directly in netLibrary.
2. Select the eBook title from your search results to display the eBook Summary page.
3. Select the Browse this eBook online link.
4. The eBook is displayed. To learn how to use an eBook, select the Help tab at the top of the screen.

Checking out an eBook
To check out an eBook, you must first log into your account. Checking out an eBook gives you exclusive use of the eBook for the checkout period determined by your library or organization. The eBook is automatically returned when the checkout period expires.

How to check out an eBook:
1. Search for an eBook.
2. Select the eBook title from your search results to display the eBook Summary page.
3. Select either the Check out and read online link or the Download and read offline link. Both options automatically check out the title and place it on your eBookshelf. (To access your eBookshelf, you must be logged in. You can either select the eBookshelf link on the right side of the screen or the button located on the navigation bar at the top of the home page.)
4. If you select Download and read offline you will first need to download the FREE netLibrary eBook Reader. The eBook Reader Software gives you additional functions when viewing your eBook offline such as citations manager and highlighting. You do not need to download and install the eBook Reader Software if you only wish to view eBooks online. Any browser such as Netscape or Internet Exporer will allow you view an eBook. Select the Downloading eBooks link from the Learn More About eBooks section on the netLIbrary home page for more information on the eBook Reader and viewing eBooks offline.

Must I be connected to the Internet to access netLibrary's titles?
Yes. To view, browse, and check out your library's eBook collection, you must begin online. After you have created an eBook account through the library, you may choose to download an eBook for offline viewing using the free netLibrary eBook Reader Software.

What are the minimum system requirements for the netLibrary eBook Reader software?
1. Pentium 100 or equivalent processor
2. 32 MB of RAM
3. 20 MB of free hard disk space
4. Windows 95/98, NT 4.0 or greater
Note: Not compatible with Macintosh, WebTV, or any version of Unix
Again, this is only if you wish to use the FREE eBook Reader offline. For online viewing all you need is a browser such as Netscape or Internet Explorer and an Internet connection.

How long can titles be checked out?
The loan period is 2 hours. This loan period may be adjusted in the future as we gain a better understanding of user needs and interests.

What happens when the loan period expires?
The eBook will be automatically checked back in and will be made available to other users. You can also return the book before it's due by simply choosing that option.

Can I print an eBook?
You can print single pages of an eBook, much like you can print a single page of a print book on a photocopy machine. Sections of pages, within limitations, can also be copied and pasted into reports and presentations. Please read the copyright notice before printing any portion of an eBook.

Who do I contact if I need more information?
Staff at the Reference Desks in the library can help you set up a netLibrary account and answer your questions about using eBooks. Telephone help is available at Ext. 4410 or (773) 442-4410.