eBook Service
Questions and answers
- How does the eBook Service work?
- How do I choose an eBook to download?
- What are the minimum System Requirements?
- How long does the eBook stay on my PC/MAC or eBook Reader?
- Can I extend the loan period?
- If an eBook License is being used, can I create a reservation?
- How long have I got to download the eBook when my reserved title becomes available for me to download?
- What software is used to download the eBook onto my PC?
- Can I download a title more than once during the loan period?
- How do I return an eBook once I have finished reading it?
- Are all books available in eBook format?
- What readers can I download onto?
- Why wont your eBooks work on my reader?
- Can I download to an Amazon Kindle Reader?
- The title I wish to read is listed as being out on loan. As this is not a physical book, why cant it be downloaded an infinite number of times?
- How do I transfer my eBook to my Reader?
- Who do I contact if there is a problem?
How does the eBook Service work?
Using your Library Card and PIN, a Leicestershire Library Services member can login into a secure eBook Service and select up to 3 eBooks to download at any one time. This service will only be available from your home PC. It will not be available in your local library.
- Logon to the Leicestershire Library Services eBook Service webpage using your Library Card and Pin.
- Using the Keyword, New Release, Latest Arrivals, Genre/ Subject heading select the title you wish to download. (New Releases are titles that are newly published. Latest Arrivals are titles that have become available in eBook format and are available for loan but not necessarily newly published).
- You select the title by clicking on the title.
- If you have studied the catalogue information on the title and you wish to continue to download then click on 'Add to basket'.
- This will take you to the Basket Items Screen.
- You will notice that the title has been reserved for 30 Minutes to give you time to consider any other titles you may wish to download, up to the maximum of 3.
- At this time you can click at the Checkout button which will start the download process onto the PC.
- Depending on the eBook Reader the system will either take you to the Adobe Digital Editions download manager and then onto your Adobe Digital Editions virtual bookshelf or to the eBook Reader software where the Reader's own software will manage the download, virtual bookshelf and syncing with the Reader. (Details on this will be available with your Reader or on the eBook Readers vendor's website).
What are the minimum System Requirements?
The minimum system requirements for Adobe® Digital Editions are as follows.
PC
- Microsoft® Windows® XP with Service Pack 2 (Service Pack 3 recommended) Windows Vista® (32-bit or 64-bit), Windows® 7 (32-bit or 64-bit)
- Intel® Pentium® 500MHz processor
- 128MB of RAM
- 800x600 monitor resolution
MAC
- Mac OS X v10.4.10 or v10.5
- PowerPC® G4 or G5 500MHz processor
- 128MB of RAM
INTEL
- Mac OS X v10.4.10, v10.5 or v10.6
- 500MHz processor
- 128MB of RAM
Browser
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 8, Mozilla Firefox 3, Google Chrome for Windows
- Adobe Flash® Player 9 or 10
- Apple Safari 4, Mozilla Firefox 3
How long does the eBook stay on my PC/MAC or eBook Reader?
The eBook is for a loan period maximum of 21 days at which point the eBook will expire and will no longer be readable on your PC or eBook reader. The eBook then becomes available for another user to download.
Can I extend the loan period?
No, if you have not finished with the eBook, you can download it again if there are no reservations attached to the eBook. If there are reservations then you will need to add your details to the reservation list and you will be notified by email when the eBook becomes available for you to loan .
If an eBook is being used, can I create a reservation?
Yes, the eBook service allows you to reserve an eBook which has already been downloaded. If you wish to include your email address with the reservation you will be alerted as soon as the title becomes available. There is no charge to reserve eBooks.
How long have I got to download the eBook when my reserved title becomes available for me to download?
We allow 3 days for the eBook to be downloaded at which point the eBook is offered to the next reservation or returns to our eBook stock to be accessed by other users.
What software is used to download the eBook onto my PC?
For PC/ MAC users and all readers listed below, the eBook are downloaded using the standard eBook software Adobe Digital Editions.
The first time you try to download an eBook you will be prompted to download and install Adobe Digital Editions if this software is not already on your PC/MAC.
Can I download a title more than once during the loan period?
In the unlikely event of a failed download or a PC/MAC or Reader malfunction an eBook can be downloaded from the Leicestershire County Library eBook service from within your login via the 'Manage Loans/Reservations' screen, for the duration of the loan period.
How do I return an eBook once I have finished reading it?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to 'return' an eBook once it is taken out on loan. Strict publishing agreements prevent us from reissuing a title before the expiration date on the downloaded book has passed. This is because we are unable to determine whether a 'returned' book still exists on any of your devices. Reissuing a title which still exists on a previous borrowers’ device would lead to us breaking our agreements with Publishers and could result in the Publisher removing their titles from our service.
Are all books available in eBook format?
Only a small percentage of printed physical books are available as an eBook. There are also some UK Publishers who do not allow their eBook titles to be loaned. The number of eBook titles and e-audio titles (coming soon) for loan is increasing all the time. Please check the Leicestershire Library Services eBook Service frequently for new titles added.
What readers can I download onto?
All titles must be downloaded onto your PC or MAC before being transferred to your reader.
Visit the Adobe web site for the current list of devices compatible with Adobe Digital Editions.
A Popular eBook app for Apple iTouch, iPhone or iPad is Bluefire Reader.
For Android users we recommend using Aldiko.
Why won’t your eBooks work on my reader?
Only readers that support the use of Digital Rights Management (DRM) in either ePub or PDF format can view our eBooks. We have to implement this protection method as part of our licensing agreement with publishers. Failure to use DRM would result in the titles being removed from our offering. Please check your readers guide to see whether it supports these formats.
Can I download to an Amazon Kindle Reader?
No, the Amazon device is a proprietary format and as such does not allow library loaned material which adheres to an open standard.
The title I wish to read is listed as being out on loan. As this is not a physical book, why cant it be downloaded an infinite number of times?
The eBook library model works in the same way as the library loans model. A book, regardless of its format can only be borrowed by one user at any one time. As with a physical book, we must purchase additional copies of an eBook to allow multiple concurrent downloads.
Page Last Updated: 13 May 2013
