How To Use Ebook Central: Your Bookshelf and Highlighting Text and Adding Annotations

Your ProQuest EBook Central Account

EBook Central uses single sign on through the University. This means that when you access the database using your Empire credentials, you should automatically be signed into your own personal ProQuest EBook Central account as well (you need this in order to download full ebooks, print, or use the Bookshelf, highlight and notes functions). When you access the database, you should automatically see a 'Sign Out' link in the top right (if you have issues with this, please contact the library using the Ask a Librarian chat window on the right of the library home page.

In addition to the help sections below, you can find even more help using EBook Central here:

• Search EBook Central tutorial (YouTube video)
• EBook Reader & Productivity Tools (YouTube video) - how to navigate a book online, use the Bookshelf and text highlighting or notes features.

Once you're signed in, you can store books in your personal Bookshelf to make them easy to find. Books stored in your Bookshelf can use the highlights and notes functions that will be saved for the next time you log in. 

Adding An Ebook To Your Bookshelf

When inside the ebook, all you have to do to add it to your bookshelf is click the little icon that looks like a book with a plus sign, which is located directly above the part of the screen where the book itself displays. When you do, you'll see a blue message that says "Successfully added to your bookshelf" and that icon will become a lighter shade of gray.

Adding Highlights

Once an ebook is in your bookshelf, notes and highlights that you create will be saved for you for the next time you log in. To create a highlight, click the highlighter icon over where the pages display. Then select the text you want to highlight. It will pop up a little menu to choose what color you want to use.

If you want to get rid of a highlight, double click it and then click the trash can icon that appears.

Adding Notes

Adding notes as you read can help you understand and remember the content better. It also lets you make comments on what you read, for instance, if you disagree with the author, have an idea how to connect what the author is saying to something else you read or thought of, or even if you just want to remember to use a particular quotation in your paper.

To add a note, just click the little button above the page display that looks like a square piece of paper with one corner folded up. Then type your note in the pop-up that appears, and click Save. 

Your note will now appear as a little yellow square sticky note with the corner folded up, in the upper left corner of the page. When you double-click on that, you will see what you've written, and you can add to it. 

Looking At Your Bookshelf

To access your Bookshelf, click the Bookshelf link at the top right of the book display page, or the top left of the ebrary homepage. 

In your Bookshelf, you will see all the books that you have saved. 

Underneath each book, you will see all the highlights and notes you have added. You can use the trashcan icon next to each one to get rid of it. 

If you do not want to read your ebook online, you will sometimes have two other options.

Download the full ebook (often for 21 days - this option is not available for some titles)

Click the blue "Download Book" button in the lower left of the book's landing page. 

1. A pop-up will appear and ask you some questions about the device you are using (computer, tablet, etc.)
2. Then it will ask you to install Adobe Digital Editions, which is free software. If you click the Get Adobe Digital Editions button, it will take you to a page where you select Windows or Macintosh. Once you do, it will download. Then you have to open the file and run the installation program.
3. If you have already done that, click Done With This Step, and then click the Download Your Book button. 
4. To read your downloaded book, double-click the file that looks like 12345678.acsm. It will open up in Adobe Digital Editions. After two weeks, it will no longer be able to be opened.

Print PDF chapter

To print part of the ebook (usually a single chapter), click the "Download PDF Chapter" link in the middle of the book's landing page. This will take you to the book's Table of Contents, where you can click the "Download PDF" link to the right of the chapter you want.

A dialogue box will pop up confirming the chapter is ready for download. Click the Download button. More help for downloading.

Once you've done that, you can open it with Adobe Reader (free software.) Then you can save it wherever you want, email it or print a paper copy.