Frequently Asked Questions about eBooks

What Is...
How Do I...
What is an eBook?
An eBook is an electronic version of a printed book. It is made available via the Web. The entire book is searchable—its Table of Contents, Text, Footnotes, Appendixes, and Bibliography-and it is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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What is netLibrary?
netLibrary is a commercial provider of online books (eBooks) in full-text. netLibrary offers libraries access a wide range of research, reference and reading materials online.
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What requirements are needed to access an eBook?
  • A computer with Internet access.
  • A current web browser, with JavaScript and cookies enabled.
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What are some of the advantages of eBooks?
With an eBook, you can:
  1. Reformat the text for easier reading (e.g., zoom in on a section of text, or choose an alternate font or size of type). This is a feature specific to netLibrary.
  2. Identify a word in a sentence, paragraph, page, chapter or index of a book.
  3. Look up the definition of any word in the online dictionary. This is a feature specific to netLibrary.
  4. Access the eBook any time of the day, any day of the week (24/7).
  5. Have no overdue fines! An eBook is automatically returned to the system following its browsing period.
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What eBooks are available?
Cal Poly students, faculty and staff can access shared eBook collections from a CSU pilot project lasting through June, 2002. This pilot project funds the netLibrary database.
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netLibrary
Provides access to over 1,500 scholarly, academic, trade and professional books. Subject areas include business, computer science, economics, education, information technology, psychology, reference, the sciences (environment, medicine/allied health), and the social sciences. There is also a collection of more than 3,500 public domain books that include classic works of literature, as well as other titles. Additionally, nearly 130 ABC-CLIO reference books in ethnic and multicultural studies, folklore, geography, government and law, history, science, and women's studies have been integrated into the netLibrary database.
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How do I search the netLibrary eBook collection?
Begin in PolyCAT, where you can type in "ebook and (subject goes here)". A list of results will appear to match your search.
  1. Click on the underlined title of the eBook to learn more about it.
  2. Link to the eBook in netLibrary by clicking on "View the online version."
  3. Click on the "Browse this eBook online" link in netLibrary to view pages of the eBook, or
  4. Begin at the Library home page.
  5. Select the Databases/Resources by title link and choose netLibrary from the alphabetical listing.
Search fields including:
  • Subject (searches only Library of Congress Subject Headings),
  • Keyword (searches all netLibrary eBook titles, authors and Library of Congress Subject Headings), and
  • Full Text (searches every word of 1,500 netLibrary eBooks).
The Search Tools tab in netLibrary provides additional searching techniques.
  • Click on the "Browse this eBook online" link in netLibrary to view pages of the eBook.
  • Within the netLibrary, you may also click on the Dictionary tab to obtain a definition of a word.
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How do I read a netLibrary eBook?
netLibrary books may be "browsed" or used for short periods of time. To remain in use, a book's page must be turned. After 15 minutes of inactivity, the book will return to the "virtual bookshelf."
Locate the eBook in PolyCAT and link to "View the online version," or locate the eBook directly from netLibrary (select the Databases/Resources title link on the Library Home Page). Click on the "Browse this eBook online" link in netLibrary.
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How do I print or copy from an eBook?
You may print or copy one page at a time by using your Web browser's Print or Copy functions. Printing or copying an entire eBook violates copyright law.
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How do I cite an eBook?
To cite the entire text of an eBook, you may follow this format (use appropriate form of style; APA style is shown here):
Basic Elements
Author. (Publication Date--put "No date" if none is given).
Title of book (Edition or other available information).
[Publication medium]. Producer (optional).
<http://URL of the eBook> [Access date].

Example
Strunk, W., Jr. (1918). The elements of style. [Online].
<http://www.columbia.edu/acis/bartleby/strunk/strunk/html#11>
[2001, September 23].
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How do I create an account in netLibrary?
Creating an account will allow you to bookmark a list of favorite eBooks from the netLibrary database and/or to access netLibrary eBooks placed on Reserve status by your instructor.
From the netLibrary home page
  1. Click on "Create an Account" at the top of the page.
  2. Fill out the required information. This information is confidential.
  3. Click on the "Submit" button.
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How do I place an eBook on reserve or on My Course Web Page? (Faculty only)
  1. Identify an eBook for your students to access. Select eBooks in netLibrary, or another eBook site whose books may not be cataloged in PolyCAT.
  2. For each eBook you want placed on Reserve for your class, complete an online Library Reserves Electronic Submission Form. This form will be processed by the Reserves Department, which requests faculty reserves submissions a minimum of two weeks prior to the date the eBook will be accessed by your students.
  3. For each eBook you want placed on your course web page, DO THIS for the eBook to be accessed by your students.
  4. Seek assistance from the Library Reserves Staff to learn more about placing electronic books on Reserve or on your course web page. Contact the Reserves Department by telephone at 756-2415 or visit the department on the 1st Floor of Kennedy Library the next time you're on campus.
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How do I learn more about eBooks?
  • View an animated eBook demonstration to learn quickly how to create a netLibrary account and to search for, browse, and fully utilize eBooks.
  • Refer to the online eBook Quick Start Guide for netLibrary.
  • Seek assistance from the Library Reference Staff to learn more about electronic books. Contact us by telephone at 756-6247 or visit the Reference Department the next time you're on campus.
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