Searching for an ebook

You can find all the ebooks available to you through Library Search 

Enter a title, keyword, author or combintion of these into the search box.  As you enter information drop-down options will appear, choose Books to limit the search to books

The results will show all the books available to you, to limit this further select Available Online from the options on the left:

Accessing an ebook

On the results page an ebook record will show Available Online beneath the book information.  Click Available Online to open the record for the ebook.  You will see a link in the record to access the ebook, e.g.:

Click the link to the provider(s) show in the red boxes above, or click the box icon with the arrow pointing to the top right.  Any of these links will take you to the ebook.

Logging in to Ebooks

You may be asked to login to ebooks, in most cases you'll be taken to the University of St Andrews Microsoft Office login, where you enter your University email address and password. If you have already logged in, you'll be taken straight to the ebook.

Different ebook platforms provide different types of access, see the platform pages in this guide for more detailed information.  All ebooks will give you access to read the full text online. The main types of licenses are:

• Digital Rights Management Free, or DRM-free. These ebooks can be used by an unlimited number of people at the same time, and you can download and keep as much of the content as you need, normally in PDF format.  In most cases you'll see a PDF option next to each chapter, and sometimes an option to download the whole book in PDF format.  You will also be able to access all of the content online.  Some ebooks are supplied via an Open Access license - these are DRM-Free and can be accessed without a subscription
• Some ebooks can be downloaded for use off-line, but access is for 24 hours and the download will automatically be removed.  You won't be able to print, copy or annotate the download.   You may need to download reader software to use these, such as Adobe Digital Editions or BlueFire. We recommend you use the read online option for these ebooks, unless you need to read them when you won't have internet access.
• Unlimited. These ebooks can be used by an unlimited number of people at the same time, and you can read all of the ebook online.  There will a limit to the amount of the book you can download and keep, the amount varies from title to title, but is normally at least 5-10%.  You'll see these restrictions indicated when you access the ebook.
• Limited user. Some ebooks can only be used by a limited number of people at the same time, some are only available for one person to use at a time.  The Library only buys these ebooks if there are no other license options. You may find you are unable to access these ebooks because someone else is using it.  You can read all of the ebook online, but there will be a limit on the amount of the book you can download and keep, this varies from title to title, but is normally at least 5-10%. You'll see these restrictions indicated when you access the ebook.

You can check to see if there's a restrictive license on an ebook by clicking the title on the results page of Library search, in the detailed record, beneath the title you'll see the text "Simultaneous user access to this e-book may be limited because of license restrictions".  If you find you can't get access try again later, if you continue to find you can't get access then please contact the Library, we may be able to order additional licenses.

If you think a book would be a useful addition to the Library collections, please let us know.

Staff should email the details of the book to their Academic Liaison Librarian.  If a book is required for teaching please email readinglists@st-andrews.ac.uk

Students can complete a book recommendation form, see the book recommendation guide for further information.

Need help? Chat to Library Staff, Monday - Friday, 9.00-17.00 using the box below.  When "Chat with us" is unavailable email library@st-andrews.ac.uk with your question.

There may be an option to download an ebook to your device, and this may require additional software, we advise in these cases that you use the read online option to access these title.  If you want to donwload to read later offline then you will need to install software, see the links below.

For PCs, MACs and some e-readers you will need to install Adobe Digital Editions.

Adobe Digital Editions may not be compatible with some mobile devices, instead you will need to install the Bluefire Reader App from your app store.