Searching for an ebook

You can find the ebooks available to you through the search box on the Library homepage.  If you know you only want to find ebooks you can use the E-books only tick-box to limit your search:

Enter a title, keyword, author or combintion of these into the search box, if you've used the E-books only option all the results will be for ebooks you have full-text access to.

If you haven't use the E-books only tickbox you can restrict your search to e-books within the results page by using the refinements area on the left, select Ebooks in the formats area.  If you can't see an option for Ebooks, select More Information and then select Ebooks:

Accessing an ebook

On the results page use the eBook Button  to access an ebook.  All entries in the results page with this option will be ebooks you have full text access to.

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 access then later 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

Students can email details of the book to morebooks@st-andrews.ac.uk

Please advise if you would prefer a print or ebook, the Library can't guarantee we can get the format you would prefer, but we'll do our best.

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.

Ever been stuck behind a paywall for a journal article, newspaper article, or ebook?

Lean Library is a browser add-on that makes it easier to get access to these resources. Land on a webpage where you can't access a resource and Lean Library can give you a link directing you to the full-text version available through the Library subscription, or an open-access version. It saves you time looking for a login button or having to go back to Library Search to look up a title. 

You can install the Lean Library browser add-on in most browser download.leanlibrary.com/

More information about Lean Library can be found in our guide libguides.st-andrews.ac.uk/lean

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.