eBooks


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eBooks at BCPL

Borrow popular titles from OverDrive, Maryland's Digital eLibrary Consortium (in Adobe eBook format) to download and view on your PC or handheld device.

An Adobe PDF eBook is a PDF file that is DRM-protected using Adobe DRM (Digital Rights Management).  DRM allows publishers to protect eBooks from unlawful distribution and to set certain restrictions on content, such as limits on copying and printing.

About OverDrive eBooks:

  • Two week loan period

  • Can be returned early

  • No overdue fees

  • Limit of any 4 items checked out at one time

  • Cannot be renewed

  • Requires Adobe Digital Editions*

  • For more information, see OverDrive Help

  • You may not download to BCPL public computers

* Adobe Digital Editions is a free eBook reader used to read DRM-protected PDF and EPUB files. Adobe Digital Editions extends the eBook capabilities that were integrated in previous versions of Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat®, and delivers a simplified, content-centric, user-friendly interface.

 Handheld User

OverDrive offers eBooks and eAudiobooks. Be sure to select the correct format!
Woman using her laptop. How to Download an eBook to Your Computer:
  1. First you need to download and install free software, then you'll find tips on how to register your software.
     
  2. Then browse through the titles available or search for a specific title you'd like to download.
     
  3. Once you locate a title of interest, simply click to add it to your BookBag.
     
  4. If a desired title is not available, you may place a hold on the title. When the title becomes available, you will receive an email with instructions on checking the book out.
     
  5. Once you have checked out a title, a download page will be displayed. Click the 'Download' link to start the download. Once the download is complete, you can close your Internet connection and enjoy the materials offline.

How to Transfer an eBook to your handheld device:

To transfer Adobe PDF eBooks using Adobe Digital Editions…

  1. Open Adobe Digital Editions.
  2. Click on the PDF eBook title you wish to transfer to your Sony Reader.
  3. Drag the PDF eBook title to the PRS-505 icon in the left pane of Adobe Digital Editions.
  4. The 'Copy Documents' dialog box is displayed and the title is transferred. When transfer is complete the 'Copy Documents' dialog box closes.
  5. You can now disconnect the Sony Reader and enjoy the PDF eBook title on-the-go.

Adobe eBooks cannot presently be transferred to Palm and Pocket PC devices using Adobe Digital Editions.

 Girl enjoying her portable device.

Troubleshooting

Other sources for eBooks

Alex Catalogue of Electronic Texts
Collection of public domain documents from American and English literature as well as Western philosophy.

Bartleby.com
Internet publisher of literature, reference books and poetry for students.

Book Locker
Unique, eclectic and different titles in eBook format.

classicbookshelf.com
This site has a built-in reader that allows users to change background and font color and text size, font and spacing for easier reading of the public domain works in its library. No download required.

eBooks.com
Whole books, chapters and pages of books online from the world's leading publishers.

Hour of the Wolf
Links to classic and modern science fiction and fantasy fiction.

The On-Line Books Page
Index of over 16,000 on-line books free for personal, non-commercial use.

Project Gutenberg
Fine literature digitally re-published, with over 3000 classic books that can be downloaded.

Questia
Research and access books, journals, magazines, and newspapers.

University of Virginia Library Electronic Centers
Approximately 70,000 on- and off-line humanities texts in 13 languages. Provided by the University of Virginia.