LibGuides: eBooks: VLeBooks

VLeBooks

https://www.vlebooks.com

The library provides some ebook content via the VLeBooks platform. You will need to log in via Shibboleth using your Goldsmiths username and password (i.e. the same username and password that you use for email and the VLE).

Select “Goldsmiths, University of London” from the list of organizations.

When you select an ebook you will see the options to “Read Online” and/or “Download” the ebook.

Occasionally you may see “Preview” instead of “Read Online/Download”. Click on “Preview” to open the ebook.

After 5 minutes or 50 pages (whichever occurs soonest) a pop up will appear to let you know that the preview limit has been reached.

Go back to the main listing for the ebook where you will now see a “Request Access” button. Clicking “Request Access” will then give you access to the full ebook with the option to “Read Online/Download”.

Reserve a Book

Some of our ebooks have a restriction on the number of users that may access the ebook at one time. If you try to open one of these ebooks when it has already reached its maximum number of users, you will be given the option to enter your email address and reserve the ebook. You will then be notified by email when the ebook is available to read.

Read Online mode

Read Online mode opens the ebook in a new tab in your web browser. Navigation, display, print/copy and annotation features are accessed via the icons on the left sidebar and the toolbar on the top right of the screen.

Navigation and Scrolling Between Pages

You can scroll between pages by using the down arrow on your keyboard, the scroll wheel on your mouse, or by using the scroll bar on the right side of the screen. You can also navigate within the book by clicking through the Table of Contents links on the left side of the screen, by browsing through Thumbnails of each page, using the Search function (image of a magnifying glass) to find a particular word or phrase, or by typing a Page Number into the box above the page.

Display Features

The top right toolbar allows you to select different display options. There is an option to Zoom in/Zoom Out, the Page Layout icon allows you to select whether to view single or double pages on the screen, Page Resize will fit the page to your screen and under Page Options you can rotate the page. The Background Colours icon (image of a colour palette) can be used to adjust the background colour.

Printing from VLeBooks

In “read online” mode you may print a limited proportion of the ebook (note: you can only print from “read online” mode, not from a downloaded ebook). Click on the “Print” icon on the top right toolbar to open a window displaying your print allowance for that ebook. You may then choose to print the current page or enter the page range that you wish to print.

To check the print and copy allowance for an ebook and monitor how much you have used click on the “Book Details” icon (image of an open book) on the left toolbar.

Copying from VLeBooks

In “read online” mode you may copy a limited proportion of the ebook (note: you can only copy from “read online” mode, not from a downloaded ebook).

There are two ways to copy text. The first option is to copy all of the text on a particular page by clicking on “Page Options” (image of a page on the top right toolbar) and choose “copy page”. This brings up a window containing all of the text from the current page from which you can then copy/paste the text into another document for you to save.

The second option is to copy a selection of text by using the “Text Selection” icon (image of an arrow on the top right toolbar). Click and drag the cursor across the text that you wish to copy, click “Copy Text” in the pop up that appears which will then bring your selected text up in another window from which you can then copy/paste the text into another document.

Using the Annotations features on VLeBooks

Adding Bookmarks

There are two ways to add bookmarks. The first way is to select the image of a purple flag that will appear when you move your cursor over the top right corner of a page.

The second way is to select “Annotations” from the left sidebar and click “Bookmark” which will add a purple flag to the current page.

Adding Notes

There are two ways to add notes. To add notes to a selection of text click the “Text Selection” icon on the top right toolbar and select the text that you wish to annotate. This will bring up a pop up from which you can select the “Add Notes” icon (image of a page) which will bring up a window from where you can add and save notes. Once saved this will then highlight the originally selected text in yellow and add the image of a small yellow note to the page to indicate that there are notes attached.

To add notes which refer to an entire page select the “Annotations” icon and select “Notes”. This will bring up a window from where you can add and save notes.

Highlighting Text

To highlight text select the “Text Selection” icon, select the text you want to highlight and in the pop up choose one of the coloured highlighters.

All of your bookmarks, notes and highlighted text are saved in the “Annotations” section in the left sidebar. You also have the option to export your annotations to another document or share your notes with another user (clicking “share” will generate a code that you can give to another user to enter in the “import” box to view your notes).

Downloading VLeBooks on a PC or MAC

To download a VLeBook on a PC or MAC you will need to install a program called Adobe Digital Editions and create a free account called Adobe ID when prompted. Adobe Digital Editions can be downloaded from http://www.adobe.com/solutions/ebook/digital-editions/download.html

Please note: When using a laptop or desktop PC or Mac you will not be able to download Adobe Digital Editions from Google Play or the App Store.

You can find further instructions about downloading Adobe Digital Editions on the VLeBooks website: https://www.vlebooks.com/vleweb/Help/DigitalEditions

Once you have installed Adobe Digital Editions on your PC/MAC, click on the “Download” button beneath the image of the book cover. A window will appear asking you how many days you would like to download the ebook for. In most cases there is an option to download for up to 3 days, although some ebooks many have shorter download periods. Note: The downloaded ebook will expire after the selected number of days but you may download the ebook again if you need it for longer.

You will be taken to a page telling you that your ebook download link is being generated. Once the link appears, select “Click here to download”.

If this does not work, go into “My Account” at the top of the screen. You can then download your ebook from within the “Current Downloads” tab.

In Firefox, when prompted, choose to open the file in Adobe Digital Editions. In Chrome open the file from your downloads folder and the ebook will automatically open in Adobe Digital Editions. If this does not happen, launch Adobe Digital Editions, click “File / Add to Library” and open the ebook from your computer’s downloads folder (the ebook will be an “acsm” file, in order to view this, change the file type from "Ebooks" to "Adobe Content Server Message").

Please note: It is not possible to print or copy from the downloaded version of a VLeBook.

Using VLeBooks on an iOS or Android device

To download VLeBooks on an iOS or Android device you will need to install the VLeBooks app, and create a free account called Adobe ID when prompted. The VLeBooks app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store (iOS) or the Google Play Store (Android).

Once you have installed the VLeBooks app, select the download option on the description page on the VLeBooks website. Select the length of download you require.

You will be taken to a page telling you that your eBook download link is being generated. Once the link appears, select “Click here to download”. If this does not work, click on the ‘Alternate download’ option.

Your device will ask you to choose what program to open the eBook in: choose the VLeBooks app. You will be prompted to create an Adobe ID account, or enter your login details if you already have an Adobe ID. Your VLeBook will then open in the VLeBooks app.