netLibrary

Scope| Access | Accounts | Formats | eBooks | Downloadable eBooks | Software Requirements | Help

Scope

NetLibraryis a searchable database of online eContent (digital version of books, journals, and database content).When you connect to the site, you should see Welcome to the Virginia Polytechnic Institute eContent Collection. Currently, the Virginia Tech Library's eContent includes nearly 50,000 eBooks, of which nearly 13,000 are downloadable. NetLibrary provides free access to a few thousand publicly-accessible eBooks that anyone can read, but the vast majority of titles are accessible only to subscribers through IP recognition or account login.

Access

If you connect from on-campus (which includes inbound modem pool and VPN access), you are immediately recognized and passed into the site. If you connect from a commercial ISP or other non-VT Internet service, you will have to authenticate yourself through the Off Campus Sign in.

Accounts

You can create a personal account, which will allow you to designate a list of favorites, make notes in individual full-text eContent items, and customize your account preferences. You do not need to create an account to view eBooks online.

Formats

There are three format categories - eBooks, eAudiobooks, and Downloadable eBooks. The Virginia Tech collection includes no eAudiobooks. As of 22 June 2007, there are 45,543 eBooks in the Virginia Tech Collection and an additional 3,646 freely accessible eBooks that are available to all users.

eBooks

When you select an eBook to view, the NetLibrary online reader opens, a browser-based application designed to work with eBooks and other eContent. The full-text of the eBook and a navigation bar display in the right-hand frame of the online reader. The table-of-contents and search box appear in the left-hand frame.

Reading is a bit tedious for eBooks as you have to proceed one page at a time. Use the Next>> and <<Previousbuttons to page through the contents or jump diretly to a page by typing its number in the Page box.

The "View" functionality allows a user to access a copy of a title on a rolling 15 minute basis--if the user continues to be actively viewing the eBook (turning pages, navigating, etc.),he or she will continue to have access. However, if the user becomes inactive for 15 minutes, the copy will become available for another user to access.

Downloadable eBooks

You can download some full-text eContent to your personal computer for offline viewing. A little more than 25% of the Virginia Tech collection is downloadable. To download a book, you must be logged into your NetLibrary account. You can limit output to Downloable eBooks when searching using the Advanced Search mode.

Downloaded eBooks are "checked out" to you for a period of 3 days. Checked out materials that are viewed online are unavailable to other users, but you can view the downloaded file on your computer for the entire borrowing period. So, once a book has been downloaded, please check-in immediately so that other readers can view the contents online. Then read at your convenience over the three-day checkout period, but be aware that the content will nto be available after 3 days. After 72 hours you will see a message that "this document expired" if trying to view a downloaded eBook.

Before you download

• Make sure that you have Adobe Reader 6.0 or higher installed on your computer.
• You will need to activate Adobe Reader on your computer or portable device (e.g., Palm OS or Pocket PC) before downloading your first eBook.

How to check out, download, and check in an eBook

1. Once you have located a Downable eBook, click on the Show Details link for the title.
2. Click on Check Out & Download this eBook.
3. The eBook is now checked out to your account and added to your Checked Out Items.
• You are prompted to log in if you have not logged in already.
• The download information displays, which includes information on the download time and system requirements.
4. Click on Download this eContent to download the file to your personal computer; or click on Cancel to cancel the download. A download message displays and informs you when the download is completed.
5. Adobe Reader will open and receive the downloaded document.
• The Adobe Reader should automatically open the first time you download an item to view offline.
• You may be prompted to activate Adobe Reader the first time you download.
6. When finishd viewing a downloaded eBook, login to your NetLibrary account, click on Checked Out Items and then click on Check In. You will see a message that the eContent was checked in successfully.

Software Requirements

Browser: NetLibrary supports the following browser versions: Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher, Netscape 6.2 or higher, Mozilla 1. 1 or higher, Firefox 1.0 or higher, Opera 7.0 or higher.

Plug-ins: To use the NetLibrary online reader, you may need a plug-in to view some full-text eContent. If additional software is required to view a title, a link to the software is provided on the Details page. These are the plug-ins that may be required for some titles.

• Adobe Reader 6.0 plug-in (for some eContent)
• DjVu plug-in (for some eBooks)

Cookies: NetLibrary requires your web browser to support cookies and to have all cookie options enabled.

Help

If you have questions about using this resource, please contact Dave Beagle; 231-9231) or your college librarian. See also NetLibrary's online Help.