How-To Screencasts
This guide includes screenshots taken from an older version of Adobe Digital Editions (2.0) than the one currently available (4.01). While the look may be slightly different, things should work more or less similarly (watch for notes).
It includes instructions for reading the ebook of Braiding Sweetgrass on your desktop, laptop, or tablet browser and/or downloading it to Adobe Digital Editions (desktop/laptop/tablet)
Ebook Central ebooks records in Search It will look like the images below (note that this one is available both as a WSU-purchased ebook and through the ProQuest Ebook Central Academic Complete subscription database - they both go to the same book). Click on either link to access the ebook - the interface will be the same. You will need to log in with your WSU credentials for access.
2. To read the book immediately on-screen, click the "Available for Online Reading" link. If the publisher permits, you may be able to copy pages (they will download as a regular PDF that you will own) or print pages, but in all cases you should be able to take notes/annotations, bookmark a page, save a title onto a bookshelf so you don't forget it, and more. These are linked to you based on your signing in with your WSU account, and will stay as long as you have WSU access (or delete them intentionally). Note: Go ahead and check the book out - you have it for a year and we have unlimited downloads so everyone can do this!
Note the online reading options; if you mouse over them you will see they are your online reading tools (full download, page(s)/chapter download, copy, print to PDF, add to bookshelf, share link, get citation, highlight, add note, bookmark, etc). Not all books allow downloading, printing or copying; this is a publisher decision, not the WSU Libraries or Ebook Central, but you’ll see Braiding Sweetgrass allows it and gives you a set number of pages that can be downloaded into pdf(s) or copied as text files that can be pasted in a document.
If you highlight text, you will see options to copy (this will create a text box you can copy from - it will also append the citation but not the page number; you can add that in yourself along with any notes before you copy and paste the text where you want it to go outside of the ebook). You can also highlight (including changing the color of your highlighter), and create an in-book note. Notes will have a visible icon on the page, and can also be located, along with all other annotations, highlights and bookmarks, by clicking the star in the purple left-hand menu. You can also add a note or bookmark directly from the icon menu at the top of the ebook page.
3. To download a chapter or page sequence as a PDF, just click on the "Chapter Download" icon at the top of the screen, and you will be prompted to select a page range (there is a maximum number of pages that can be downloaded) or the current chapter. Some publishers do not allow page printing and/or downloads, and there will always be a page limit for printing and downloading. Note that your access is tied to your WSU account, so you can't download the maximum on one sitting and download more the next time you access the book. Your page/chapter download will be a PDF that is your to keep; each page will include a basic citation at the bottom.
4. To download a complete ebook to read offline on a desktop or laptop, click on the Download icon at the top of the Ebook Central screen, or the Full Download button on the left side of the ebook record screen (if you don't see it, click on the "Book details" book icon on the upper left).
You will see a wizard that will walk you through the process, including
1. selecting a device (laptop/desktop, iOS (iPad, iPhone, iPod), Android (phone or tablet - this includes the Kindle Fire), or Other. It will ask if you are using your own computer or a public computer; select the appropriate response
My Own Computer:
2. prompting you to download Adobe Digital Editions ebook reading software if you have not already installed it (Note: WSU Libraries computers will all have it installed, although perhaps not the most updated version). Note it will also provide a link to create a free Adobe ID that can be used to authorize your Adobe Digital Editions software. You DO NOT NEED THIS unless you plan on transferring your ebook to another device that is not a desktop/laptop/iOS device/Android device (all of which can directly download Ebook central ebooks). Basically you only need an Adobe ID if you want to transfer your ebook to a e-Ink Ereader such as a Nook. Otherwise you can just use ADE without authorization.
3. Downloading the ebook. Note that this may or may not give you a choice on download period (how long you have the book checked out) and format. If you can choose your format, choose EPUB, not PDF - it provides a better reading experience usually. If you have problems, there is a Help link.
4. You will see a message indicating that you checked out the ebook, and a box letting you open the ebook in Adobe Digital Editions. Depending what browser you are using, you may see something different - i.e. if you are using the Chrome browser, it may save a "URLLink.ascn" that you will need to click on to open (look on the lower left part of your browser window).
In Firefox:
5. Your book will open in ADE with the cover showing. Depending on the version of ADE you have and how you have it set up, you may read it by scrolling down, or use the arrow buttons to turn pages. Be sure to select Show Page Numbers in the Reading menu!
6. From here you can read your book, bookmark pages, highlight text, take notes, and more. Highlighted text and notes will include the page they were taken from and can be seen through the bookmarks option. NOTE: notes, highlighting, and bookmarks will NOT be available after the book has been returned! If you take notes, be sure to transfer (copy and paste) them into a email or document that you can save on your computer! If you are reading the book online you can save that information if you are logged in, but NOT when you download!! Unfortunately you can’t directly export your ADE annotations.
In ADE, To highlight text or make a note, highlight and right-click on the text of interest and select your option.
7. When the check-out period of the book has passed, the downloaded ebook will no longer be accessible to you (nor will any notes, highlights or bookmarks that you made). In Adobe Digital Editions, if you click on the Library link (upper right corner) you will see a list of titles that you have saved in ADE. If you want, you can right-click on the title and remove the empty record from your ADE library.