EBOOKS AT THE LIBRARY

Accessing digital sources through the Library’s

Homepage.

THIS TUTORIAL WILL SHOW YOU HOW TOACCESS SEVERAL TYPES OF EBOOKS. YOU’LL SEE:

o Overdrive books from the Library’s catalog- mostly current titles and leisure reading

o Collections of reference book articles provided by publishers and eBook vendors

o Digital copies of some of the reference books that are on the shelves in the Library

SOME THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

You won't need an e-reader to access our eBooks. If you have trouble accessing the eBooks, try using Internet Explorer (not Firefox or any other browser).

eBooks allow you to use the Web for research without worrying about the sources’ reliability.

You will need a Library barcode to access our digital collection. Using your college email account you can register for one here.

OVERDRIVE

When you access our catalog, the Mcat, you will see a link to download eBooks.

This is the link to access our network’s collection of Overdrive materials.

As you can see above, our network’s collection includes e-text as well as sound recordings. So, you can read your eBook on your computer or other device or you can listen to an audiobook on any device with speakers. You might even listen to that book you haven’t had time to read on your ipod as you commute.

Click on the Help for getting started with your device link for information.

HERE’S AN OVERDRIVE BOOK AS IT APPEARS IN THE ADOBE DIGITAL EDITIONS SOFTWARE PROVIDED BY OVERDRIVE.

REFERENCE BOOK ARTICLES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE LIBRARY

The Library offers several databases of eBook articles that are searchable by subject.

This tutorial will show two of them.

GALE VIRTUAL REFERENCE LIBRARY

When you need basic information on a subject, you can access the Gale Virtual Reference Library from the Library’s database page either alphabetically or from the Subject List. Choose General from the list.

• Here’s a sample search and the beginning of the results list. These reference book entries will give a good introduction to a subject.

CREDO REFERENCECredo Reference is another place to find good sources of general information on a topic. Find it by using the same General link.

• Gale Virtual Reference Library and Credo Reference provide access to articles similar to those you would find on the reference shelves in the Library; dictionaries, encyclopedias and other very general sources.

• Next we will look at how students can access reference works in specific subject areas using our eBook Research

and Help Guide.

RESEARCH TITLES

Many of our reference books are purchased in both print and digital forms.

• In order to provide easy access to them the Library provides a guide to available eBooks that you can access here.

• Using your Massasoit barcode (you can get one here) access eBooks in any of the subjects you see above.

All of the other tabs in this guide provide lists of titles from different subject areas.

This is what you can find currently in the Arts section.

LET’S REVIEW

Becoming familiar with the Library’s homepage will allow you to: Register for your barcode (required for all

online sources) Access at least 3 types of eBooks

Overdrive books; current fiction and nonfiction titles that can be checked out for two weeks

Reference book entries from many dictionaries and encyclopedias

Entire eBooks from many areas of academic interest

Still not sure? Ask us. End