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How to Use NetLibrary
Using NetLibrary
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Contents
What is NetLibrary?
The NetLibrary database provides access to the UMUC NetLibrary e-books collection. You can search the collection for a book on your research topic and read the full text of the book online. The UMUC NetLibrary collection can be accessed by current UMUC students, faculty and staff.
How do I access NetLibrary e-books?
Option 1 - Access e-books via the e-books page:
- Go to the library homepage.
- Click on E-book Collections.
- Then click on the E-Book Collections tab and in the UC Collections box, click on NetLibrary.
- Enter your last name and library barcode or EMPLID when prompted.
Option 2 - Access e-books via the list of databases:
- Go to the library homepage.
- Click on Research Databases.
- Then click on "N" to go to databases starting with the letter N.
- Find and click on the link for NetLibrary in the list of databases.
- Enter your last name and library barcode or EMPLID when prompted.
Option 3 - Access e-books via catalogUSMAI:
- Go to the library catalog (called catalogUSMAI) and do a search. For help with the library catalog, see our guide to Using the Library Catalog.
- A link in the catalog record for an e-book that is available in NetLibrary will connect you directly to the e-book. Click on the
icon and then the Go button.
How do I search NetLibrary?
Basic Search
Using NetLibrary's basic search screen, you can search an e-book by:
- Full-Text (search the text of an e-book)
- Keyword
- Title
- Author
- Subject
A keyword search will look for your terms in the following fields: title, author, subject heading, publisher, and ISBN. To do a keyword search, enter your terms with the word AND between keywords and phrases, then click on search.
Advanced Search
If you use NetLibrary's advanced search option, you can also search by publisher and ISBN.
How do I view a NetLibrary e-book?
Electronic books can be viewed in increments of 15 minutes. If you do not use the e-book for 15 minutes, the e-book is returned for someone else to use. The 15 minute period can be extended if you are actively paging through the e-book. If you are printing or copying, this does not extend the 15 minute period. For more information on checking out an e-book, see the section on How do I check out NetLibrary e-books.
To view an e-book, follow the steps below.
- Search for an e-book.
- In the search results list, click on a link called View this eBook.
Once you are viewing the e-book, you can use the table of contents to navigate. Below is a sample Table of Contents:
To go to a previous or a next page, or to skip to a specific page number, you can use the navigation buttons in the upper right hand corner.
You can also locate a keyword within an e-book by using Search this eContent in the lower left hand corner.
Note: you will NOT be able to SAVE a copy of the e-book because it is copyright protected. However, you can print out a limited number of pages, one page at a time.
To view the e-book again, you will need to search for it as outlined above and then choose to either view the e-book or check it out (if check out is available).
How do I set up a NetLibrary account?
You need to set up a NetLibrary account if you want to check out e-books.
1. Once you have accessed the NetLibrary, click Create a Free Account.
2. Choose your own, private user name and password. Create your own, personal username and password. It DOES NOT have to be your UMUC barcode, EMPLID, or nine digit ID number. Choose a username and password that you will remember.
3. Create a security question and answer. Next, for your protection, enter a security question and an answer. This is needed in case you forget your password. NetLibrary will use the security question to verify that you are the person with an account.
4. Provide account information. You need to provide your first name, last name, and e-mail address. All other fields are optional. Click the Create Account button and your account will be created!
How do I check out NetLibrary e-books?
It is important to note that the only NetLibrary e-books that can be checked out are the ones that can be downloaded. The only e-books that can be downloaded are in PDF, but there will be a few titles in PDF that cannot be downloaded, due to copyright restrictions.
To be able to check out e-books, you will need to set up a NetLibrary account. Please refer to the section on How do I set up a NetLibrary account if you have never before checked out NetLibrary e-books. Note that it is possible to view NetLibrary e-books in increments of 15 minutes without checking out an e-book, and you can extend this limit by actively paging through the e-book. For more information, see the How do I view a NetLibrary e-book section. By checking out a NetLibrary e-book, you get exclusive access to the e-book for a longer period of time. The time period will vary for each of the e-books. If the e-book is already checked out, you will not be able to check it out until the e-book has been checked out for the specific time limit, or has been checked in.
1. To check out an e-book in NetLibrary, first click on Show Details in the search results.
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2. Next, click on Check Out & Download this eBook. If the e-book is NOT downloadable, then the Check Out & Download this eBook link will not appear.
3. You can either: (1) view the e-book online (if you are on a public computer) or (2) download the content (if you are not on a public computer). Either option will allow you to check out the e-book for more than 15 minutes. For more information on how to download NetLibrary e-books, see the How do I download NetLibrary e-books section.
How do I check in NetLibrary e-books?
If you need to return the e-book within the checkout period, click on Checked Out Items in the upper right corner of the NetLibrary screen.
And then click on Check In.
How do I download NetLibrary e-books?
Adobe Digital Editions® 1.7.1 or higher and Adobe® DRM
To download NetLibrary e-books to your computer and/or handheld device for reading offline, you will need the following:
- Adobe Digital Editions 1.7.1 or higher must also be installed and activated in order to download and manage your e-books.
- An Adobe account is required to activate Adobe Digital Editions due to Adobe DRM (Digital Rights Management) technology.
For more information on installing and activating Adobe Digital Editions and Adobe DRM on your personal computer(s) or your handheld device(s), see the NetLibrary Check Out and Download eBooks Process help site.
How do I log out of NetLibrary?
You should always end your session by clicking Log Out.
What if I have technical problems?
Please see our NetLibrary Technical Issues page for help resolving some common browser and plug-in problems.
Where can I get more help?
- Check search tips and help available within NetLibrary.
- Ask a Librarian! - UMUC librarians provide help 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.