eBooks

The library provides access to over 400,000 ebooks.

Our ebooks are available from various suppliers. To access them start on the Library website.

You will be able to read online, annotate, and use the ebook accessibility features. For further details on the most common questions, e.g. downloading ebooks, see below.

Please note, ebooks are for educational use only and must not be altered or adapted in any way, and content must not be uploaded to AI systems without authorisation from the copyright holder.

FAQs

Go to the Library homepage
Use the ‘Search library resources’ box to check if the ebook you're looking for is available
You can search for the ebook using the title, author, or keywords
Use the 'Refine Your Search' menu to narrow your results by 'Source Type: eBooks'
Click on the title of the book, or 'Check availability' in your search results, and then 'View Online' on the item details page
You may have to log in with your usual Bath Spa login details
You can then choose to download the ebook, or to read it online
A bespoke app may be required to download whole ebooks onto your device (see below)

For the majority of ebooks, you'll have the option to read online or download. Reading online offers more customisable settings, including accessibility features.

Ebooks from VLeBooks, Ebook Central and EBSCO require the suppliers' own app to download the whole book onto your device.

When downloading, follow the on screen instructions for the supplier. The following guides also provide step-by-step instructions about downloading the ebooks.

Yes, you can print and copy from most ebooks within the limits of copyright law and/or publishers’ license agreements.

How much can I print?

This will usually mean that you are able to print or copy 10% or one chapter of a book (whichever is greater), as with a printed book. You will usually be told what these limits are when you try to print or copy from a book. The supplier will retain information on how much you've already printed and/or copied.

How do I print?

Printing and/or copying is only available from the read online view and is not available from an ebook you've downloaded.

Many of our ebooks only allow a specific number of people to view them at any one time. If that number has been reached, then you will be placed in a queue.

Loan periods vary by supplier, e.g. VLeBooks, Ebook Central, EBSCO. Once the ebook download has expired you will have to download it again.

We can only buy ebooks that are licensed for use in universities. Amazon Kindle ebooks aren't.

Some ebooks are only sold to individuals and aren’t available for libraries to buy at all. Others are offered to libraries under restrictive or high‑cost licences that make them unsuitable for our needs.

Ebook help by supplier

To download Ebook Central ebooks on your device you will first need to download the Ebook Central app.

You will be prompted to do this when you first download an Ebook Central ebook.

An authorisation code will also be supplied in the browser which will enable you to link your Ebook Central account with the app.

Ebook Central App installation guide

EBSCO ebooks will require using the Thorium app and the LCP ebook format.

After accessing the ebook on the EBSCO platform, click the download button and select the ‘Full eBook’ tab. You will then be provided with a link to download the Thorium app, and a Thorium Reader passphrase. Once you have installed the Thorium Reader enter the passphrase to sign into the app. You will then be able to download the e-book for offline reading.

Please see this EBSCO guide and the Thorium FAQs for further details.

To download VLeBooks ebooks on your device you will first need to download the VLeBooks app.

You will be prompted to do this when you first download a VLeBooks ebook.

An authorisation code will also be supplied in the browser which will enable you to link your VLeBooks account with the app.