You can use information from e-books in various ways, particularly if you create an account or personal profile within a particular e-book platform. You can, for example, make notes and annotations. Each platform has its own options and guidance on this. Links to guidance and information on some ebook platforms are provided below. Some platforms have more functionality than others and they have their own tabs in this guide.
Follow the steps below to get full access to Oxford Academic eBooks. You can also view the Oxford Academic platform guide.
Scroll down the screen of the book to access the contents.
You can choose to select introductory information or go straight to a chapter:
Once you access the content of a book from Oxford Academic, you have various options:
1. Keep scrolling down the screen to view the entire contents of the chapter
2. View the chapter as a PDF (option above the abstract). You can also print the PDF.
3. Split view (option above the abstract) allows you to view the chapter contents on the right hand side at the same time as scrolling down the screen on the left hand side to view the chapter contents
4. Share (option above the abstract) shows a range of options including emailing the chapter or sending information to social media.
5. You can use the search box at the top of the screen to search for other books and content such as journals within the Oxford Academic platform (hint - it may be easier to find your content via Hunter)
6. You can browse specific sections of Oxford Academic. The sections shown on the screen will vary depending on the subject of the book you are currently viewing
Ovid e-books have the publication's contents pages on the left-hand side and the viewing panel on the right-hand side. There is a search box located just under the title of the e-book which you are currently reading. Chapters are displayed on one continuous page, so there is no need to navigate between pages. You have the option to save and email parts of the book to yourself. Parts of a chapter can be printed out by clicking on the printer logo next to the subheading. References in the body of the text are hyperlinked, so clicking on one takes you directly to the full reference. For more information, please have a look at this guide.
When you find a title that is provided by Ebook Central you will have to sign in, by first clicking on "view online" and then selecting an institution name. You can choose between "St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust" and "South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust", if you are NHS staff. If you are a St George's student, you select "St George's University of London - Shibboleth".
After logging in, you will be taken to the landing page of the platform.
Under "availability" at the top of the page, you can choose what you would like to do with the title, for example read it or download it. Ebook Central tells you automatically how many days you can download a book for and how many pages you can download without expiration date.
If you choose the "read online" option of a chapter, you are taken to a new page, which allows you to read the chapter, much like in a physical book. Above the text block, you find icons to download and print the chapter. You can also add the book to your virtual Ebook Central shelf, highlight and annotate parts you find particularly relevant. You can also enlarge the font by clicking on the magnifying glass.
Further information can be found in the Ebook Central tab of this guide.
Ebook Central has useful and easy-to-navigate help pages, which you can find here.
