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Electronic Books (eBooks)

Overview

Electronic Books (eBook)

SUSS Library offers access to a variety of scholarly electronic book (eBook) collections via its online portal for use by the SUSS community.

This guide will share with you the following:

  • What is an eBook?
  • Which are the main eBook collections available through SUSS Library?
  • Where to locate the eBooks?
  • How to use the eBooks? 

Electronic Book (eBook)

What is an electronic book (eBook)?

An electronic book, also known as an eBook is a book publication made available in digital or electronic form and can be read online or offline on computers or across mobile devices through compatible web browsers, software readers, and applications. 

The use of eBooks must be in accordance with all the applicable copyright laws (including, but not limited to, the Singapore Copyright Act 2021) and comply with the Appropriate Use of Electronic Resources Policy. 

Publishers and ebook providers keep their eBook collections on their own platforms and the usage of eBooks is bound by the publishers'  licensing Terms and Conditions, and copyright restrictions. All eBook platforms are unique with different designs, user interfaces, search functionalities, and features such as personal folders or virtual bookshelf. Most of the eBook platforms also require registration of a personal account to enable full downloading of eBooks and provision of personalized services such as saving search history, saving bookmarks, and annotated eBooks. 

You may wonder why certain eBooks can be read or downloaded freely without installing any software whereas other titles require special software such as Adobe Digital Editions or proprietary apps/platforms for access. 

Publishers protect their eBooks by imposing Digital Rights Management (DRM) restrictions such as using special software like Adobe Digital Editions to limit access to the content through the lending model (e.g. borrowing periods or restricting "one reader, one eBook") and also control the amount of content from copying, printing or unauthorized distribution, etc.  For eBooks that come with single or multiple user access, they are mostly DMR-protected titles. 

On the contrary, DRM-free eBooks have lesser restrictions for accessing, copying, downloading, and printing as publishers have removed DRM technology from these eBooks.  These DRM-free eBooks can be read on any device with unlimited user access too. 

In summary, DRM varies by individual eBooks, platforms, and access modes.

Main eBook Collections

Accessing SUSS Library's eBook

SUSS Library acquires eBooks from a number of publishers and online resource providers through purchases or subscriptions. We work closely with our faculty to continuously select and develop diverse, relevant, and useful eBook collections so as to better serve the SUSS community. 

Basically, you can access SUSS Library's licensed eBooks from SUSS Library or outside SUSS Library website. 

1. Access the eBook collections from the publisher or provider's platform via SUSS Library:

2. Access SUSS's licensed eBooks outside SUSS Library website (e.g. google scholar, publisher's platform, academic databases etc.)

Do log in with your login credentials to the SUSS Library for authentication when prompted.  For details, please refer to our FAQ

 

Alkem Digital Library

What are available in the Alkem Digital Library?

Alkem Digital Library offers a curated eBook collection whereby titles will be added over time for your online and offline access. To download and read the eBook offline, you are required to install Adobe Digital Edition. It allows you to borrow the eBook for 3 days. 

  • Ebooks available through Alkem Digital Library can be accessed via Databases A-Z under 'A' or "eBook Collection" under Database Type. 
  • Check out our FAQ on the method to access the eBooks through Alkem Digital Library.

Do you know that you can read eBooks online and offline through Alkem Digital Library? You can even listen to the content of the eBooks. For more details, please refer to Alkem's Video Guide and Support webpage

EBSCO eBooks

What are available in the EBSCO eBook Collections?

SUSS Library offers over 210,000 ebooks from EBSCO that are either purchases or from EBSCO's eBook Academic Collection subscription covering Business and Economics, Digital Marketing, Education, Film Studies, Language Arts and Disciplines, Literary Criticism, Political Science, Psychotherapy, Social Science, and Technology and Engineering.

The EBSCO platform provides useful tools and functions:

  • Personal Folder
  • Save search history
  • Citation Format
  • Create Note
  • More...

Do check out the guide on how to create an EBSCO Personal Account to sign-in into My EBSCOhost!

 

You may be puzzled why certain ebooks are not accessible or require sign-in to a personal account for downloading. You may be also curious about the terms Unlimited Users, 1B3U, or 1B1U, and wonder how they affect your access to ebooks. 

To answer your queries, EBSCO has curated a comprehensive user guide on the use of its ebooks.  You will get to know how to check the Publisher Permissions and the Concurrent Level for the ebook's accessibility and availability etc on the "Book Details". 

Examples: 

  • Unlimited Users (1BUU) = Unlimited simultaneous users per title
  • Three Users (1B3U) = Provides access to three users simultaneously
  • One User (1B1U) = Provide users access to titles, one user at a time

Do check out the EBSCO User Guide for details!

CNKI eBooks 电子图书库

What are available in the CNKI?

Our China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) eBooks collection provides unlimited full-text access to selected Chinese titles covering Chinese studies, language and literature, translation, and early Chinese education.

 

Do you want to be fully equipped with the skills to search or browse CNKI eBooks for your learning and research purposes? Please refer to the Chinese edition of the CNKI user guide or watch a video guide for more information. 

DSM-5 Library

What are available in DSM-5 Library?

Emerald Insight: eBooks

What are available in the Emerald Insight?

 

Access 150 Emerald eBooks on accounting, business, finance, economics, and management most sought after by SUSS library users since 2019. 

eBook Select 50 (2019)

- eBook Select 50 (2020)

eBook Select 50 (2021)

Emerald Insights' eBooks are available on Emerald platform which also contains online resources such as journals and business cases. You may want to refer to the comprehensive user guide curated by Emerald to explore the content of the eBooks, research tools, and features. 

Do check out the Emerald Insight User Guide for details!

 

JSTOR eBooks

What are available n the JSTOR?

We have 184 multidisciplinary eBooks available in JSTOR. The collection mainly comprises full-text backfiles and access is DRM-free (Digital Rights Management-free) with no restrictions or limits on chapter PDF downloads and printing. 

JSTOR's eBooks are available on JSTOR platform which also contains online resources such as journals, images, and primary sources. You may want to refer to the comprehensive user guide curated by JSTOR to help you explore its research tools and features.

Do check out the JSTOR User Guide for details!

Knovel

What are available in the Knovel?

Access 4 subscribed collections from Knovel database covering over 2,000 eBooks on the following:

  • Aerospace & Radar Technology Academic;
  • Computer Hardware Engineering Academic;
  • Electronics & Semiconductors Academic; and
  • Software Engineering Academic.

Besides eBooks, the database also includes interactive tools such as equations, unit converters, interactive graphs, and tables. See more info here.

Knovel database is accessible via Databases A-Z under the section K or "eBook Collection" under Database Type. 

You can sign up for a Knovel account that allows you to save and bookmark search results, create notes in eBooks, and access content offline on your mobile device.

Please refer to our FAQ  for details. 

Do you know that you can search within results to narrow your search for precision? Do you also know that a unit converter and equations are made available on the Knovel platform for your use? Besides accessing the eBooks on the web, you can also save to mobile too. 

  • Do check out the useful video tutorials curated by Knovel for additional information and 'Search Tips'.

LexRead

What are available in the LexRead?

LexRead contains exclusive content of legal-related eBooks on Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. 

 Access is available only to students and faculty from School of Law.

  • LexRead eBooks can be accessed via Databases A-Z under 'L' or "eBook Collection" under Database Type. 
  • SUSS Library has 58 LexRead eBooks to date and will be progressively adding more titles to this collection.
  • Check out our FAQ on LexRead's eBook available titles and access for details. 

 

Do you know that you need to download "iPublishCentral Reader" in order to read the eBooks offline? Do you also know that access is limited to 12 concurrent users per eBook? Users can access each eBook for a maximum of 5.

Please check out the user guide curated by LexRead for details!

O'Reilly for Higher Education

What are available in O'Reilly for Higher Education?

Oxford Academic eBooks

What are the available eBooks in Oxford Academic?

Oxford University Press has moved its major electronic book collections to the Oxford Academic where the journals are also available. Our collection of 179 Oxford Scholarship eBooks acquired through their Evidence-based model is accessible on this platform. Subjects include History, Linguistics, Literature, Music, Philosophy, Religion, Sociology, Law, Social Work, Psychology, Political Science, Mathematics, and Business & Management.

Books on Oxford Academic can be accessed via Databases A-Z under 'O' or "eBook Collection" under Database Type. 

Check out our FAQ for details. 

 

Do you want to optimize the features of Oxford Academic eBook platform such as the search tool and author-written chapter summaries? 

Do check out Oxford Academic's instructional video on eBooks for details!

ProQuest Ebook Central

What are available in the ProQuest Ebook Central?

Access our main collection of over 3,000 eBooks from ProQuest Ebook Central covering Business and Management, Computer Science, Economics, Education, Engineering, Law, Political Science, and Social Science.

The Proquest Ebook Central platform provides useful tools and functions:

  • Bookshelf features
  • View your downloads
  • Save searches
  • Save Bookmarks
  • Annotation 
  • More...

Do check out the guide on how to create a Proquest Ebook Central for sign-in!

Do you know that you do not need to sign-in separately to download individual chapters through Proquest Ebook Central?  Besides that, do you know that you can create your Bookshelf to add your bookmarks and annotated eBooks?  

To answer your queries, Proquest has curated a comprehensive user guide on the use of its eBooks.  You will get to know how to create a personal account, conduct searches, and create a personalized bookshelf to facilitate your learning and research purposes. 

Do check out the Proquest Ebook Central User Guide for details!

SAGE Research Methods

What are available in the SAGE Research Methods?

This collection contains content from over 720 books, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks, the entire “Little Green Book,” and "Little Blue Book” series, two Major Works collating a selection of journal articles, and specially commissioned videos. 

Researchers can explore methods concepts to help them design research projects, understand particular methods or identify a new method, conduct their research, and write up their findings. Since it focuses on methodology rather than disciplines, it can be used across the social sciences, health sciences, and more.

Do you need guidance on how to access eBooks and research tools provided in SAGE Research Methods?

Please check out the instructional video curated by SAGE for details!

 

SpringerLink

What are available in the SpringerLink?

SpringerLink eBooks are available on their platform which also contains online resources such as journals, images, and primary sources. You may want to refer to the comprehensive user guide curated by SpringerLink to help you explore its research tools and features.

Check out our FAQ on how to access Springer resources through SUSS Library For details, please refer to SpringerLink Quick Reference Guide

Taylor & Francis eBooks

What are available in Taylor & Francis?

Access the collection of Taylor and Francis eBooks covering social sciences, humanities and engineering & Technology. 

Do you have the following questions in mind when using Taylor and Francis eBooks?

  • How can I restrict search results to only show content I have access to?
  • How can I tell which eBooks are accessible to me?
  • How do I use DRM-protected eBooks on Taylor & Francis ebooks?

Do check out the user guide curated by Taylor & Francis for details. 

Wiley eBooks

What are available in Wiley?

We have acquired 214 eBooks published by Wiley and they are made available on Wiley Online Library. Subjects include art and applied arts, business, economics, finance and accounting, humanities, law and criminology, social and behavioral sciences, and psychology.

 

Have you wonder how WIley eBooks work in Wiley Online Library?

Do watch the instructional video curated by Wiley for details.

World Scientific eBooks

What are available in World Scientific?

Our collection of World Scientific eBooks comprises titles on Singapore politics, economy, history, and society written in Chinese and English. 

Besides the ebooks, the World Scientific's website also contains online resources such as journals and reference works. You may want to refer to the comprehensive user guide curated by World Scientific to find out how to conduct searches, download citations, and view ebooks. 

Do check out the World Scientific's User Guide for details!

 

Electronic Textbook (eTextbook)

How do I access SUSS's adopted textbooks?

Educational Technology & Production (ETP) under Learning Services is the department that manages the textbook collections. 

SUSS Library does not manage the collection of adopted textbooks. 

Please refer to the user guide and FAQ related to the textbooks made available on the Learning Services website.