Category Archives: Electronic Resources

Introducing Internet Archive’s Open Library

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As part of our mission to enhance discovery of and access to useful and relevant information resources for students and faculty, Milligan Libraries is pleased to now offer an embedded search interface on our website to Internet Archive’s Open Library project.

Started in 1996 with the mission to “provide Universal Access to All Knowledge,” Internet Archive is a non-profit digital repository of internet sites and other cultural artifacts, including books and texts, video, audio, software, and images. The Open Library project focuses on books and includes two primary components: an ambitious goal to build a universal online catalog of every book ever published, and providing a platform for searching and accessing millions of book holdings within Internet Archive. By linking to Open Library, Milligan Libraries instantly expands access to a vast array of book resources for our users.

Book holdings are added to Internet Archive through the digitization of print originals from library partner collections and donations. Book holdings include popular and academic titles on numerous subjects. Of particular interest, in addition to titles in the public domain (books whose copyright has expired and are freely available to the public), Internet Archive also digitizes and provides access to more recent titles that are still under copyright. (Internet Archive currently holds well over two million digitized books. Over one million of these have been published since 2000.) This access is made possible using a framework known as controlled digital lending (CDL).

For digital lending purposes operating within the legal limits of copyright fair use, CDL conceptualizes a digitized copy of a print book owned by Internet Archive (or its library partners) as if it were a physical print book. If Internet Archive owns one print copy of a book it can lend one digitized copy. While the digital copy is lent out the print copy is not circulated. Similarly, if Internet Archive owns 10 print copies of a book, it can lend up to 10 digital copies of that book at one time. Copy protection (known as Digital Rights Management, or DRM) is applied to the digital copies to prevent duplication and control borrowing by authorized users on the Open Library platform.

Getting Ready to Use Open Library

We have added an Open Library tab to the search box widget on the Milligan Libraries website homepage. (You can also select the “Internet Archive’s Open Library” link from the Resources > Specialized Resources A-L dropdown menu to go directly to Open Library.)

Before walking through a search session on Open Library there are a few setup steps to get out of the way first.

Step 1. Create a User Account. You can search the Open Library universal catalog and read public domain books using the online web browser viewer without creating a user account. However, a user account is required if you want to borrow CDL books through the online viewer, or download books to your computer or mobile device. Think of the user account as your Open Library library card. To create a user account, click on the “Sign Up” button at the top right of any Open Library page and fill out the form (click on screenshot to enlarge):

Step 2. Create an Adobe ID. As mentioned above, CDL book files (typically formatted as PDF or EPUB) on Open Library are copy protected to prevent duplication and control lending of copyrighted content. Internet Archive authenticates DRM-ed content using Adobe ID. Create an Adobe ID by signing-in here.

Step 3. Download Adobe Digital Editions and/or Bluefire Reader book reading software. You can bypass Step 2 and this step if you simply want to read books online using Internet Archive’s own web browser reader. However, dedicated software is required if you want to be able to download and read books offline. Books borrowed from Open Library are only readable on a computer or mobile device that supports Adobe ID authentication. Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) for Windows, Mac, Android, or iOS can be freely downloaded from here. An excellent alternative, Bluefire Reader for Android or iOS, can be freely downloaded from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. ADE and Bluefire Reader are configurable to pre-authenticate with your Adobe ID.

Searching for Books on Open Library

I have been doing some research on the sixth century Roman statesman and scholar Cassiodorus. I wonder what books by or about Cassiodorus might be available on Open Library. I type “Cassiodorus” in the Open Library search box on the Milligan Libraries website homepage.

My search resolves to this results page (click on screenshot to enlarge):

At the top I see my search resulted in 183 hits. I also notice a list of facets in the far right column for ways to limit my search results in various ways (Author, Subjects, People, Times, etc.). To the right of each short result record I see large buttons variously labeled “Not in Library,” “Read,” and “Borrow.” The “Read” and “Borrow” buttons also have a headphone icon that slides over to enable a “Listen” (text to speech) option for print disabled users.

“Not in Library” indicates that a record has been created for this book as part of the universal online catalog, but a copy (or copies) of this book is not currently available on Open Library to be read or borrowed. Of interest, if I open this record, it includes a link to preview the contents of the book, and a link that pushes to the book record in Milligan Libraries’ WorldCat Discovery platform. These are very useful features. The book preview enables me to get a sense of the value of this title for my research, and pushing me into WorldCat sets up an option for me to initiate an interlibrary loan request.

“Read” indicates that the book is available on Open Library as a public domain title. Since copyright has expired on this title, absolutely no restrictions on access are imposed. The book can be freely read or downloaded without a user account.

“Borrow” indicates that at least one digital copy of the book is available on Open Library. But since this title is still under copyright, access is controlled under the controlled digital lending (CDL) framework described above. A user account is required to read or download the book. Incidentally, if all available copies of a book are currently borrowed the button changes to “Checked Out” or “Join Waitlist,” which gives me the opportunity to borrow the book once a copy is returned and made available again.

The default view shows “Everything” that resulted from my search (in this case 183 hits). However, if I click the “Ebooks” radio button at the right of the search box, Open Library only shows me a list of books that are actually available on the platform to be read or borrowed, as in this screenshot — 22 hits (click to enlarge):

Reading an Open Library Book Using the Online Web Browser Viewer

As I scroll down the list of books available to read or borrow on Open Library I see the title of a book written by Cassiodorus that I would like to read, Institutions of Divine and Secular Learning.

I click on the “Borrow” button. Since I am not currently signed-in with my Open Library user account I am prompted to enter my credentials:

Once I click the “Log In” button, the book is launched in Internet Archive’s online web browser viewer (click on screenshot to enlarge). An active internet connection is required in order to use the browser viewer for online reading:

I use the navigation slider or page turning arrows at the bottom of the screen to work my way through the book. Alternatively, I can choose a single page vertical scroll reading option. There is also a grid view for page picking, zoom in or out, full screen toggle, and text to speech audio reader.

The magnifying glass icon at the top left is for searching within the text of the book, and the ellipses icon (…) slides out to offer bookmarking, visual adjustments, sharing, and file download options (more on this in a moment).

The banner at the top of the viewer window indicates book borrowing options, and current borrowing status:

Borrowing options depend on the number of digital copies available for lending on Open Library. If there is just one copy available the book can be borrowed for only one hour at a time. (Note: As long as I continue reading, by page turns or scrolling, I do not have to return the book within the one-hour timeframe.) If Open Library has more than one available copy of a book I can borrow it for either one hour or for 14 days. Up to 10 books can be borrowed at a time. I can keep track of my book loans from my user account page. When I am done reading a borrowed book I can click the “Return now” button, which immediately frees my copy up for someone else to borrow, or I can simply let the loan period timeout on its own.

Download an Open Library Book for Offline Reading

Open Library allows downloading of public domain (“Read”) and available CDL (“Borrow”) digital books to my computer or mobile device (phone or tablet) for offline reading. As indicated in Getting Ready to Use Open Library, Steps 2 and 3 above, this capability requires the creation of an Adobe ID and the downloading and configuration of the appropriate reader software. These steps should be completed before attempting to download book files from Open Library.

I will demonstrate downloading and offline reading using the book I already have open in the online viewer above. I will be reading the book using Adobe Digital Editions. From the ellipses icon (…) I click on the “Downloadable files” option and select between an encrypted PDF or EPUB file. (PDF files retain original book pagination, while text in an EPUB file reflows depending on font size.)

I choose the PDF option, which downloads to my computer as a file labeled URLLink.acsm. You may need to browse or search on your computer or device to locate where downloaded files typically land. Look for a file with a .acsm extension. The advantage of pre-authorizing the reader software with an Adobe ID is readily apparent because launching the .acsm file will immediately launch the book in the reader:

I navigate through the book with single page vertical scrolling. I can adjust the text width or zoom for viewing comfort, and drop bookmarks. When I click on the “Library” button at the top left, Adobe Digital Editions opens a “bookshelf” view where I can see a list of my downloaded books, and time left on my loan. By right-clicking on any title in the “bookshelf” I can return the book or remove it from my library.

This tutorial is intended to help our users get started with Open Library as a remarkable resource for digital books. If we can provide you with specific assistance please do not hesitate to reach out.

Milligan Libraries links to Internet Archive’s National Emergency Library

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Milligan Libraries has created a link to Internet Archive’s National Emergency Library from our website homepage. The National Emergency Library was launched to support student learning at home, as schools and libraries have been forced to closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to the over 2.5 million openly available public domain texts that reside on Internet Archive’s servers, the National Emergency Library contains over 1.4 million digitized books that are still under copyright protection—including nearly 480,000 titles published since 2000.

The National Emergency Library is built on Internet Archive’s Open Library, which makes single copies of books in this collection available to be borrowed for a 14-day checkout period. As an analogy to a physical book that gets checked out from a physical library, a checked out book is not available for anyone else to borrow until the copy is “returned.” Persons wanting a book that is checked out must join a waitlist.

What Internet Archive has done for this national emergency is suspend the waitlist limitation until at least June 30, 2020. This effectively means that there are now an unlimited number of copies for each book in the collection. Here is a screenshot of the National Emergency Library’s homepage:

Borrowing books is a simple process. Search for titles, authors, or subjects from the search box in the left sidebar. When you find a book of interest, click the “Borrow” button under the book cover. This brings up the Internet Archive book viewer and bibliographic record information. Initially, the viewer shows you a limited preview. You need to create a user account to actually borrow the book.

Once your account is created, log in, and click the “Borrow” button on any book to borrow it for 14 days. The book can be read in the browser viewer online, or downloaded as an encrypted PDF or EPUB and read offline using Adobe Digital Editions on your computer or mobile device (Internet Archive provides prompts for setting up offline reading). When you are finished with the book you can click a “Return” button, or just allow the time to expire. Downloaded files also expire after 14 days. This is an important safeguard against unauthorized duplication and distribution of these otherwise copyrighted books.

Internet Archive has been getting some pushback from authors and publishers about whether suspending the waitlist (much less the very notion of the Open Library) is legal from a copyright standpoint (see for example, recent stories here and here). Conversely, numerous educational institutions, libraries, and individuals have issued a public statement endorsing Internet Archive’s action during this time, noting that Internet Archive has taken steps to restrict unlawful redistribution, and stating: “These actions will support emergency remote teaching, research activities, independent scholarship, and intellectual stimulation while universities, schools, training centers, and libraries are closed.” Milligan Libraries supports this mission and will continue to host the link to the National Emergency Library, though we will also follow any developments in this story.

Checkout EBSCO eBooks to your mobile device (Android or iOS) for offline reading

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EbscoHosticonNOTE: Milligan Libraries is no longer recommending use of this feature. This post is retained for historical purposes only. (08.27.2019)

The Library owns and subscribes to thousands of academic ebooks from EBSCO Publishing. These ebooks are accessible to authorized users from our EBSCOhost eBooks Collections database (select it from the “Resources” dropdown > Databases > “General & Multidisciplinary” on the Library website). They are also indexed for access in the Milligan Libraries Catalog, and will also surface among other search results in MCSearch.

The EBSCOhost platform includes a built-in viewer for reading ebooks online using any modern web browser. In a previous post, I provided instructions for checking out and downloading EBSCO ebooks to your computer for offline reading. As it happens, EBSCO’s ebooks can also be checked out and downloaded to your Android or Apple iOS mobile device (smartphone or tablet) for offline reading.

The following instructions will guide you through the process of checking out and downloading EBSCOhost ebooks to your Android or Apple iOS mobile device. The procedure is a little challenging because it requires that you create two authorization accounts and download an application. However, you shouldn’t have too much trouble if you follow these instructions closely. The first 3 steps only have to be done one time. Feel free to contact a librarian if you need assistance.

Step 1: Get an Adobe ID

EBSCOhost ebooks are copy-protected using Adobe Digital Rights Management (DRM). Consequently, you will need an Adobe ID to authorize your access to the ebooks you download from EBSCOhost. You only have to do this step once.

  • Go to http://www.adobe.com/.
  • Click the “Sign in” link on the top right side of the page.
  • Click the “Get an Adobe ID” link.
  • Fill out the Sign up form then click the “Sign Up” button to complete the registration. The email address you supply will become your Adobe ID. You will also need to create a password during registration. Write down your Adobe ID and Password.

Step 2: Create a My EBSCOhost account

If you are a currently registered Milligan College student, faculty, or staff member you do not need to create an account to view an EBSCOhost ebook online. Simply click the “PDF Full Text” link to launch the ebook viewer in your web browser. (If you are off campus or using a mobile data to access electronic resources on the Milligan Libraries website from your device you will be prompted to login using your Milligan network (e.g., Canvas) credentials.)

If you want to checkout and download an EBSCOhost ebook to your mobile device for offline reading you will need to create a “My EBSCOhost” account. You only have to do this step once.

  • From any EBSCOhost database (including MCSearch) click the “Sign In” link at the top right side of the page.
  • Click the “Create a new Account” link.
  • Fill out the form then click the “Save Changes” button to complete the registration. The user name and password you supply will enable you to login to your My EBSCOhost account and download ebooks to your device. Write down your User Name and Password.

Step 3: Download and setup the Bluefire Reader 

application

  • Launch the Google Play Store application on your Android device, or the App Store application on your Apple iOS device.
  • Search for and download the free Bluefire Reader application to your device.
  • Launch the Bluefire Reader application.
  • Tap on the “Info” button from the bottom row of icons (the location of the “Info” button may be different on your specific device), on the next screen tap on the “Authorize” button. Enter your Adobe ID and Password (from Step 1) then tap “Authorize”. Your device is now authorized to download EBSCOhost ebooks on your mobile device. You only have to do this step once.

 The setup is complete. Let’s download an ebook now!

Step 4: Checkout and download an EBSCOhost ebook

NOTE: These instructions apply only to ebooks in EBSCOhost eBook Collections (Milligan Libraries also provide ebooks from other publishers. Those ebooks cannot be downloaded to your device using these instructions).

ebsco3a) Launch the web browser on your mobile device. Browse to the EBSCOhost eBooks Collections database on the Milligan Libraries website (select it from the “Resources” dropdown > Databases > “General & Multidisciplinary”). EBSCOhost eBooks are also indexed for access in the Milligan Library Catalog, and will surface among other search results in MCSearch. (If you are off campus or using a mobile data to access electronic resources on the Milligan Libraries website from your device you will be prompted to login using your Milligan network (e.g., Canvas) credentials.)

ebsco4b) Search (for example) for the book entitled From Plato to Platonism by Lloyd P. Gerson. Click the title link on the search result. This takes you to the book’s record screen.

c) On the record screen tap the “Download (Offline)” button. This takes you to the Sign In screen where you enter the My EBSCOhost account User Name and Password (from Step 2 above). Tap the “Login” button. After the login is accepted you see a “Download This eBook” screen. Select the Checkout Period (most can be checked out for as long as 30 days) and then tap the “Checkout & Download” button.

ebsco6d) You should next see a screen indicating that the ebook has been successfully checked out, and the download process has begun. Assuming you have earlier downloaded and authorized Bluefire Reader (Step 3 above) the app should launch automatically. When the download is complete tap “Read Now” to open the book.

ebsco9e) If you tap anywhere in the middle of the screen you are presented with various navigation and settings controls. From here you can also access the “Bookshelf” to see and open other titles that you may have previously downloaded. The bookshelf also keeps track of how many days remain in the checkout period. The title will cease to be accessible for reading once the checkout period expires. eBook files can be deleted from your device at any time.

Welshimer and Seminary Library Catalogs are now combined!

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Change Note (01.25.2016): I originally reported that we had set the initial search to limit results to “Milligan College Libraries.” We discovered that this impedes catalog functionality when our website search widget is used. Consequently, we have changed the default search to “Libraries Worldwide.” As I indicate below, even when “Libraries Worldwide” is selected any relevant holdings in the Milligan College Libraries will rise to the top of your search results. You can also apply the Welshimer and/or Seminary Library limiter in the left-hand column to refine your search results to show only local holdings.

worldcat_discovery_logo

In a process that formally began back in May 2015, the book, media, and periodicals holdings of the Emmanuel Christian Seminary Library have now been added to the P.H. Welshimer Memorial Library’s online catalog. (The Welshimer Library migrated to the WorldCat catalog platform on September 2, 2014.) As of today, January 13, 2016, the Milligan College Libraries “goes live” with a combined online library catalog!

Our catalog is operating within the WorldCat Discovery Services platform. You can easily access the catalog from the Milligan College Libraries website. On the homepage click/tap the “Catalog” tab in the MCSearch widget. (Alternatively, you can click/tap on the “Catalog” dropdown menu and select “Milligan & Libraries Worldwide”.)

catalog widget

Research & Instruction Librarian Mary Jackson has created a live demo tutorial introducing some of the basic features of the catalog, so I won’t go into detail here except to highlight a few things:

  • The initial search in the catalog is defaulted to Milligan College Libraries, which will return results for both Welshimer AND Seminary Libraries. However, you can narrow your search results to either Welshimer OR Seminary Library by checking the desired Library limiter facet in the left-hand column. Conversely, you can broaden your search results to Libraries Worldwide by checking that facet. It is from the results of a Libraries Worldwide search that you can initiate an interlibrary loan request. (Note that even when Libraries Worldwide is selected any relevant holdings in the Milligan College Libraries will rise to the top of your search results.)

facetlibrary

  • Library holdings records for both Welshimer and Seminary Libraries are now being pushed to MCSearch so you can see potentially relevant print book and media items while you also search our electronic information resource databases. (Note, however, that you cannot search Libraries Worldwide from within MCSearch. This must be done directly from the catalog.)
  • Just like the Milligan College Libraries website, the catalog is fully mobile responsive! This means you can easily use the catalog from your smartphone or tablet. Here is a screenshot of the catalog interface on my smartphone:

phonescreen

We hope you will enjoy using the combined Milligan College Libraries online catalog. Please feel free to consult any library staff person for assistance with specific issues or questions.

Checkout EBSCO eBooks to your computer for offline reading

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EbscoHosticonInstructions updated 06.10.2020

Milligan Libraries owns and subscribes to thousands of academic ebooks from EBSCO Publishing. These ebooks are accessible to authorized users from our EBSCOhost eBooks Collections database (select it from the “Resources” dropdown > Databases > “General & Multidisciplinary” on the Library website). They are also indexed for access in the Milligan Library Catalog, and will surface among other search results in Milligan OneSearch.

The EBSCOhost platform includes a built-in viewer for reading ebooks online using any modern web browser. However, most of EBSCO’s ebooks can also be checked out and downloaded to your computer to be read at leisure offline. Downloadable titles are indicated wherever you see a “Download” button at the top right side of the online viewer:

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The following instructions will guide you through the process of checking out and downloading EBSCOhost ebooks to your computer. The procedure is a little challenging at first because it requires that you create two authorization accounts and download a piece of software. However, you shouldn’t have too much trouble if you follow these instructions closely. The first 3 steps only have to be done one time. Feel free to contact a librarian if you need assistance.

Step 1: Get an Adobe ID

EBSCOhost ebooks are copy-protected using Adobe Digital Rights Management (DRM). Consequently, you will need an Adobe ID to authorize your access to the ebooks you download from EBSCOhost. You only have to do this step once.

  • Go to http://www.adobe.com/.
  • Click the “Sign in” link on the top right side of the page.
  • Click the “Get an Adobe ID” link.
  • Fill out the Sign up form then click the “Sign Up” button to complete the registration. The email address you supply will become your Adobe ID. Use this, and the password you create to access content in the Adobe Digital Editions application. Write down your Adobe ID and Password.

Step 2: Download Adobe Digital Editions

Download the Adobe Digital Editions reader application from Adobe’s website (Mac OS or Windows versions available). You will need this (free) application to view the ebooks you checkout and download from EBSCO. The process will be smoother if you already have this software on your computer before you attempt the first ebook download. You only have to do this step once.

Launch the Installer and follow the instruction prompts to complete the installation. Once the installation is complete launch Adobe Digital Editions. You will be prompted to enter your Adobe ID and password to authorize your computer. This will also prepare your computer to recognize Adobe Digital Editions as the default application for opening EBSCO ebooks. Here is a screenshot of the open application.

ade

Step 3: Create a My EBSCOhost account

As indicated above, if you are a currently registered Milligan University student, faculty, or staff member you do not need to create an account to view an EBSCOhost ebook online. Simply click the “PDF Full Text” link to launch the ebook viewer in your web browser.

However, if you want to checkout and download an EBSCOhost ebook to your computer for later offline reading in Adobe Digital Editions you will need to create a “My EBSCOhost” account. You only have to do this step once.

  • From any EBSCOhost database (including Milligan OneSearch) click the “Sign In” link at the top right side of the page.
  • Click the “Create a new Account” link.
  • Fill out the form then click the “Save Changes” button to complete the registration. The user name and password you supply will enable you to login to your My EBSCOhost account and download ebooks to your computer. Write down your User Name and Password.

You now have everything you need to download and read EBSCOhost ebooks on your computer. Let’s download an ebook now!

Step 4: Checkout and download an EBSCOhost ebook

NOTE: These instructions apply only to ebooks in EBSCOhost eBook Collections (Milligan Libraries also provides ebooks from other publishers. Those ebooks cannot be downloaded to your computer using these instructions).

a) Launch EBSCOhost eBook Collection from the “Resources” dropdown > Databases > “General & Multidisciplinary” on the Library website and search for a book. As noted above, EBSCOhost ebooks are also included in relevant catalog and Milligan OneSearch search results. I am searching for a book on Alexander the Great. Here’s one that looks interesting:

download3

b) Launch the online ebook viewer by clicking on the “PDF Full Text” link. If the book is downloadable for offline viewing you will see a “Download” button at the top right side of the online viewer in your browser window:

download2

c) When you click the “Download” link you will be prompted to sign-in using your My EBSCOhost account.

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d) Enter your User Name and Password from your My EBSCOhost account (see Step 3) and click the “Login” button. (If you are using a personal computer you may choose to have your web browser “remember” your credentials so you don’t have to re-type this information in the future.)

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e) Once you are logged into My EBSCOhost, a “Download This eBook” dialog box for the ebook you have selected will pop up. If the ebook is available for checkout, select the Checkout Period (this particular title can only be checked out for a maximum of 7 days, although most can be checked out for as long as 30 days) and click the “Checkout & Download” button. Notice the download dialog box informs you that you need to have Adobe Digital Editions on your computer in order to view the downloaded book (see Step 2).

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f)  If the download is successful you will see this screen:

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At the same time you should see a prompt to save an ACSM (Adobe Content Server Message) file to your computer. For convenience, save the file to your desktop.

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g) Double click the URLLink.acsm file. This will initiate the downloading of the ebook file to the Adobe Digital Editions reader application. Once the download is complete the ebook will open automatically in Adobe Digital Editions (assuming you previously downloaded the application as instructed in Step 2).

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h) Clicking on the “Library” link takes you to the screen showing all currently downloaded titles:

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i) The title will cease to be accessible for reading once the checkout period expires. However, titles can be “returned” or removed from your Adobe Digital Editions library anytime (by right-clicking on the title icon to bring up the contextual menu).

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