You may access more than 500,000 e-books through the library search tool. Here you will find information on how to read and download them. In order to download some of them, you will need additional apps or software, as well as an Adobe user account (Adobe ID).
You will find our collection of e-books by searching with the library search tool. If you have a Umu-id (students and employees) and log in to the search tool, you will have full access to the library's e-books regardless of your location. Anyone may read our e-books by using the library computers on our premises.
All of our e-books can be read online on a computer, tablet or mobile phone.
Most books have a limitation as to how you may download, copy and print.
Once you have found an e-book with the library search tool, follow the link to the platform where you may read or download the book. On the platform you also find information about how you are allowed to use the book besides reading it.
Adobe ID, apps and software
When downloading and reading e-books copy protected by DRM, you need an Adobe ID, that is, a user account at Adobe. For example this applies to e-books from EBSCOhost and Ebook Central. You also need to use an app or software that can handle DRM. There are such apps and software available cost-free.
Download the app or software you need to your device
PS/Mac: Adobe Digital Editions
Ipad/Iphone: For example Pocketbook Reader or Aldiko
Android: For example Pocketbook Reader or Aldiko
Finish by opening your chosen app or software and authorise it by using your Adobe ID.
Read your e-book using speech synthesis
If you want to use speech synthesis to read your e-books there are several methods to choose from.
Reading on your phone or tablet
Most mobile phones and tablets have a speech synthesis tool. You can activate the function in Settings, or you can search for "text to speech" or "speech synthesis" on your device.
Use speech synthesis via your web browser
All web browsers offer speech synthesis, but this can work in slightly different ways. In some browsers speech synthesis is already activated and opens automatically when you open a PDF file. In other browsers, you first need to download an extension to your browser.
Download a speech synthesis software to your computer
If you have a Umu-id, you can download speech synthesis software via the University, free of charge. You can find more information on the student website:
Why can't the library buy the book that I need as an e-book?
Not all books are available to buy as e-books, for various reasons. Some books are available to purchase in e-book format for you as an individual, but not for us as a library due to the licences and rules that we need to accommodate. Other e-books we would be able to purchase, but only as a part of large packages of e-books and those packages may be too expensive for the library.
Course literature e-books from Swedish publishers are not available for academic libraries to purchase since the publishers and the libraries have not agreed on a payment model.
What is digital rights management (DRM)?
Some publishers use different kinds of technical limitations called digital rights management (DRM) so that they may control how a book is shared and used. In order to download and read these books offline you need to install software that can handle DRM. You also need to create a personal Adobe ID.
E-books available through platforms without DRM can be downloaded and read without using specific software, but you may usually only download one chapter at a time. The downloads may only be used for personal consumption.
What does it mean when a book is “watermarked”?
Sometimes when you download an e-book or chapter it is marked with information that makes it possible to identify the person who downloaded it. If the watermarked file is illegally shared, it can be tracked back to you.
In which format should I choose to read my e-book?
Many of our e-books are available in html format, meaning you will read the book in your web browser. Often, you may also download chapters from an e-book in pdf format, which is suitable for printing or offline reading.
Some of our e-books are available in the format Epub. Epub is suitable for reading on a small screen, such as a phone or tablet, since the text adjusts itself according to the size of the screen.
Can I find open access e-books through the library?
You can find e-books that are available open access in the library search tool. These are available to read regardless of your location and without logging in with a Umu-id.
Open access e-books are often marked with a Creative Commons licence, showing what you may do with the material. Some books might be copied, adapted and shared freely. Other books might have limitations, for example that you are not allowed to use the book for commercial purposes. Most often, you will find the license information on the flip side of the title page of the book.
