Ebooks research guide

This guide will help you find and view different types of ebooks in the Library collections.

About ebooks

The Library provides access to thousands of ebooks through its catalogue and eResources service. These include:

  • National Library publications
  • Digitised historical books from our collections
  • Items published electronically and deposited by publishers under legal deposit
  • Subscriptions to collections such as Chinese eResources, Early English Books Online and EBSCO eBooks.

What are ebooks?

Ebooks are books published in an electronic format. They can be read by using a personal computer or an ebook reader.

Collection policy

Ebooks complement the Library’s collections. Subject areas include arts and humanities, Asia Pacific, business and commerce, biography, and social sciences. Our collection development policy provides the framework for our collecting of Australian and overseas material.

Library registration

Many of the National Library's ebooks and digitised materials are available free online; others will require you to join the Library and have a Library login.

It is free for Australian residents to join. See Join the Library to sign up.

Related resource

Developing enhanced e-books [sound recording] : innovative ideas talk presented by Warren Fahey at the National Library of Australia (2011)

Listen online to Developing enhanced e-books

Finding and accessing ebooks

Under Commonwealth legal deposit legislation for electronic publications, the National Library collects digital material including books and journals. These items are all in our catalogue.

Access - available

Some authors and publishers agree to make an ebook freely available, for example:

These ebooks can be used in the National Library reading rooms or at home. Some items can also be downloaded as a digital copy to your own device. Please note that these items may still be in copyright.

Access - restricted

The Library receives in copyright material with the same access conditions as any other in copyright collection item.

Items which have been deposited electronically, but are restricted, will have a link in the catalogue record:

National Library of Australia digital collection item: Access available in National Library of Australia reading rooms.

  • If you select this link when you are not in the Library, you will see the message:

    "Sorry, we can't provide access to this item outside the National Library's reading rooms. Please visit the National Library to access this material"

  • If you select this link when you are in the Library, you can view the material, but you can't print, copy or download any part of the item.
Viewing restricted digital collections

Please note: You can't view restricted ebooks on your laptop or tablet. The collection is only available on the reading room computers.

  • Click on the green button to launch the viewer in restricted mode. This will lock the computer, no other functions will be available while you read the item.
  • A bar will appear at the bottom of the page; select 'Open' and wait for a few moments for the screen to appear.
Using the ebook viewer

You can access ebooks through Trove. We suggest using Google Chrome as your browser when viewing these books. You can find more information about these items through the Trove help pages.

The viewer has a menu bar at the left of the screen where you can adjust the viewer settings:

  • Change the text size
  • Use full screen mode
  • Go to the table of contents
  • Use arrows to move to the next page, instead of scrolling
  • Highlighting and bookmarking tools
  • Change the font to suit your preference

Journals

Journals and magazines are deposited via electronic legal deposit. Some titles may be available in other print and subscription databases. Titles include:

Edeposit journals also include annual reports and research publications from government bodies.

cover of magazine HistoriCool

(2016). HistoriCool. nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn7382901

cover of magazine 'Incite'

(2012). INCITE : the magazine for library and information professionals. nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn6274260

Featured resources

There are a large range of titles available online, including children's books.

In the pink / Colin Thompson ; illustrations by the author

cover of book 'Watch This Space: In The Pink'

In the pink / Colin Thompson ; illustrations by the author. North Sydney, NSW : Penguin Random House Australia, 2016, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn7248336

Jinny & Cooper : curse of the genie's ring / Tania Ingram

cover of book 'Jinny & Cooper : curse of the genie's ring'

Jinny & Cooper : curse of the genie's ring / Tania Ingram. [North Sydney, New South Wales] : Penguin Random House Australia, 2016, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn7248347

The Gobbledygook and the Scribbledynoodle / Justine Clarke and Arthur Baysting ; illustrated by Tom Jellett

cover of book 'The Gobbledygook and the Scribbledynoodle'

The Gobbledygook and the Scribbledynoodle / Justine Clarke and Arthur Baysting ; illustrated by Tom Jellett. [Melbourne, Victoria] : Docklands, VIC : Penguin Random House Australia Pty Ltd, 2016, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn7248347

Digitised material from our collections

The Library has digitised a number of books, journals and manuscripts from the collection so that Australians can engage online with their past, as well as with their present, including the:

Find more digitised books in the catalogue by adding the limiter 'NLA digital material' to your search.

Ebook collections available through eResources

See Finding ebooks and EBSCO ebooks below for tips on how to use the eResources collections.

Other ebook collections available online

There are many websites where ebooks can be downloaded for free. The following are just two that can help you find online ebooks.

Collections from other libraries

Your local, State or university library may have ebook collections, for example:

Featured resource

One of the Library's 189,013 digitised collection items (as of 30 June 2012): Queensland school readers Book 1 issued by the Department of Public Instruction (1933).

From the Preface:

"Book 1 of the Queensland School Readers contains forty lessons, covering class-work for six months. Sixteen pieces in poetical form... and twenty-four prose pieces...collected with a view to the tender age and the wakening sympathies of the pupil".

cover of old book 'Queensland school readers. Book 1'

Queensland. Department of Public Instruction. (1933). Queensland school readers. Book 1 / issued by the Department of Public Instruction. [Brisbane] : Government Printer, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn650611

Through the Library, you can use eResources to locate full-text eJournals on a range of topics. Some resources are only available onsite but if you are registered with the Library, you can login and access many resources from any Internet connection, anywhere in Australia.

Databases with ebooks

eResources contains a number of databases which hold ebooks, such as:

  • EBSCO eBooks
  • Early English Books Online
  • Early American Imprints. Series 1, Evans (1639-1800) (Onsite only)
  • Making of the modern world
  • Gerritsen collection : women's history online, 1543-1945
  • Myanmar Book Centre
  • Gale Virtual Reference Library

You can search eResources using the terms 'ebook' or 'ebooks' for a full list of databases which hold ebooks.

Search for ebooks in the Catalogue

National Library ebook collections come from a number of sources, but you can find many of them through the catalogue. Here’s an example:

  • Type “big data” in the search bar. There are hundreds of results but we only want to look for digital books.
  • Use the Limit Your Search option at the right of the screen and select Book. You can then see more choices under Access:
    • National Library (digitised item) includes historical works which the Library has digitised
    • National eDeposit item includes born digital ebooks and journals deposited by publishers
How to view an ebook

When you find an ebook in the catalogue, there will be an Online Access link. When you click this link you will be prompted to use your Library login. After you enter these details and login, you will be redirected to the ebook.

Featured resources

Arnott's recipes

Recipes grandma might have made

cover of book 'Arnott's recipes'

Arnott, Motteram, Menz Pty. Ltd., Arnott's recipes : made with Arnott's and Menz biscuits, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-52840197

Whiz comics : Captain Marvel and the atomic shop (1943)

'Holey Moley!' This early comic features Captain Marvel (aka the boy reporter Billy Batson), Bulletman, the Whippersnappers and an exciting short story. 'Approved Reading' from the Magazine Editorial Advisory Board (1943).

cover of Whiz comics : Captain Marvel and the atomic shop

(1943). Whiz comics : Captain Marvel and the atomic shop, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-40846425

The Library provides free access to hundreds of non-fiction ebooks through the EBSCO site. You can find all of these ebooks in the catalogue, or you can browse the ebooks by going directly to EBSCO eBooks in eResources.

These ebooks can be viewed online on the EBSCO site or downloaded to view from your computer, tablet, smartphone or e-reader. Downloaded ebooks can be accessed on your device for 5 days and then access will automatically expire.

All EBSCO eBooks can be accessed from outside of the Library building if you have a National Library login. If you live in Australia you can get a Library for free, online through our website.

How to find EBSCO ebooks

All EBSCO eBooks that the Library has subscribed to are available via the catalogue.

To search the Catalogue for ebooks only, add the word 'ebscohost' to the search box and limit your search to 'Book'.

How to view an ebook

When you find an ebook in the catalogue, there will be an 'Online Access' link. When you click this link you will be prompted to login with your National Library login. After you login, you will be redirected to the ebook.

Software needed to read ebooks

You do not need special software to view and read ebooks online through the EBSCO website.

However, if you would like download an EBSCO eBook to view offline, then you will need:

  • A (free) EBSCO account
  • A (free) Adobe ID
  • Software with a compatible ebook viewer:
    • Desktop: Adobe Digital Editions 1.7.1 or higher
    • Apple and Android devices: Bluefire Reader is recommended
    • Kindle: PDFs can be created in the eBook Full Text view and transferred using Send To Kindle
    • Other eReaders: Patrons must download to a desktop computer and use Adobe Digital Editions to transfer ebooks to their eReader.

An app for viewing EBSCO eBooks on mobile devices, including iOS, Android, Kindle Fire and Nook, is available.

Error messages

If you are unable to view an ebook, and you get the message 'Sorry, this eBook is in use', this means that someone else is already using the eBook you want. It won't become available until they are finished with it.

Key terms used by EBSCO

eBook Full Text - You can use this link to read the ebook online using the internet based EBSCO viewer. There is no time limit.

Download This eBook (Offline) – You can download the ebook to a local device (for example your computer, a smart phone, ebook reader etc). Downloading is not essential for viewing, printing or copying as this can be done from the EBSCO viewer.

Print - You can print pages from an EBSCO ebook. Due to copyright and licensing restrictions, there are limits to printing and copying. Printing from EBSCO is restricted to 10 pages of the ebook, per user.

More help with ebooks is available on the EBSCO ebooks site, which you can find by visitng our eResources portal and searching for this resource under the Browse eResources tab.

Page published: 11 Dec 2023

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