E-Books and Database Mobile Apps at the Cheng Library: Overview

If you're new to e-books, you may have several questions that are specific to your computer or e-reader. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to get acquainted with e-books, with a minimum of technical problems. So please contact us at the Reference Desk if you have any questions or need any assistance with e-books. You can reach us in person when the Library is open; by telephone at 973-720-2116; or by email at refdesk@wpunj.edu.

E-books are waiting for you

Did you know that more than 35% of Cheng Library's entire book collection is available electronically any time of day or night? There are now over 160,000 electronic books accessible through the Library Catalog.

What is an E-Book?

An ebook (short for electronic book, also written eBook or ebook) is an e-text that forms the digital media equivalent of a conventional printed book, sometimes protected with a digital rights management system. Ebooks are usually read on personal computers or smart phones, or on dedicated hardware devices known as e-book readers or e-book devices. Many mobile phones can also be used to read ebooks. [Source: Wikipedia]

Ebook resources do not include textbooks. For more information about electronic textbook options, visit our Textbook Option$ guide.

E-Book Benefits

Our E-Books offer several distinctive benefits to faculty and students who use them, including the following:

• They are available from any location with a network connection
• They are available any time of day
• Our E-Books are full-text searchable
• Most E-Books offer the ability to "zoom" for ease of reading on the screen
• Most E-Books allow you to download and save portions of text as PDF files
• Most E-Books support the ability to highlight and place notes in the text
• Because they are always available, E-Books are relatively easy to incorporate into assigned readings, usually through direct links to titles

Database Mobile Apps

Several Library subscription databases provide customized applications or interfaces so you can access them through a smartphone or other mobile device. Please see the mobile apps tab above for details on specific databases.

Use the search term ebook and your subject to look for specific ebooks.  In the picture below, you see “ebook” and “hip hop” in the search window.

When the results appear, you will be able to click on the link to access the ebook difectly from the catalog.

Once you start reading an ebook from the catalog, you might be asked if you want to keep reading.  To continue reading online, you can click OK and keep reading online.

With some titles, you may have an opportunity to download it to your own computer.  The screen will show you the number of days you may “keep” the book.  After that time period, the book will lock up (confirm) when it is “due.”