Answered By: Digital Library Services Team
Last Updated: Apr 26, 2018     Views: 94

It depends on either, the eBook provider / publisher or, if a particular eBook is being used by a lot of people at the same time.

eBooks from the providers: Dawsonera, Ebook Central, VLeBook and EBSCOhost

  • You don't need to download the eBook to read it. Use Read Online.
  • You can usually save a section or chapter. The publisher limits the number of pages you can save/print. (You can often download more than one section from Ebook Central eBooks, providing you access the eBook on different days.)  
  • To download an eBook to a personal device for 24 hours, you need to install additional software. More help with this in our eBooks on Mobile Devices guide.
  • You cannot download a whole eBook to a Manchester Met campus PC. Use the Read Online option instead.

Very popular eBooks

Some eBook publishers place limits on how many people can access an eBook at the same time. We prefer not to buy eBooks like this; however, providers may not sell them to us without these limitations. If an eBook is limited to a single user, it is Read Online only, no option to download for 24 hours. If an eBook allows only three people to use it at the same time. Once two people download the eBook for 24 hours, the eBook then becomes Read Online only and you cannot download the whole eBook.  

eBooks from other providers

Some eBook suppliers such as Knovel and Cambridge Books Online do not give you the option to view the whole eBook in one go. Instead, each chapter of the eBook is a PDF file. You open the PDF to view the chapter. You can save the PDF of the chapter. The eBook does not impose a limit on the length of time you keep the downloaded chapter.
https://libanswers.mmu.ac.uk/faq/102648
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