Skip to Main Content

Ebooks: ProQuest Ebook Central and EBSCO FAQs

Using and finding ebooks at UC San Diego

This table provides an overview of the key things you need to know about using two of our "aggregator" ebook platforms: ProQuest Ebook Central (formerly EBL and Ebrary) and EBSCO eBooks. Click the name of the ebook platform for more information. 

You do not need to create an Ebook Central or EBSCO account to search the collection, read books online or print/save pages, but you do need an account to download entire books or use the "bookshelf" features. 

Since Ebook Central and EBSCO use DRM (digital rights management) software, there are limits for borrowing, printing, saving and copying.

Downloading to a computer or mobile device for offline reading--when available--will require additional software or a mobile app.

Ebook Platform How many people can access an ebook at the same time? Can you print, save, or copy pages and chapters?  Can you download the entire book to read offline?

More information about using Ebook Central

(formerly EBL and ebrary)
Some titles are limited to one user at a time, and others can be read by 3 or more simultaneous users. 

You can save chapters or selected pages as a PDF to download or print. The daily download limit for a book is usually 30% of the pages, but some publishers have set lower limits. You may also be able to download as much as 40% of the book if you login with your Ebook Central account. 

You also copy up to 15% of a book, text only, and paste into Word or another program. Or as much as 20% of the book if you login with your Ebook Central account.

Some books can be downloaded for 24 hours or 3 days.

More information about using EBSCO

Most titles are limited to one user at a time.

You can save chapters or selected pages as a PDF to download, print, email, or save to Google Drive. or print. The daily download limit for a book is usually 60 pages/day, but publishers may set lower, or even higher limits.

You can copy passages of text (no images) by highlighting the desired text, then copy and paste into Word or another program.

Most books cannot be downloaded for offline reading.