When accessing eBooks, be aware that the ability to download, print, or copy content varies depending on the publisher and the platform. These restrictions are primarily dictated by copyright laws and enforced through Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems to prevent unauthorised sharing and piracy.
eBooks may have different user limits (single user, multiple users, unlimited). Single-user and multi-user licenses for eBooks define how many people can access the same digital book at the same time. For single user licenses, if someone is reading the eBook, another user will not be able to read it until they have closed their browser or a timeout occurs. To obtain information on user limits, go to our library catalogue.
eBook File types
Our eBooks come in two main types:
eBooks without DRM restrictions can be downloaded and accessed using any PDF viewer on any device.
The publisher permissions for an EBSCO eBook title are shown on the eBook Detailed Record and specify what users are allowed to do with the eBook content. These permissions include:
To view these permissions:
Additionally, PDF eBooks have security settings visible in Adobe Reader under Document Properties → Security tab, showing restrictions like whether page extraction is allowed.
Users should note that limitations on printing, saving, or emailing are typically session-based and reset when closing the eBook viewer. Attempting to systematically download or print entire eBooks is prohibited and monitored by EBSCO. See our EBSCO Database guide for further information.
Books on the Ovid platform are DRM free.
This means that you can download chapters of the eBook for your personal use.
Ovid lets you:
Print book chapters
Print sections within a chapter
Printing: PDFs of chapters can be printed in whole or in part, using the print options in your PDF viewer.
Downloading: Chapters are downloadable individually in PDF format, and these are typically DRM-free. Full-book downloading is not permitted in most cases.
Third-Party Platforms: If your institution accesses Oxford eBooks through services like EBSCO or Ebook Central, you may be able to download full books for a limited period, but these files will use DRM and may require specific software.
Printing: Generally, limited printing of small portions (e.g., individual pages or chapters) is permitted for personal academic use, but systematic or bulk printing is prohibited.
Users may print one chapter per title or up to 20% of a book’s pages (whichever is greater) for personal use during any four-week period.
No Full-Book Printing: Full eBook or textbook printing is not allowed.
How to Print
Downloading
Individual chapters are available to download as DRM-free PDFs. Once downloaded, these files can be kept indefinitely for personal use.
Whole Book Downloading
Some titles permit downloading the entire book in ePub format for a limited loan period (usually between 3 and 21 days). Not all eBooks allow whole-book downloads; this depends on publisher and title.
Offline Reading
Downloaded chapters can be read offline
For full books, offline access is possible when downloaded in compatible formats and within the permitted time window.