| ProQuest Ebook Central | Ebscohost | Springer | Cambridge, Elsevier, JSTOR, Knovel, Project MUSE, Wiley, | OverDrive eBooks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downloading | Yes. PDF for specific chapters or page range; Adobe Digital Editions for laptop/desktop; Bluefire Reader for tablets/phones. Create an account to download full book. | Yes. Download to a computer with Adobe Digital Editions to read there or to move to an eReader device. Create an account to download. | Yes. PDF download only | Yes. PDF download only | Yes. Download to computer or portable device |
| Loan Period | 7 days on 1 and 3 user books, 21 days on unlimited user books | 1-7 days | None - PDF download Springer E-books also has a “My Copy” option to purchase a soft-cover book for $24.95 |
None - PDF download | 14 days |
| Read Online | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes. Through OverDrive Read |
| Return Books Early? | No | Yes. Through Adobe Digital Editions | n/a | n/a | Yes. Kindle books through Amazon and EPUB books through Adobe Digital Editions |
| Software Needed | To read the full downloaded book, Adobe Digital Editions for laptop/desktop or Bluefire Reader for tablets/phones. | Adobe Digital Editions to read downloaded book | Adobe Reader - files are PDFs | Adobe Reader - files are PDFs | Adobe Digital Editions or App for Portable Device |
| Printing/Copying/Saving | See chart for details. | See chart for details. | Print/save/copy chapters as PDFs | Print/save/copy chapters as PDFs | No |
| Emailing | Can email link to book and annotations | Can email citation/ permalink | Email by chapter as attachment | Email by chapter as attachment | No |
| Compatible w/portable devices | Yes, if device has web browser. | Yes, if device has web browser. | Yes, if device has a web browser | Yes, if device has a web browser | Yes |
| # of simultaneous Users | Varies - 1, 3, and unlimited options | Varies - 1, 3, and unlimited options | unlimited users | unlimited users | Most books are single user |
| Help | Ebook Central | EBSCO eBook LibGuide | OverDrive Help Center |