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POWER Library E-Books

POWER Library offers an extensive collection of e-books for Pennsylvania residents.  While the collection does contain some early-grade fiction and classic e-books, the majority of the collection is nonfiction and a good portion of those titles include topics on STEM, EDI, digital literacy, and health and wellness topics.

The eBooks in POWER Library are intended to complement local library collections, and residents should be sure check out their local library’s eBook collections for more extensive eBook holdings.  They can find their local library’s website by using the Find a PA Library tool.

• Searching the POWER Library E-Book Collection Catalog - https://ebooks.powerlibrary.org/:
  • To search the catalog enter a title, author, or keyword into the search box and click Go! 
  • On the results page, you can use the Search Filters on the right-side of the screen to limit the results by subject, format, date, and more.
  • Once you locate the material you are looking for, click on the cover for more details. 
  • To access a title, when you are looking at the item’s record, locate the Online Content - Find It In ____ box, below the cover image to the left, and click the link.
    •  Users will be taken to that book's e-book platform, where they will need to search for the title again in order to get access.
  • All e-books can be read directly in a browser window, though some do allow for downloading/sideloading.
  • For more information on the POWER Library E-Book Collection, please see: https://powerlibrarychat.libanswers.com/cwal/faq/379664.

Reading in a Browser:

• To access any of the POWER eBook collections, residents will need a public library card OR will need to sign up for a POWER eCard
• POWER eBooks can be accessed by visiting the POWER E-Resources Subject listing and selecting Find a Book, OR by following one of these links:
  • EBSCO eBooks
  • Gale eBooks
  • ProQuest E-Book Central
• Once in a collection, eBooks can be ready directly in a browser window by following the on-screen instructions

Downloading to a PC or Device:

• Instructions vary by platform
• EBSCO eBooks:
  • Create a free EBSCO account, by clicking the Sign In link at the top of EBSCO eBook catalog
  • Sign into your EBSCO account
  • Locate an eBook in the EBSCO eBook platform
  • Click the Full Download option from the left-side menu
  • Download your book as either:
    • PDF – recommended for desktop viewing
    • EPUB – recommended for mobile devices
  • If transferring to a mobile device, EBSCO recommends the following:
    • ANDROID:
      • On your computer, download the EPUB version of the eBook
      • On a computer, download a copy of Adobe Digital Editions and create a free account
      • Connect your eReader to the computer; your eReader will display under the “Bookshelves” option on the left
      • Click on the title of the eBook you previously downloaded and drag/drop it onto the eReader icon
      • Confirm the transfer and once done, click the eReader icon to verify the book transferred
      • Eject your eReader
    • APPLE:
      • Install the free Bluefire reading app
      • In Safari (or other internet browser), locate the eBook you are interested in and download it
      • Once downloaded, tap on it to open it in Bluefire
  • For more information, see:  https://support.ebsco.com/uploads/kb/en_ebooks_quickref_userguide.pdf
  • CHECKOUT TIME:  7 DAYS
• Gale eBooks:
  • Gale eBooks are primarily designed to be viewed in an internet browser
  • eBooks can only be downloaded section by section (or chapter by chapter); there is no way to download a complete eBook
• ProQuest E-Book Central:
  • Locate an eBook in the ProQuest E-Book Central platform
  • Click the download option from the left-side menu
  • Create a free ProQuest account or log in to your existing ProQuest account
    • If creating an account:  If you do no already have Adobe Digital Editions installed on your computer, follow the prompts to download it and create an Adobe account
  • Download your book as either:
    • PDF – recommended for desktop viewing
    • EPUB – recommended for mobile devices
  • If transferring to a mobile device, ProQuest recommends the following:
    • On your computer, download the EPUB version of the eBook
    • Connect your eReader to the computer and open Adobe Digital Editions; your eReader will display under the “Bookshelves” option on the left
    • Click on the title of the eBook you previously downloaded and drag/drop it onto the eReader icon
    • Confirm the transfer and once done, click the eReader icon to verify the book transferred
    • Eject your eReader
  • CHECKOUT TIME:  1 DAY