LibAnswers : Australasian Libraries

When selecting readings from ebooks, it is important to consider the suitability of an individual ebook licence prior to adding it to your reading list. Ebook access conditions vary according to publisher specifications. Publishers may, for example:

• restrict access by limiting the number of simultaneous users,
• place limits on printing, copying, and downloads, or
• remove a title from our subscription, preventing us from purchasing the title and providing perpetual access.

Titles in ebook databases are available in one of the following “Access Models.” The access model determines how the ebook is made available to patrons:

• 1-user access model: One person can access the ebook at a time. Chapter download is usually available, even if the full download is disabled.
• 3-user access model: The 3-user access model restricts access to three concurrent users.
• Unlimited access model: This access model allows titles to be available on an unlimited access basis. Any number of patrons can access unlimited titles concurrently for any number of days per year, in accordance with the download options set by the library.

Before adding an ebook to your reading list:

• Check the number of users who can access it simultaneously;
• Investigate download and printing limits - the amount you can print & copy varies between publishers.

How to check the ebook access limits:

Find the book in the ebook database and on the main ebook page find the "Availability" information:

How to share a reading from a "LIMITED ACCESS" ebook?

If you are assigning a reading from an ebook with limited user access, please contact the Library. The library staff will digitise and process the reading through the reading management system and provide you with a link to the reading that an unlimited number of students can access simultaneously. 

Please note: Under the statutory licence (section 113P)* of the Copyright Act only 10% or one chapter of a book can be digitised as a reading.

How to share a reading from an "UNLIMITED ACCESS" ebook?

Linking directly to an electronic book is not considered creating a copy of the work, and thus direct linking is the preferred option of sharing extracts from the unlimited user access ebooks. Please use the instructions in the SAE Library Linking Guide on how to create links that permit access to ebooks both on and off-campus.

Please note: Ebooks available via the Taylor & Francis platform are licensed for unlimited users, while ebooks available via ProQuest Ebook Central & EBSCOhost can be either unlimited or limited (1 or 3 user) access.

For more information on how to create a reading list, please go to Reading List Best Practice Guide.

For more information on how to use ebooks, visit the Using Systems Guide.

If you need help with determining the access limits of your selected ebook, please contact the Library.