The University of Tampa Macdonald-Kelce Library

Streaming Services and eBooks

A guide to help you find digital resources, like e-books and streaming videos, in the Library.

Ebook Search

You may obtain better results by searching individual ebook databases below.

Not all ebooks are included in this single search.

Finding eBooks in the Databases

Finding eBooks in Summon

To browse eBooks in Summon, click on "Advanced" next to the single search bar and limit "Content Type" to "Book/eBook."

Then, type in your keywords in the search bars above and click "Search."

Or, just type in your search in the simple Summon search bar and choose "Book/eBook" on the left hand filter.

When you see an eBook in the results list, click on "Full Text Online" and you will be linked out into the database where you can access the eBook.

Finding eBooks in the Online Catalog

To browse eBooks in the catalog, click on the "All Limits" button on the lower right corner of the red search box, then click on "E-books" in the "Location" list. Click "Set Limits" and begin searching.

Here is an example of an eBook record in the catalog. Note that the location says "INTERNET." Just click the link provided to access the eBook.

Downloading eBooks: Software and Devices

Navigation:

Each eBook database allows you to read the full-text eBook within the database interface on most desktop, laptop, and mobile devices. Most eBooks are navigable by a Table of Contents, usually found on the left hand side of the screen. For full functionality (annotating, highlighting, bookmarking etc.), you will need to create a separate account with each database.

Downloading:

Keep in mind that some platforms don't allow you to download the entire eBook file to your computer. Some allow for chapter by chapter downloads or sending a chapter via email (Ebrary lets you do this)

If you wish to download an eBook in EBSCO (link below) you will need to download Adobe Digital Additions to your home computer. Note: Adobe Digital Additions is not available on the Library's computers. EBSCO will only allow you to save or email up to 6 pages of an e-book at one time.

If you have trouble navigating any e-book platform, please contact the reference desk at 813-257-3057 or come visit us in person.

Kindle

  • Can I use the library's databases on the Kindle? 

Not yet. Although the Kindle can read .pdfs if you save them from the database and then upload them to the Kindle.

  • Getting Free Books: Here are a few places to find free books to read on the Kindle.

(NOTE: Many free works are available as .PDFs. To get a .PDF document on your Kindle, first save the document to your computer. Then, connect your computer and Kindle with the USB cable and save the documents to the Kindle.)

Free eBooks

  • Amazon: You can find Amazon's top 100 free eBooks for the Kindle here 
  • DPLA: Digital Public Library of America - Discover 36,868,852 images, texts, videos, and sounds from across the United States.
  • HathiTrust Digital Library:  A free collection of millions of titles digitized from libraries around the world.
  • Internet Archive: The Internet Archive and Open Library offers over 10,000,000 fully accessible books and texts. There is also a collection of 300,000 modern eBooks that may be borrowed or downloaded.
  • Feedbooks: An offering of thousands of public domain eBooks
  • Google: Here's Google's page for their most popular free eBooks
  • Hillsborough County Public Library: The local public library supports checking out eBooks to your desktop, laptop, tablet, phone, or Kindle on multiple platforms. Here's the eBooks page for the HCPLC. Join for free as a Tampa resident and get a library card to access their physical and digital book collection.
  • Project Gutenberg: Project Gutenberg offers over 53,000 free eBooks: choose among free epub books, free kindle books, download them or read them online.

Web Accessibility Statement

Read the University's web accessibility statement here.

Macdonald-Kelce Library - The University of Tampa - 401 W. Kennedy Blvd. - Tampa, FL 33606 - 813 257-3056 - library@ut.edu - Accessibility