A library resource to help you locate information on e-books, e-reader software, and the usage restrictions for individual publishers.
Databases for DRM-free e-textbooks
Below you will find databases that include DRM-free e-textbooks. DRM-free means that anyone with a Cal Poly login can download the book in its entirety and keep it forever.
JSTOR is a full-text database of back issues for scholarly journals as well as eBooks, primarily in the social sciences and humanities. eBook content reflects current scholarship in most cases while journal content starts with volume one, but because JSTOR is an archival database, the most recent 3-5 years of journal issues are not available in JSTOR.
Project MUSE provides scholarly humanities and social sciences journals and ebooks from many of the world's leading university presses and scholarly societies.
ScienceDirect hosts thousands of high quality peer-reviewed journals and e-books primarily in the fields of science, technology, and health. The site also provides full-text access to a modest number of e-textbooks.
SpringerLink hosts thousands of high quality peer-reviewed journals and e-books in the natural sciences, medicine, engineering, business & economics, social sciences, architecture, food & nutrition, and environmental sciences. Recently added Palgrave content includes a large number of titles on humanities and social sciences topics, particularly in media & culture, theatre & performance, language & literature, education, religion & society, and political science & international relations. The site also provides full-text access to many useful handbooks and textbooks.
Taylor & Francis eBooks includes scholarly books in the fields of humanities and social sciences as well as CRC Press titles in the fields of engineering and agriculture.
Wiley Online Library provides full text access to high-quality, peer-reviewed journal and e-book content in agriculture, business, engineering, medicine, psychology, the sciences, social sciences, and other disciplines.
Databases for DRM e-textbooks
Below you will find databases that include DRM e-textbooks. Digitally Rights Managed textbooks do carry certain restrictions. (The restrictions vary by platform. See the E-books Guide for information about specific platform restrictions.) Even though there are limitations on their use, many DRM e-textbooks can easily be used as course textbooks.
EBSCO's eBook Collection offers scholarly and reference books as well as literary classics. All available titles may be read online in PDF format; some may also be downloaded for limited periods for offline reading (users must create a free EBSCOhost account before downloading).
Formerly known as Safari Books, O'Reilly Online Learning provides access to professional books on topics including UX design, leadership, project management, teams, agile development, analytics, and core programming. In addition to ebooks, learning paths, case studies, and video courses are available.