E-Books at UW: FAQs

• Can I request an e-book that isn't held by UW Libraries through Interlibrary Loan?
• Can I use e-book content in my Canvas site for a class assignment? How do I know if I can or not?
• Can I print sections of e-book?
• Can off-campus borrowers use e-books?
• How can I tell if the library has this book available electronically? How can I search for e-books only?

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1. Can I request an e-book that isn't held by UW Libraries through Interlibrary Loan? 

Because of e-book licensing rules, unfortunately e-books cannot be accessed through Interlibrary Loan options. For more information about Interlibrary Loans, visit the UW Libraries ILL "How do I request a book/article we don't have?" page.

2. Can I use e-book content in my Canvas site for a class assignment? How do I know if I can or not?

Visit the Tips for Instructors page for more information about adding e-book content to your course. 

See our Step-by-Step Guide to Copyright Compliance for more information on providing legal access to electronic materials.

3. Can I print sections of e-books?

The rules for what you may print can vary by the resource, and you'll need to check the individual item to determine the limit. Here's an example of page printing limitations from ProQuest Ebook Central:

You can also check our Access & Use Limits guide to check certain printing limits.

4. Can off-campus borrowers use e-books?

You can access resources from a personal computer or device if you are a current UW student, staff, or faculty by using your Net ID and confirming your identity with Two-Factor Authentication. If you are not a current UW student, staff or faculty, there are certain electronic materials you may access while visiting the library and may be available via Open Access. To check if you can access materials, visit the FAQ: Who can access databases, e-journals, e-books etc. and from where? page. 

5. How can I tell if the library has this book available electronically? How can I search for e-books only?

You can tell if something is an e-book by the label above the title:

Additionally, if a resource has a link that says "Online access," you will be able to access the resource electronically.

For more detailed instructions about how to search only for e-books, visit the Searching for E-Books page.