eBook Help
- Overview
- What is an eBook?
- How many eBooks does Perma-Bound carry?
- What file type(s) does Perma-Bound use for eBooks?
- When I purchase an eBook, do I own it forever?
- How do I order eBooks from Perma-Bound
- How does Perma-Bound deliver the eBooks?
- Is an Internet connection required to read eBooks?
- What browsers currently support eBooks?
- Is processing available for eBooks?
- Can eBooks be uploaded into my circulation system?
- Do I receive the actual eBook file itself?
- Do I have to store the eBooks on my computer?
- Are there any technical requirements for eBooks?
- How long does it take to open an eBook?
eBook Overview
What is an eBook?An eBook is basically just an electronic presentation of the paper book that can be read on a multitude of devices such as PCs, Macs, tablets, notebooks, laptops, etc.
How many eBooks does Perma-Bound carry?The number of eBooks currently offered by Perma-Bound changes on a daily basis. We will continue to work to add more eBook titles from more publishers to ensure you have the best offering available to select from.
What file type(s) does Perma-Bound use for eBooks?Perma-Bound provides eBooks in the industry-standard PDF format, and in Flash and HTML5 formats that can be read with a variety of web browsers. Some eBooks are also available on CD-ROM.
When I purchase an eBook, do I own it forever?The length of the time you own an eBook is dependent on the license or subscription model you purchased the eBook under. For the majority of eBooks sold from Perma-Bound, the eBook has a perpetual license. Those eBooks sold on a subscription basis are noted as such.
How do I order eBooks from Perma-BoundYou can order eBooks from Perma-Bound in all the same ways you would order a regular print book. They can be found on our website, in our new catalogs, and through all other methods. You can build a list on the website to order, or call or email our customer service department to place an order for eBooks. For additional assistance building an order, please feel free to contact your local sales representative or our customer service department at +1 800 637-6581.
How does Perma-Bound deliver the eBooks?When you order eBooks from Perma-Bound, the access to the eBooks will be sent out in three different methods to make it easy for everyone to use.
- Email—The URL(s) to access the eBook files are sent out within a few minutes of a qualifying order to the email address associated with the account the eBooks were ordered from.
- My Account—If the customer who has ordered the eBooks has a Perma-Bound.com website account, the URL(s) to access the eBook files will also be posted to a special left-hand menu option on the My Account page. This will provide 24/7 access to all eBooks purchased from Perma-Bound in an easy-to-use location and format.
- MARC Record—The third method of eBook access delivery is through the MARC records created for the titles. We will add your unique eBook URL into the 856 tag of the MARC record for the eBook. These MARC records can be uploaded into your circulation system just as print book records can be, so that all students, teachers, or patrons can access the record and therefore the MARC record eBook URL. As with our print versions, Perma-Bound Teacher's Guides do not include MARC records, as this would give students access to the entire guide—including the tests and answer keys.
Yes, you will need an internet connection in order to access the eBook URLs provided by Perma-Bound. In future updates, we will offer a download option for an offline reader.
What browsers currently support eBooks?- Internet Explorer 8 and up
- Firefox 5 and up
- Safari 5 and up
- Google Chrome
- The latest free Flash plug-in is required for access to all of our eReader's features, including two-page display and search, but if you don't have Flash installed or are viewing eBooks on a device that doesn't support Flash, Perma-Bound will automatically display your eBooks in an HTML5 based eReader.
It is recommended to always upgrade to the latest browser version for best performance.
Is processing available for eBooks?Yes if you request it, as with print materials from Perma-Bound, eBooks purchased from Perma-Bound will come with FREE MARC records and will include whatever special specification options you have selected within the record, including unique barcode numbers for eBook titles. The URL to access the eBook file is placed in the 856 tag of the record, which is one of the three methods of access that Perma-Bound provides. As with our print versions, Perma-Bound Teacher's Guides do not include MARC records, as this would give students access to the entire guide—including the tests and answer keys. To ensure you have the proper processing specifications on file for eBooks, contact our customer service department at +1 800 637-6581, or by email at books@perma-bound.com.
Can eBooks be uploaded into my circulation system?Yes if you request it, we provide FREE MARC records with our eBooks. You can upload the MARC records for eBooks just like you do for print books, and with the eBook URL in the 856 tag, your students and/or patrons can have easy access to the eBooks you've purchased. As with our print versions, Perma-Bound Teacher's Guides do not include MARC records, as this would give students access to the entire guide—including the tests and answer keys. To ensure you have the proper processing specifications on file for eBooks, contact our customer service department at +1 800 637-6581, or by email at books@perma-bound.com.
Do I receive the actual eBook file itself?No, when you purchase an eBook you are purchasing a license to access the eBook file. The eBook files reside on Perma-Bound's servers, or in some instances the servers of the publishers. You will be provided with 24/7 access to the eBooks you have purchased/licensed, and you do not need to worry about storage, accidentally deleting the file, or where to give your users access to the files.
Do I have to store the eBooks on my computer?When you purchase an eBook from Perma-Bound, you don't have to worry about finding and maintaining storage of the eBook. The eBook files will reside on Perma-Bound's server for easy 24/7 access by all of your students and/or patrons.
Are there any technical requirements for eBooks?The minimum technical requirements for the device you are using to access the eBooks are an active internet connection and, for both Flash and HTML5 based eBooks, a compatible web browser. The Flash eReader, which offers more features than the HTML5 eReader, requires the current free Flash plug-in. For PDF eBooks, a reader capable of opening a PDF file from the web is required, such as Adobe Acrobat or compatible software-based eBook reader. Opening the file will most typically be achieved through the use of a web browser as an intermediate step.
How long does it take to open an eBook?The speed at which an eBook file is opened by the reader accessing it is dependent on the internet connection and the eBook's format. Flash and HTML5 based eBooks are downloaded on a page-by-page basis, so the speed at which they open is largely unrelated to the size of the eBook, while PDF titles must be downloaded completely before they can be opened. Most Flash and HTML5 eBooks will open in a few seconds on a high-speed connection, while most PDF eBooks will open in a minute or less. Very large PDFs may take significantly longer to open. An internet connection is required to read an eBook at all times, not only when the eBook is first downloaded.
| Connection | 1 MB file | 4 MB file | 10 MB file | 30 MB file | 60 MB file | 100 MB file |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0M-DSL/Cable | 2s | 10s | 26s | 1m 20s | 2m 40s | 4m 26s |
| T1/DS1, 1.5MDSL/Cable | 5s | 20s | 52s | 2m 36s | 5m 12s | 8m 40s |
| 640K-DSL/Cable | 12s | 50s | 2m 5s | 6m 15s | 12m 30s | 20m 50s |
| 128K ISDN | 1m 1s | 4m 4s | 10m 10s | 30m 31s | 1h 1m 2s | 1h 41m 43s |
| 56 Kbps | 2m 19s | 9m 18s | 23m 15s | 1h 9m 45s | 2h 19m 30s | 3h 52m 30s |
Digital Rights Management Questions:
What does DRM mean?DRM stands for Digital Rights Management. DRM is the security system for an electronic file—such as an eBook—that will control checkout periods, the ability to copy and paste, the ability to print the eBook, the ability to perform a screen capture, and the ability to save the eBook to a location other than where it is supposed to reside. The DRM controls put in place on the eBooks are mandated by the publishers of that content, and can vary among publishers.
Reader Questions:
What is a "reader"?A "reader" is the generic term used to refer to any software or hardware program that can be used to open and read an eBook file. A few examples of current readers that Perma-Bound supports are listed below.
Computers—software based readers running on them- Desktops
- Laptops
- Netbooks
- iPhone (iOS 5 or greater)
- Android (3.0 or greater)
- iPad (iOS 5 or greater)
Perma-Bound's eBooks will open and display on personal computers, notebooks and netbooks with current web browsers (see the list here), and on tablets running Apple's iOS and Google's Android operating systems (click here for more information). They will also work on smartphones running iOS, running the same operating system versions as tablets. At the present time, they will not work on dedicated eReaders such as Amazon's Kindle and Barnes & Noble's Nook.
Do eBooks from Perma-Bound have text-to-speech?We are looking into text-to-speech but we do not have this function at this time. Please check back periodically for updates.
Usage Questions:
How do I access eBooks from Perma-Bound?You can access the eBooks purchased from Perma-Bound on any device that has an internet connection and a PDF viewer installed. The URL links to access the eBook files are delivered in three different methods.
- Email—The URL(s) to access the eBook files are sent out within a few minutes of a qualifying order to the email address associated with the account the eBooks were ordered from.
- My Account—If the customer who has ordered the eBooks has a Perma-Bound.com website account, the URL(s) to access the eBook files are also posted to a special left-hand menu option on the My Account page. This will provide 24/7 access to all eBooks purchased from Perma-Bound in an easy-to-use location and format.
- MARC Record—The third method of eBook access delivery is through the MARC records created for the titles. We will add your unique eBook URL into the 856 tag of the MARC record for the eBook. These MARC records can be uploaded into your circulation system just as print book records can be, so that all students, teachers, or patrons can access the record and therefore the MARC record eBook URL. As with our print versions, Perma-Bound Teacher's Guides do not include MARC records, as this would give student access to the entire guide—including the tests and answer key.
No, when you purchase an eBook you purchase a license to access that eBook file from the location at which it was purchased. If a user from another location wishes to view an eBook in your collection, they will have to visit your location to legally do so.
How many users can use an eBook at one time?The number of users that can access an eBook at one point in time depends on the number of licenses purchased for that eBook. Most eBooks are sold in a 1:1 license model, meaning that for every single eBook file you purchase, only one user can access it at a time.
Can eBooks be used on a whiteboard?Yes, the majority of eBooks from Perma-Bound can be used on whiteboards; however, some publisher-controlled eBook licenses restrict them from being used on whiteboards. The usage of eBooks on whiteboards actually opens up a whole new teaching medium for the eBooks. For example, the display of an eBook on a whiteboard is often referred to as the new Big Book—as it allows an entire class to view the book at the same time like a print Big Book. Perma-Bound also carries eMaterials specifically tailored for use on whiteboards.
I tried to cut and paste some text from an eBook, but all I got was random text. What happened?If you get random text when you try to copy and paste, that means that the publisher asked us to prohibit copying and pasting from that eBook.