VitalSource

Reading

When accessing VitalSource for the first time please create a Bookshelf account by entering your UniSA email address and following the prompts. This will allow you to borrow titles and access a variety of features including highlighting, adding notes, adding bookmarks and creating flashcards.

To read online, open the table of contents and click on a chapter title.

Chapter subsections can be selected by clicking on ‘Expand’ located just above the table of contents.

Navigate between pages by using the scrubber bar at the bottom of the page or by using the arrow buttons in the bottom right-hand corner of the page. Use the page entry field in the bottom right-hand corner of the page to jump to a specific page.

To create a bookmark, first open the eBook to the page where you want to place the bookmark. Then, click on the bookmark icon to the left of the page entry field.

Returning

Please ensure that you return your book once you have finished using it as VitalSource ebooks allow for up to three patrons to borrow simultaneously (3 user license). This means that if three patrons are using a title at the same time, other patrons will be locked out.

To return, navigate to your Bookshelf homepage by selecting the < arrow icon at the top left-hand side of the page. Next, select the return button located underneath the book title. Alternatively, select the borrowed items button located at the bottom left-hand side of the page, then select return.

Searching

To search within an ebook, select the looking glass icon located underneath the book title.

To search within a book when already in the reading pane, use the looking glass icon located on the top right-hand side of the page.

Printing and downloading

Some eTextBooks can be printed from; restrictions are set by the copyright owner, the content publisher. If printing is enabled, a window will pop up to allow you to save the page(s) to PDF after you select Print Now.

For instructions on how to print please see How do I print from my eTextBook?

Highlighting and annotating

To highlight, ensure that you are logged in to your Bookshelf account then drag your cursor over a passage and then choosing a highlighter colour (displayed as a circle icon) when prompted. Once a passage has been selected, the prompt will also give you an option to add a note. Access your notes by selecting the workbook icon at the top right-hand side of the page.