Ebooks: using our ebook collection

Discover and read electronic books available at the State Library Victoria

View ebook

To search for ebooks see tips on our Finding ebooks page.  Any items with digital content will have an Available online link. The ebook catalogue record's Access Online section includes a link to this instructional guide and a link to view online.

If the link under the Access online section says 'Cambridge', it will open in the Cambridge Core platform. 

Catalogue record of a Cambridge ebook with notes about key links

Crossref Co-Access

Catalogue record of 'Medieval France'

To access a Cambridge Core ebook, open the catalogue record and click on the link in the Access online section. Usually this will take you directly to the Cambridge Core platform. However, on occasion, you might encounter a catalogue record that links to a Crossref Co-access webpage rather than the Cambridge ebook platform. 

The catalogue record for Medieval France at War: A Military History of the French Monarchy, 885-1305 is an example of this.

Crossref Co-access page

If you are directed to a Crossref Co-access page, please select the top link under Clicked link. This should direct you to the ebook on the Cambridge platform.

The other links on the page are for the same ebook on other ebook platforms, and these may not be accessible using your Library membership.

Access the 'Medieval France' ebook via Cambridge Core platform

Once you have selected the correct link, you will be direct to the ebook on the Cambridge Core platform.

For more information about this process, please visit the Crossref Co-access FAQ page.

If you have difficulty accessing any ebooks using the Crossref Co-access links, please contact our Ask A Librarian service.

Cambridge Core by Cambridge University Press

Cambridge University Press logo

Browse Cambridge Core ebooks (Library membership required).

See all titles in our catalogue.

Downloading an ebook from Cambridge Core

Once you click View ebookyou will be prompted to log in with your valid library member number and accept the conditions of access.

If you experience any issues logging in or need to renew your membership please contact us

NOTE: if you use a VPN you may not be able to access databases. Turn off VPN or change your IP address back to Australia to continue.

From the ebook table of contents, click HTML (if available) to open the book in the Cambridge Core Reader.

There are no annotation features but you can adjust the text size.

Screenshot of online reader

Unlike EBSCO or ProQuest, there is no option to download or "borrow" the full ebook. However, you can download PDF chapters and print or store these files.

You can then read PDF files offline on your compatible device - computer, mobile or supported ereader.

Screenshot of ebook details page

The age of your device, operating system, browser or app version may contribute to issues. Follow the general troubleshooting steps below for common errors:

  • Repeat the process to check it's not a temporary glitch.
  • Turn your device off and on and clear your cache and cookies. 
  • If you are using Adobe Digital Editions, try de-authorizing and re-authorizing.

For continuing issues please Ask A Librarian. Please provide details of the problem and your device.