Adobe Digital Editions is now available through AU Install.
While you can preview an eBook online without any special software, Adobe Digital Editions allows you to read the content of an eBook you have downloaded for offline use and to move the book to a supported remote eReader device via a USB connection. Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) can't be downloaded on AULibraries public or OIT lab computers since downloaded items must stay with the copy of ADE it is downloaded to or with devices synced to that copy of ADE via the users Adobe ID.
Adobe Digital Editions is required to download most AULibraries eBooks for checkout. You will be asked to create an Adobe Account if you don't already have one. Creating an account is free and only takes a minute; also, the email address you use to create your ID does not have to be your Auburn email. Creating an account allows you to sync devices to your copy of Adobe Digital Editions via your Adobe ID. Here is a list of ADE-supported eReader devices. Note: some mobile devices, such as the iPad or Kindle Fire, require special software to function as readers and ADE will not recognize that device as a reader without that software loaded on the device.
Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) will operate as a "middle man" for downloading eBooks onto your computer and then farming them out to an ADE-compatible eReader device for portable use (You may be able to download an eBook to a tablet app as long as you have the app installed and an Adobe ID. iPads and Kindle Fires with the Bluefire app are examples). eBooks may have to be transferred to your reader via Adobe Digital Editions - you can't simply cut/paste them from folder to folder as you can other files since there are format issues that ADE resolves. Items checked out should be downloaded to the "My Digital Editions" folder that the Adobe Digital Editions installation creates in your "My Documents" folder. The picture below shows Adobe Digital Editions with a small library of eBooks. Note the left pane displays your various eBook folders and the right pane displays the items in the selected folder. An eReader that is plugged in and synced will appear in the left pane at the bottom of the list (a Nook in this example):
So the process, in short, is: Library eBook Checkout --Download to your computer to the "My Digital Editions folder" --Transfer to a plugged in and synced eReader from the Adobe Digital Editions program window by drag and drop from the right pane to the eReader displayed in the left pane. For full instructions see Moving eBooks to your eReader using Adobe Digital Editions in the dropdown tab above. Note: Kindle devices are not supported by ADE. Use the How to Install Bluefire Reader for Android on the Kindle Fire and Download your EBL ebooks to the Kindle Fire links for information on how to download epub books to Kindle.
