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Digital Downloads - Help - Quick Start Guide


Overview

The following types of materials can be checked out and downloaded from this website:

  • eBooks in the Adobe® Reader®/Adobe Digital Editions PDF format (eBooks optimized for on-screen reading)
  • WMA Audiobooks in the OverDrive Media Console™ format
  • Video in the OverDrive Media Console™ format (note that OverDrive Video is supported as a high-speed Internet-only product)

To access digital materials at Pima County Public Library OverDrive Digital Media, you will need:

  • A valid library card
  • Access to the Internet
  • Free software for the computer and/or device on which you wish to use the material you download from this site

Please note that digital downloads can be enjoyed at home, at work, or when you travel, but are generally not for use on the computers in your library.

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Step 1: Download & Install Free Software

As a first step, you will need to install free software. To read more about the free software for your preferred format, click below:

To review software system requirements and download instructions, click below:

Note that upgrading or uninstalling OverDrive Media Console will not affect any content that you have previously downloaded; all items in your 'Media Library' will be maintained through either process.

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Step 2: Register Your Free Software

Before you use a title checked out from this website, you'll need to activate the software that you downloaded. You only need to activate the software once for each machine on which you'll use the material. See below for more on activation.

Adobe Digital Editions

Adobe Digital Editions can be activated anonymously, or by using an Adobe ID. Anonymous activation automatically occurs the first time that you open a DRM-protected Adobe eBook. Anonymous activation allows you to read DRM-protected eBooks on your computer only.

Activating Adobe Digital Editions using an Adobe ID allows you to read DRM-protected eBooks on your computer and prepares your copy of Adobe Digital Editions for the future use of functionality currently unavailable in Adobe Digital Editions, such as transfer to portable devices.

When you first open Adobe Digital Editions 1.5, you are prompted to activate, or authorize, your computer.

To authorize your computer using an Adobe ID…

  1. Open Adobe Digital Editions.
    The 'Setup Assistant' dialog box is displayed.
  2. Click 'Continue'.
    The 'Authorize Computer' screen is displayed.
  3. In the appropriate fields, enter the email address and password for your Adobe ID.
    If you do not already have an Adobe ID, click 'Get an Adobe ID online' and follow the instructions to sign up for an Adobe ID.
  4. Click 'Activate'.
    Your computer is authorized to your Adobe ID.
  5. Click 'Finish' to close the 'Setup Assistant' dialog box.

If you prefer not to authorize your computer using an Adobe ID…

  1. Open Adobe Digital Editions.
    The 'Setup Assistant' dialog box is displayed.
  2. Click 'Continue'.
    The 'Authorize Computer' screen is displayed.
  3. Select the 'Don't Authorize Computer' option.
  4. Click 'Activate'.
  5. You are prompted to confirm that you do not want to activate your computer at this time. Select 'Continue' to continue without authorizing your computer.
  6. Click 'Finish' to close the 'Setup Assistant' dialog box.

If you choose not to activate your computer using an Adobe ID at this time, you may do so later.

To authorize your computer using an Adobe ID at a later time…

  1. Open Adobe Digital Editions.
  2. Select Library > Authorize Computer.

    3. The 'Authorize Computer' dialog box is displayed.
  3. In the appropriate fields, enter the email address and password for your Adobe ID.
    If you do not already have an Adobe ID, click 'Get an Adobe ID online' and follow the instructions to sign up for an Adobe ID.
  4. Click 'Activate'.
    Your computer is authorized to your Adobe ID.
  5. Click 'Finish' to close the 'Setup Assistant' dialog box.

Adobe Reader 7:

Adobe Reader 7 can be activated using 'Easy Activation'. 'Easy Activation' will automatically occur the first time you download and open an Adobe eBook. Once 'Easy Activation' is complete, you'll notice an Adobe confirmation screen; you can simply close this screen.

If you are using Adobe Reader 7, you can choose 'Named Activation'. 'Named Activation' allows you to read an Adobe eBook on multiple computers/devices. Please note that transferring Adobe Reader eBooks from one computer to another using Adobe Reader 7 will work only if the destination computer is running Adobe Reader 6.

To complete Named Activation, do one of the following:

If you are using Adobe Reader 7...
Open Adobe Reader and from the menu bar, select File > Digital Editions > Authorize Devices.

Note that Adobe Reader 6 or 7 may check for updates and download Adobe Reader 8 automatically depending on your current settings. Adobe Reader 8 does not offer stand-alone support for Adobe eBooks and does not support the transfer of Adobe eBooks to portable devices or other computers. Click here for information on turning off automatic updates in Adobe Reader 6 and 7. Please note that Adobe Reader 6 is no longer available for download. If you upgrade to Adobe Digital Editions or Adobe Reader 7 or 8, you will not be able to reinstall Adobe Reader 6.

For more information on activating Adobe Reader, click here.

OverDrive Media Console:

OverDrive Media Console utilizes Windows Media Player® 9 Series or newer to play files. The first time that Windows Media Player attempts to open a DRM-protected file, it will alert you that a Security Update must be performed before the file may be opened. The update takes just a few moments, and must be performed before Microsoft Windows Media Player will allow any DRM-protected files to be played.

For more information on audiobooks, OverDrive Media Console, and Windows Media Player, click here.

For more information on video, OverDrive Media Console, and Windows Media Player, click here.

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Step 3: Check Out, Download, and Enjoy

You can browse or search this site for downloadable materials. When you locate a title of interest, simply add it to your eBookBag and check out the title. For more information on the checkout process, click here.

If a desired title is not available, you may place a hold on the title. For more information on placing a title on hold, click here.

Once you have checked out a title, a download page will be displayed. Click the 'Download' link to start the download. Once the download is complete, you can close your Internet connection and enjoy the materials offline.

You will never accrue late fees with titles you download from this website. At the end of the loan period, titles will expire and be automatically 'returned' to the library. At this time, you can delete the expired file(s) from your machine.

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