How does an onlineBibliothek loan work?
How do I find media in the onlineBibliothek?
At the upper edge of the screen there is a link for advanced searches, where you can enter your search term. In the advanced search, additional search criteria can be chosen, such as the year of publication or the
ISBN number. When searching for an item of whatever type on an already known topic, you can also alternatively browse through the categories on the left side of the screen, according to your desired topic.
I am interested in a particular item, what do I do next?
In a similar fashion to online shopping, with the onlineBibliothek you can also put titles into your onlineBibliothek Basket. To do so, click on the detailed view of the item of your choice, where you will also find the button "Put into the Library Basket." The media items in your Library Basket remain there, reserved for you for 30 minutes. You can download the item you have selected, from your Library Basket directly onto your PC.
Logging on to your media account
When you want to download the media from your Library Basket to your PC, simply click on "Borrow Now!" in your media basket and log on with your access data.
Borrowing media
After logging in, you can download media to your Library Basket using the Download button. Basically, you have two options:
- Opening the eBook / eAudio book directly.
- Saving it on your hard drive.
We recommend that you save the item, as you can then activate the media at any time without having to launch onlineBibliothek on the Internet. You will find information on the loan period in the respective area of Detailed Information on Media. When you want to exit onlineBibliothek, log out through "Logout" on the upper right side of the screen.
Using media
You can use your borrowed items as often as you wish during the loan period. In many cases, licensing laws also permit the files to be transferred to a mobile device, e.g. an MP3 player or a mobile phone. Likewise, for many eBooks one has the option of printing the items. You can see the respective options for use in the Details section.
How do I return the item after the loan period?
Once the loan period has expired, the loaned title is automatically „returned“, i.e., the downloaded file can no longer be accessed, even though it is still on your computer. It is best to delete it. If you would like to extend the loan period, you must borrow the title again. This system of returning borrowed items makes failing to meet a due date impossible, and no fines can be incurred.
Why is it not possible to return digital content before the due date?
Strictly speaking, returning a loaned item before its due date is technically possible, but we have waived such an option in favour of allowing the use of content on mobile devices (such as MP3 players and eBook readers). This is because, when returning a loaned item before the due date, the user would have to prove that s/he has also deleted the content from the MP3 player and/or eBook reader, by installing additional software.
