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E-books at UCLA

A guide to e-book collections at UCLA Library, including information about scope and use.

Connect from Off-Campus

Most of the links on these pages go to subscription sources which are accessible from any computer on campus. UCLA students, faculty, and staff can access these sites from off-campus using either the Proxy Server (a simple setting in your browser) or the VPN Client (a program you install on your computer).

For mobile devices: VPN is currently only compatible with iOS and Android enabled devices. Proxy server is not mobile compatible.

About This Guide

Two e-book readers side by sideDid you know that the UCLA Library has access to thousands of e-books available for free? UCLA students, faculty, and staff can read all of these books online from your computer or mobile device. You can even download, highlight, and print many of these e-books.

This guide will help you:

  • Find e-books available via UCLA Library 
  • Access e-books from various mobile devices
  • Find links to major e-book collections in various subject areas

UC Library Search

Multidisciplinary E-book Collections

E-books at Other Campuses

E-books in their entirety cannot be loaned between universities, even between UC campuses. UCLA users are only able to access e-books which UCLA subscribes to. Your options for reading those books include:

  • Recommend that the UCLA Library purchase the e-book. (Purchases are not guaranteed and are not automatic.)
  • If you need only a chapter from an e-book held by another campus, you can submit an interlibrary loan request for that one part of the book.
  • Request a print edition by interlibrary loan. (In UC Library Search click on "How to get it," login to your Library Account and click on Request through interlibrary loan.)
  • Visit a library that has the e-book and use it on-site. (Public libraries like Los Angeles Public Library may allow remote access to anyone with a library card.)
  • Purchase a personal copy from an e-book retailer that sells to individual accounts only. Retailers like Amazon Kindle do not sell e-books directly to libraries.

Suggest a Purchase

Thumbs up The UCLA Library is always looking for purchase requests from students, faculty, and staff. If you are unable to find an item you think the library should own, fill out the Purchase Recommendation Form or contact your subject librarian.

Make sure to indicate if you are specifically interested in the e-book version. It is also helpful for us to know if this is just for your individual research, or if access is being requested for an entire class.