Online Dictionaries
Try these if you need 'em!
- WordReference.comA free online dictionary with around 100,000 words and phrases with over 200,000 translations. A subset of the Oxford dictionaries.
Searching for E-Books
Search these ebook collections for possible sources, especially if you're away from campus! If you are using them off-campus, you may need to authenticate with your BGSU username and password.
- OhioLINK Electronic Book Center (EBC)
The OhioLINK Electronic Book Center (EBC) contains full-text scholarly and reference books on numerous subjects, as well as full-text literary works in English. The Literature Collection contains thousands of full-text poems, plays, and prose works, including the complete works of William Shakespeare and William Butler Yeats.
- Ebook Central (ebrary)
BGSU subscribes to two Ebook Central collections of electronic books - the Business & Economics and the Education collections - providing access to thousands of titles. Users can download chapters in pdf format or full books for a limited period in Adobe Digital Editions.
Best for: Business, economics, educationCompatible with: Tablet devices - iOS, Android (including Kindle FIRE) should install the BlueFire Reader app and authorize it with their ADE ID (email). Adobe Digital Editions software may be required for some books.
Contains: Business books (over 24,000), Education books (over 6,000), and selected books on other subjects. Features a robust interface that allows users to highlight passages, take notes, save favorites, create folders, and return to their customized content through a personal profile they create
Coverage: Mostly 2000 to present
Download: User account required. Chapters in PDF or a series of pages (max 99). Full book downloads; some limited. Adobe Digital Editions download and free login may be required. Tablet devices should use the browser to access collection and download book to the BlueFire Reader app with an authorized ADE ID. Learn more.
e-Book Central allows users to download chapters or entire books! You can either:- save a single chapter permanently as a pdf
- download an entire book for one or more days (may require the free Adobe Digital Editions software and BlueFire app)
You will see the download button when you are viewing a book in e-Book Central.
Once you choose to download an entire book, you will be prompted to sign in to your personal account. If you don't have one yet, create one by clicking on "Create an account."
Your download may expire after 1 or more days if the free software Adobe Digital Editions and, on a mobile device, an app called BlueFire are required.
If you do not have Adobe Digital Editions, download it for free by using the link in the download box to connect to the Adobe site. Adobe Digital Editions works with a variety of platforms, including the Nook and several iPad and Android apps, but cannot be used on a Kindle.
Limitations: Titles published by Ashgate and Rowman & Littlefield have a 'limited-user license' and allow 6 simultaneous users only. Some full book downloads expire after a limited time.
Link: https://libguides.bgsu.edu/ebookcent
Printing: Print current page, chapter, or series of pages - max 99
Timeout: A session will timeout automatically if left idle for 15 minutes.
Users: Many allow unlimited simultaneous users but some are limited to 5 (Ashgate books) or 6 (Rowman & Littlefield books) users at a time
BGSU has a number of titles purchased locally and by OhioLINK on the e-Book Central platform, and we also subscribe to two collections - the Business & Economics and the Education collections.Help with e-Book Central
Watch an e-book Central training video or visit ProQuest's e-Book Central LibGuide.
Using Library Resources around the World
Away from campus? You are still able to take advantage of the Libraries' resources and services as a BGSU student or faculty member. To use electronic resources when you are away from campus, use your BGSU username and password (same as you use to check your BGSU email) for remote database access and for access to your library account. The Libraries has an incredible number of e-journals and increasing access to e-books. Check out the materials listed in the Books and Articles tabs for suggested resources.
If you experience problems accessing materials electronically, click on the ASK US! tab to explore the variety of ways you can get help.
New Service: Electronic Delivery of Print Articles
The University Libraries provides a great electronic service for Faculty and Distance Education students. As AYA students, you are clearly distance students! Basically, if BGSU owns a journal in print, you can request an article from that journal via Interlibrary Loan and have it delivered electronically to your desktop, no matter where you are.
Requesting an Electronic Copy of an Article Only Available in Print:
- If you identify an article that is not available in full text, enter the citation via interlibrary loan using Interlibrary Loan (ILL). If BGSU owns the print copy, and you're faculty or a distance education patron, you will receive a copy of the article electronically. Items not owned by BGSU will be requested via the regular interlibrary loan process.
- Distance students should add text in the note field of each request in Interlibrary Loan (ILL) that they are a "distance education student."
Turn Around Times For Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Requests
- Articles From BGSU: 1 Business Day
- Articles From Other Institutions: Approximately 2 Weeks.
For more information, contact ill@bgsu.edu
Chat With Us
Problems with your Library Account?
If you are not able to log onto a library database or use a resource and instead receive a message asking you to update your library account, please email the library circulation desk at circdesk@libanswers.bgsu.edu.
Hot Tip
Follow the "Find It!" link or button on an article in the research databases to locate online or print articles in other databases!
If an article isn't available full text in one database, it may be full text in another. Following Find It! will save you much time and frustration.
The Find It! button looks like this: 