The LibrariesWest e book service is provided by Borrow Box. You will need your library membership number & PIN to log on to Borrow Box, who are also our provider for e audio books and e newspapers. If you need a PIN reminder, please go to the Libraries West homepage, click on 'Log in' and then 'Forgot my PIN'.
How the e book service works
- Free to use. Check out up to 10 e-books at a time. Reservations count as part of your loan entitlement.
- Borrow e-books for up to 21 days - and return them early or renew (up to 2 times even if there is a waiting list for the title).
- Choose from around 18,000 e books - including fiction (for adults & children), biographies, popular science & history, health & wellbeing, cookery etc.
- On the first day of each month several multiple simultaneous access titles which can be borrowed by up to 1000 people at a time are added to the collection - you can see them scrolling across the top of the screen.
- Download via the free BorrowBox app to your tablet or smartphone - compatible with android, iOS & Kindle Fire devices - or use the BorrowBox website if you are using a PC or laptop. On first use you will need to select the library authority you area a member of e.g. Bristol, Somerset.
- No late fees - e-books expire automatically at the end of the loan period unless you have returned them early
Due to security restrictions and limited bandwidth on the public computers and the need to install software it is not normally possible to use the e-book service in libraries. However, you can access them on your own device if the library has Wi Fi.Access to digital content is provided by a third party supplier who delivers access to the platform and content through their own systems. Please be aware that the supplier will be the data controller for the information it collects. The supplier has servers in the US and has their own terms and conditions which you will need to read before choosing to use their service.The Library Service is not responsible for third party content, and the information you share with the third party supplier.
How to start borrowing - it's easy!
If you are using a PC or laptop to transfer e books to a stand-alone e reader such as a Kobo you should find the following guidance helpful:
1. Once you have logged on and checked out an e book, click on the 'Download Now' option. When you get a pop up box asking whether you would like to Open, Run or Save, make sure that you select 'Open with' and choose Adobe Digital Editions. Adobe Digital Editions will then import the e book file and you can find it in the 'Borrowed' section on the left side.
2. If you don't already have Adobe Digital Editions on your PC or laptop you will need to install it. It is free software. If a message pops up on screen asking you to choose between the UK and the USA just ignore this by clicking on X in the top right corner of the pop up box.
3. On first launch of Adobe Digital Editions, click on Help>Authorize Computer. In the following screen choose 'Adobe ID' from the dropdown menu and enter your Adobe ID and password. If you don't have an Adobe ID please click on the 'Create an Adobe ID' link on the right hand side or visit the Adobe Login website and click on 'Get an Adobe ID'.
4. Once Adobe Digital Editions has been installed you will need to connect your e reader to your PC or laptop (following the on screen instructions once connected) to transfer the e book file across so you can read it.
For further help or support, please try the Help section at the top of each BorrowBox site (you will need to log on) or send an email
If you have any suggestions for e books you would like to see in the collection please email us
We also have a small collection of E Books for Children which are free to borrow.
NEW - Thousands of free eBooks and audiobooks in Ukrainian
In order to provide Ukrainian speakers with a range of free reading, listening, learning and entertainment opportunities, multimedia content provider Odilo launched a free app for both Android app and iOS app in April 2022. Available across Europe, the app includes 3000 e-books and audiobooks in a variety of genres, including 1,700 Ukrainian titles and 500 in English. There is material for both children and adults. We hope that everyone – from social workers to host families – will draw the attention of the refugees to this app. To offer them the support, pleasure or comfort of reading, learning and listening in these difficult and uncertain times.
A web version of Odilo is also available. Instructions on how to use Odilo can be found here.
For guidance on how to download and use the app, click here .
Stuck for ideas on something new to read? If you have a membership card for Somerset Libraries why not try Who Else Writes Like - a free resource which guides you towards authors and titles you may not know about! Just log in with your library card number in the box on the right hand side of the screen.
