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NOOK Study eTextbooks FAQs

General Questions about NOOK Study eTextbooks

What is an eTextbook?
An eTextbook is a digital, downloadable version of a physical textbook.
What devices can I read an eTextbook on?
eTextbooks purchased from Barnes & Noble are meant to be read on your computer via our NOOK Study application. You cannot use your NOOK or mobile device to read textbooks as the screens are too small to properly view the contents.
Can I read my eTextbook on more than one computer?
Yes, you can read your eTextbook on up to two (2) computers.
Do I need to be connected to the Internet to read my eTextbook?
No. Once you've downloaded your eTextbook it is accessible to you anytime from NOOK Study. However, you will need to be online to take advantage of the Lookup features or when syncing your books.
Can I access my eTextbook from the web?
No, digital textbooks from Barnes & Noble are not accessible via the web. You can only access them with the NOOK Study eReader application.
Will my eTextbook look exactly like the physical version?
eTextbooks provide content parity with print textbooks, and in the same page format. In a small number of cases, however, there can be exceptions that result in content missing from the eTextbook version. These exceptions are often caused by copyright challenges faced by the publisher (textbooks are often a compilation of many components, the written word, graphs, illustrations, etc. and not every component has the same digital rights.) Publishers work hard to ensure that etextbooks are complete. If you identify content problems, please contact us at 1800thebook so we may correct the issue.Yes, the publishers have worked hard to preserve all the content from the physical version to be used in the digital version. That means you'll see the same graphs, charts, tables, drawings, etc. as you normally would in the physical version.
Why are there copy and print restrictions on eTextbooks?
Restrictions have been set by the publishers to prevent unauthorized reproduction of their textbooks. These restrictions limit the number of pages you can copy and print from a book. We list each book's restrictions on the bookstore's website and the Book Info page in the NOOK Study application. After you purchase a book, you can download it to your NOOK Study application. Before you download the book, you can select whether you want to download the Enhanced version or Regular version. The Enhanced version allows for copy and print; the Regular version does not.
What do the copy and print restrictions for eTextbooks actually mean?
Printing is tracked in whole pages, regardless of whether you select a paragraph or the whole page of text. You may not send more than 10 pages at a time to the printer. Copying is tracked in "copy instances." A copy instance is worth 1,000 characters (including spaces). You receive a fixed allotment for print and copy when you first download your book. After you start using your allotment, you accrue pages back.
Why can't I find the textbook I want in digital format?
We currently offer thousands of textbook titles in digital format. However we realize there are still many titles not yet available and we are working closely with the publishers to continuously increase our collection of eTextbooks. The best way to submit requests for textbooks is to send an email to NOOKstudycontent@book.com. We'll keep you posted as to additional ways to submit requests as they become available. Include as much of the following data elements as possible:
  • Full title
  • Edition
  • Author(s)
  • Publisher
  • Either 10 or 13 ISBN
  • Copyright year
Please note that we will consolidate requests received and work with the publishers but we cannot promise that the requests will be fulfilled since it is up to the publishers to make that determination. We can promise that we will do everything we can to make as many titles available in NOOK Study as possible.
I was given an access code after my purchase. How do I redeem it?
Step 1: Download and install NOOK Study on your computer.
Step 2: Open NOOK Study and click the "Redeem" button to enter the access code from your receipt.
Step 3: Once the title has been loaded into your Library, click the book to download it to your computer.
And that's it! You can begin reading!
If my title comes with supplemental materials, will I get them with my purchase of the eTextbook version?
Due to the digital delivery format, eTextbooks do not include CD content or other companion materials that may be available with the new physical book.
If I rent my eTextbook, do I need to return anything at the end of the rental period?
No, because your textbook is digital, there is nothing to return! If you choose to not buy the book or re-rent it at the end of your rental period, your license will simply expire and you will not have access to your textbook. You will still be able to access your notes. However, we do offer you a grace period after the expiration of your rental period to buy or re-rent the book.
What happens to my notes after my rental period is over?
After the rental period is over you will still have access to your notes.
Can I return a eTextbook that I purchased or rented?
If your eTextbook has not been downloaded or you have not used your access code, you may refund your eTextbook within the first week of class.
Can I purchase eTextbooks if I reside outside of the U.S.?
Due to contractual obligations with publishers, eTextbooks can currently only be purchased by customers residing in the U.S and Canada.
Why do I have to enter a Credit Card, after I already bought the book? Will I be charged again?
A payment error message may appear if you do not have a credit card on file, this is due to Digital Rights Management (DRM), you will not be charged again. In order to open the eBook, you will need to enter a Credit Card with your Barnes & Noble account.
I'm having some issues with my book (it won't open or it doesn't look right) - what do I do?
Please call our Customer Service team at 1-800-THE-BOOK, press 3 then 1 for NOOK Study Support and we'll be happy to assist you.
Can I speak with someone for help or other questions?
Have a question, problem, or want to pass along a suggestion? Please give us a call at 1-800-THE-BOOK, press 3 then 1 for NOOK Study Support.

NOOK Study & Device Questions

What is the NOOK Study application?
NOOK Study is our PC/Mac-based application which you must download and install in order to access and read Barnes & Noble eTextbooks. NOOKstudy comes with a powerful set of study tools and features designed especially with students in mind.
Which devices are compatible with NOOK Study?
NOOK Study can be installed on your PC or Mac.
Is there an iPad-compatible NOOK Study application?
In support of the research we conducted and with sensitivity to the economic realities most students face, we chose to build the first generation of NOOK Study to work on PC and Mac computers, devices students most commonly use for studying. We will continue to innovate NOOk Study, expanding its capabilities and usages to meet students' diverse needs and wants - stay tuned!
How many devices can I install NOOK Study on?
NOOK Study can be installed on up to six devices. However, each eTextbook that you purchase can only be downloaded onto a maximum of two devices (e.g. home computer and your laptop). We recommend you install NOOK Study on the computers that you use most often for school.
If I switch computers, what happens to all of the notes and annotations that I make in my book?
All of your notes and annotations on titles you've purchased are safely backed up to the Barnes & Noble "cloud". That way, if you have NOOK Study installed on a second computer and you switch to it, you will still see all of your notes and annotations.
How many times can I download my eTextbook?
Each eTextbook that you purchase can only be downloaded onto a maximum of two devices (e.g. home computer and your laptop) per the Digital Rights Management rules set by the publishers. But please note, you can download your eTextbook to that same machine as many times as you like.
Can I use my NOOK or iPhone to read eTextbooks?
No, you cannot use your NOOK or mobile devices to read your eTextbooks. Textbooks are complex and usually graphic-intensive - they do not display well on small screens.
Can I read non-Barnes & Noble books and textbooks with NOOK Study?
NOOK Study is built primarily to support eBook files sold by Barnes & Noble.
What happens if I lose my computer?
You may reinstall the NOOK Study application on a new computer. All of your purchased content and synced content (i.e. highlights and annotations within texts) will automatically reappear when you sign-in again. If you had already downloaded your eTextbook to 2 computers (the limit set by publishers), contact Customer Service to assist with this process.

Features / Tools

What study tools are built-in to NOOK Study?
Here are just a few of the great features and tools we've included:
  1. Highlighting
  2. Annotations
  3. Tagging & Searching
  4. Side-by-Side Reading
  5. Organization by Course
  6. Note-taking directly in your book
  7. Importing of local documents such as your syllabus, lecture notes, etc to view and organize
  8. The ability to look up terms immediately in Wikipedia and Google
  9. And many more!
What is the "Print to NOOK Study" feature?
"Print to NOOK Study" is a feature that lets you print anything to your NOOK Study application, whether it's a Word Document, PowerPoint Presentation, or an article on the Web. After installing the NOOK Study version 1.5, a print driver for "Print to NOOK Study" will be automatically installed to your computer.

On a PC, to print a document to NOOK Study, simply go to File ' Print and change the Printer Name to "Print to NOOK Study".
On a Mac, to print a document to NOOK Study, simply go to File ' Print ' PDF (bottom left hand corner) ' Print to NOOK Study

The document will be converted to a PDF file and automatically imported into your NOOK Study application.
Does NOOK Study offer any Accessibility features?
In version 1.5.5, NOOK Study began to offer a Beta version of Keyboard Navigation and Text-to-Speech. This will help people with disabilities to better interact with the NOOK Study application

To turn on/off these features go to the Application tab in Settings AND use the keyboard shortcuts to navigate

Keyboard Navigation:
To activate go to Application tab in Settings or use the hot key PC: ctrl+alt+k, MAC: cmd+opt+k.
To navigate through the application, use 'Tab' and 'Shift Tab' to move around and 'Enter' and 'Arrow Keys' for further navigation.
To deactivate go to Application tab in Settings or use the same hot key PC: ctrl+alt+k, MAC: cmd+opt+k.

Text-to-Speech To activate Text-to-Speech go to Application tab in Settings or use the hot key PC: ctrl+alt+s, MAC: cmd+opt+s.
As you navigate around the application, speech commands will notify you of where you are and what to do if there are options such as a drop down.
When reading a textbook, 'Space Bar' activates and deactivates the speech of the book. For additional shortcuts, use the hot key PC: ctrl+alt+?, MAC: cmd+opt+?.

For all free titles, like imported documents, this feature will always be available. For purchased titles downloaded from BNC stores, publishers will set the rights for this feature, As of right now this feature works on all eTextbooks.

Accessibility

Does Nook Study have accessible features for people with disabilities?
Yes, Barnes & Noble is committed to making Nook Study accessible.NOOK Study has embedded Text-to-Speech capability for improved accessibility for the visually impaired. This feature reads text out loud including imported content and navigation of NOOK Study. Text-to-Speech rights are set by the publisher. NOOK Study also has Full Keyboard Navigation feature, which students can navigate throughout the application without the use of a mouse.

Text-to-Speech: Reads text aloud. Publisher permission is required; this information is displayed on the textbook product page under the 'View Digital Rights' headline, or inside the application on the Product Info page.

To activate/deactivate Text-to-Speech, go to the Application tab in Settings, or use the hot key, for PC: ctrl+alt+s, for MAC: cmd+opt+s

Once the book is open, use Space bar to start/stop Text-to-Speech. Additionally, Text-to-Speech can be used for a single selection, or started at a particular place in the book by selecting the text and choosing the option from the pop up menu.

For additional helpful shortcuts, see Hot Key Menu discussed below.

Keyboard Navigation: Navigate through the application with only keystrokes. Use Tab or Shift Tab to move directionally, and Arrow Keys and Enter for further navigation when necessary.

To activate/deactivate Keyboard Navigation, go to the Application tab in Settings, or use the hot key, for PC: Ctrl+Alt+K, for Mac: Cmd+Opt+K.

When Keyboard Navigation and Text-to-Speech are activated, instructions for how to operate within the application will be read aloud.

Shortcut Keys:

Global
PCMacFunction
Ctrl + LCmd + LGo to Library
Ctrl + RCmd + RGo to Reading
Ctrl + Alt + KCmd + Opt + KToggle keyboard navigation
Ctrl + Alt + SCmd + Opt + SToggle text to speech
Ctrl + Alt + ?Cmd + Opt + ?Show keyboard shortcuts in a popup


Reader
PCMacFunction
Ctrl + +Cmd + +Zoom In when reading
Ctrl + -Cmd + -Zoom Out when reading
Ctrl + FCmd + FFind Term in current book
? or ? or Page UpLeft or Up direction in a scroll, Previous Page
? or ? or Page DownRight or Down direction in a scroll, Next Page
Ctrl + CCmd + CCopy Text
Ctrl + PCmd + PPrint Page
Ctrl + MCmd + MToggle Markup
Ctrl + ?Cmd + ?Back through page history
Ctrl + ?Cmd + ?Forward through page history
Ctrl + [Cmd + [Previous Tab
Ctrl + ]Cmd + ]Next Tab
F11Full Screen


Text to Speech
KeyFunction
HHelp
SpaceStart/Stop reading
PStart page over
AGo back one sentence
SRestart current sentence
DSkip next sentence
RLast Phrase
WCurrently Focused Element


Zoom:
Text can be resized by clicking on the plus or minus sign within the reader

Digital Rights Management / Adobe / User accounts

What is Digital Rights Management?
Digital Rights Management (DRM) is a set of rules that have been set by the publishers to prevent unauthorized reproduction of their textbooks. Copy and print rules are set by the publishers. You can find each book's copy and print restrictions on the product page.
Why do I need an Adobe account?
We partnered with Adobe to bring you the latest rendering technologies. As a result, you need an Adobe account to use our application. If you do not already have an Adobe account, we'll create one for you when you first sign in to the application.
What if I already have an Adobe account on my machine?
You may use your existing Adobe account. When you first install the application, you will have an option to enter your existing information.
I already have a Barnes & Noble College Bookstore account - why do I need a BN.com account?
You need a Barnes & Noble.com account because that is the account where all of your digital titles will be stored and where you can download the titles you've purchased.

Access Codes / Bookstore Purchases

I was given an access code after my purchase. How do I redeem it?
Step 1: Download and install NOOK Study on your computer.
Step 2: Open NOOK Study and click the "Add Item" button to enter the access code from your receipt and click 'Redeem".
Step 3: Once the title has been loaded into your Library, click the book to download it to your computer.
And that's it! You can begin reading!
Can I re-use my access code?
No, access codes are good for one-time use only. Once an access code has been redeemed, it cannot be used again. However, the title will be added to your NOOK library, so and you can download it at any time to begin reading.
I'm having problems with my access code.
If your access code is not working or is loading an incorrect title, please call our Customer Service team at 1-800-THE-BOOK, press 3 then 1 for NOOK Study Support and we'll be happy to assist you.
What do I do if I lost my access code?
If you purchased your eTextbook from your campus bookstore, you will have to return to your bookstore so that they can retrieve your transaction information and re-issue you an access code.
How much time do I have to redeem my access code?
You can redeem your access code at any time. Your access code does not expire. Access codes are good for one-time use only. Once an access code has been redeemed, it cannot be used again.

Rentals of NOOK Study eTextbooks

If I rent my eTextbook, do I need to return anything at the end of the rental period?
No, because your textbook is digital, there is nothing to return! If you choose to not buy the book or re-rent it at the end of your rental period, your license will simply expire and you will not have access to your textbook or your notes any longer.

Troubleshooting

I'm running Mac 10.5.8 - can I still install NOOK Study?
Mac operating systems older than 10.6 do not have the latest code libraries that we used for all the great features in NOOK Study. We're evaluating our options on backwards compatibility in light of how quickly operating systems update as well. We sincerely hope that once you upgrade to Snow Leopard, you'll be able to enjoy the versatile toolset available in this free application. For more information on upgrading, please visit the Apple website.
Help! I purchased a book but I'm unable to download it
Please make sure that you have installed NOOK Study correctly and that you are attempting to download your book from your NOOK Study Library. If you have done all that and it is still not working, please contact your bookstore manager or call our Customer Service team at 1-800-THE-BOOK, press 3 then 1 for NOOK Study Support and we'll be happy to assist you.
I'm having problems with my access code
If your access code is not working or is loading an incorrect title, please call our Customer Service team at 1-800-THE-BOOK, press 3 then 1 for NOOK Study Support and we'll be happy to assist you.
I'm having some issues with my book (it won't open or it doesn't look right) - what do I do?
Please call our Customer Service team at 1-800-THE-BOOK, press 3 then 1 for NOOK Study Support and we'll be happy to assist you.
I am getting a 1017 error when trying to sign in to NOOK Study
If you are getting a 1017 error when trying to sign in to NOOK Study, you may have a firewall installed that is blocking NOOK Study from being able to confirm your credentials. Follow the instructions below to add an exception to Windows Firewall to allow NOOKstudy to connect to the Internet.

If you are using Windows 7, click here

If you are using Windows Vista, click here

If you are using Windows XP Service Pack 2:
  1. On the Windows taskbar, click Start > Settings > Control Panel
  2. Double-click "Security Center"
  3. Click "Windows Firewall"
  4. On the Exceptions tab, click "Add Program"
  5. Click "Browse"
  6. Navigate to: C:\Program Files\Barnes & Noble\NOOKstudy
  7. Select NOOKstudy.exe and then click "OK"
  8. Click "OK", and then confirm that the service that you added is checked.
  9. Click "OK"
If you are using Windows XP Service Pack 1 or earlier:
  1. Right-click "My Network Places" and click "Properties"
  2. Rick-click "Local Area Connection", and then click "Properties"
  3. On the Advanced tab, click "Settings"
  4. On the Exceptions tab, click "Add Program"
  5. Navigate to: C:\Program Files\Barnes & Noble\NOOKstudy
  6. Select NOOKstudy.exe and then click "OK"
  7. On the Exceptions tab, make sure that the application or service that you selected appears checked under "Programs and Services"
I am getting a "Cannot retrieve security questions" message when trying to create an account in NOOK Study.
You may have a firewall installed that is blocking NOOK Study from being able to connect to the Internet. Please follow the same instructions posted under "I am getting a 1017 error when trying to sign in to NOOK Study".
What happens if I lose my computer?
You may reinstall the NOOK Study application on a new computer. All of your purchased content and synced content (i.e. highlights and annotations within texts) will automatically reappear when you sign-in again. If you had already downloaded your eTextbook to 2 computers (the limit set by publishers), contact Customer Service to assist with this process.
What if I want to disable my Adobe account on my machine?
You may deactivate your Adobe account easily by clicking on "Settings" in the lower left side of the application.
How do I sign out of NOOK Study?
You do not have the ability to sign out. This is due to DRM (Digital Rights Management). DRM is a way to protect and securely deliver content. This includes limitations on the number of devices content can be downloaded to and copying, pasting, and printing.