Reading Your eBooks Through the Web Viewer – GCU Technical Support

The Web Viewer allows you the convenience of reading your eBooks through your Internet browser.

What browser(s)/device(s) are compatible with the Web Viewer?

Windows

Internet Explorer 9.0 or newer
Firefox 30.0 or newer
Google Chrome 36.0 or newer

macOS

Firefox 30.0 or newer
Google Chrome 36.0 or newer
Safari

Smartphones & Tablets

Safari (iOS)
Google Chrome (Android & iOS)

NOTE Not all eBooks are available for access using the Web Viewer. If your course contains a Web Viewer version of the eBook, the Digital Resources Page will have a Web Viewer icon.

Accessing Your Web Viewer eBooks

You can access the Web Viewer version of your eBook from the Digital Resources page located within your LoudCloud classroom. See Accessinging Your eBooks for more information.

Click the Web Viewer icon to be redirected to the log in page.

NOTE If you experience issues accessing the Digital Resources page through your LoudCloud classroom on your mobile device or tablet, we suggest that you first access your classroom on your computer and copy the URL for your Digital Resources page and email it to yourself. Then, access your email on the mobile device that you wish to use to view your Web Viewer eBook and click the link to open the Digital Resources page.

Similar to the PDF versions of the eBook, you must log in to unlock the contents.

NOTE: If you are not prompted to log in, you may be using a Webbook instead. Please view Webbooks Published by GCU for specific instructions on how to view, download, and print Webbooks.

Click Proceed to continue.

Here, you will enter your GCU username and password (without @my.gcu.edu). If you are using a private computer and wish to stay logged in, check the Keep me logged in box.

Once finished, click Log In.

NOTE Your eBook will take a moment to load in your browser.

Web Viewer Navigation

Once your eBook has finished loading, you will have the ability to adjust the zoom level, go to a specific page, search for keywords, highlight, annotate, print, and save for offline use.

Adjusting Zoom Level

The zoom level on your eBook can be adjusted in several ways to accommodate your preferred reading view. Adjust the zoom level by using the options provided in the upper left-hand corner of the Web Viewer.

Use the Zoom in (+) and Zoom out (-) buttons to easily change the zoom level.

Use the Fit to window button to adjust the view to the maximum zoom level possible, while still fitting on the window.

Use the Full screen button to expand the eBook window to fill your entire screen.

Go to Page

There may be times when you would like to access a specific page of your eBook. The Go to Page option located at the top of your eBook allows you to quickly navigate to the desired page. Simply type in the page number in the space provided and press Enter.

Keep in mind that the page number located at the top of the eBook might be different from the numbering on the pages themselves. If you want to return back to a specific page at a later time, be sure to note the page number listed at the top of your eBook.

Searching

You can search for keywords or phrases by using the search feature in the upper right-hand corner of the Web Viewer. Simply type in a keyword or phrase and press Enter.

Navigate between the different results of your search by using the Previous Result (<) and Next Result (>) arrows.

Highlighting

The highlight feature allows you to highlight important images or text in your eBook for future reference.

From within this panel, you can find three tools. You will notice that the X icon is automatically selected; this means that you are not currently working with a tool.

No Selection Made
Draw free shape
Highlight selected text
Delete annotation

To highlight, select one of the pencil icons on the left hand side of the Web Viewer.

NOTE All highlights will be saved to your Web Viewer and will be accessible on any device once logged in.

Annotations

The annotations feature allows you to create notes on any page of your eBook.

From within this panel, you can find two more tools:

Create note
Delete annotation

To create a new note, select the Create note tool under the Notes menu and click anywhere inside the eBook to place your note; a textbox will appear, allowing you to type your annotation.

Click Save to add the note to your eBook.

NOTE Placement is not permanent. Once your note has been saved, you can move the annotation icon anywhere inside the eBook by dragging it to your desired location!

All notes made within the Web Viewer will be listed under the Notes menu. This menu will also include the page number where the note was placed for quick reference. Clicking on each item will take you to the location of the note, providing you with the options to delete or edit the note.

All annotations will be saved to your Web Viewer and will accessible on any device once logged in.

Saving your Web Viewer eBook for Offline Use

Saving your Web Viewer eBook for offline use will allow you to access your eBook, along with any highlighted material and annotation, without the need for an Internet connection.

To save your eBook for offline reading, click the Download icon in the upper right-hand corner of the Web Viewer.

Your eBook will begin downloading.

You will receive a confirmation when the download is complete.

Your eBook will be saved to your browser’s cache for offline viewing. To view your eBook, offline, simply return to the eBook’s web address. It is recommended that you bookmark the Web Viewer eBook link for easy access.

DISCLAIMER Web Viewer eBooks are stored in your browser’s cache for offline use, therefore, if you clear your cache, you will be prompted to log back into your eBook and will have to download the eBook to your cache again.

After downloading your eBook, the Download icon will be replaced by a Trash icon in the upper right-hand corner. Clicking the Trash icon gives you the option to remove the eBook from your browser’s cache.

Managing Your Saved Web Viewer eBooks

Once you have downloaded one or more eBooks using the Web Viewer, click on the Tools menu to view or manage your saved eBooks.

Selecting Manage saved documents will display a menu with the options to view or delete your saved eBooks.

NOTE Any changes made while in Offline mode will not be saved to the Web Viewer to view on other devices until you re-connect to the Internet.

Saving Web Viewer eBook for One Time Printing

You can use the Download to print feature to print your Web Viewer eBook.

To download your eBook for printing, click the Printer icon in the upper right-hand corner, or select Download to print in the Tools menu.

Next, click Download to print to save the document to your computer.

NOTE You will need Adobe Reader to open the document for printing. If Adobe Reader is not installed on your computer, you can download it here.

After opening the document in Adobe Reader, the following security warning will be displayed. Click Allow to proceed.

With the eBook now open, select Print from the File menu.

NOTE Downloading your eBook from the Web Viewer provides you with one 30 minute opportunity to print your eBook. After 30 minutes, you will receive a security warning that your access has expired. If your access expires before printing your eBook, you will need to return to the Web Viewer and select the Download to print option in order to print again.

Printing GCU Doctoral Research eBooks

If you are a Doctoral student, your eBook may be provided through the GCU Doctoral Research site.

To print your eBook, select the Chapter or Page you would like to print.
On your keyboard, press Ctrl + P or Command + P (if you have a Mac).
Adjust printing settings and Print as PDF.
(Optional) If you would like to download your eBook onto your computer select Change under Destination.
Select Save as PDF from the dropdown menu.
From the Print page, select Save and choose a folder on your computer to save your file.

Once saved onto your computer, you will be able to access the file after your course end date.

Remember you are only able to download or print one chapter at a time.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Will I have to log in each time the eBook is accessed from a different computer through the Web Viewer?

Yes, each time you open the eBook on a different computer it needs to be unlocked using your GCU username and password.

How many different devices can I use to access the eBook through the Web Viewer?

There is no limit on the number of devices used.

How long do I retain access to the eBook file after I have completed the course?

To ensure you retain a copy of your eBook, it is recommended that you save the PDF version of your eBook on your computer for your personal use. Alternatively, you can bookmark the Digital Resources website on your internet browser. This will allow you to access the Web Viewer or re-download the PDF after your course has ended.

How do I sign into the Web Viewer?

Click on the Web Viewer link and enter your GCU username and password (without @my.gcu.edu).

Will new versions of Adobe Reader affect downloading capabilities?

The Web Viewer and ability to download the eBooks for offline viewing are not dependent upon Adobe Reader.

Why am I seeing an error message when I try to log into my Web Viewer?

You may receive the following error message when attempting to open your Web Viewer eBook:

If you do, click Log Out and then log back in using your GCU username and password.

What does the error message “bw5” mean?

If you receive the error message in the screenshot below, your credentials are not being entered correctly.

Please use your GCU username (without @my.gcu.edu) and the password you use to log into the GCU Portal. If you are not sure what password you should use, you can reset your password following the directions in the following article: Resetting Your Password.