There are three main methods for annotating Fuller eBooks. You can make annotations offline in Adobe Digital Editions, or online with eBooks from EBSCO and eBooks from ProQuest. Each method has pros and cons as explained below.
1. Adobe Digital Editions (ADE)
Functionality: ADE allows you to highlight and assign notes to individual passages. You can also make notes for whole pages and use the bookmark feature to mark individual pages.
The major downside is that ADE annotations are only saved to the eBook for the length of the eBook's check out. There is technically an ".annot" file that remains on your computer, but you would need to manually re-associate the file with a newly downloaded copy of an eBook by changing the file names in the annotation folder (see discussion here).
This leaves you with three options for having annotations with ADE eBooks:
a. Use ADE annotation tools with the expectation that you will not need them to be saved beyond the length of the digital copy's checkout limit (7 days for EBSCO, 21 days for ProQuest).
b. Use the ADE annotation tools with the expectation that you will have to manually rename your annotation file (e.g. BOOKNAME.pdf.annot.copy) before downloading the eBook again. You could then make an annotation in the new eBook download (to generate another .annot file), before deleting it and giving that standard name (e.g. BOOKNAME.pdf.annot) to the old .annot file. This will allow the new eBook file to read your old annotations. Please note the ADE system is not designed to enable this functionality, but this is a user-discovered work around that has sometimes been successful. (It's worth a try if you've already lost access to extensive annotations.)
c. Use ADE to read your eBook, but record your annotations manually within a word document utilizing copy and paste from ADE (using command- or ctrl- c and command- or ctrl-v. Using right click or command click does not give you a prompt to copy in ADE.)
If you know you will need access to your annotations beyond the length of an eBook checkout limit, I would encourage you to consider the two online annotation options below.
2. EBSCO eBook Online Annotations
Functionality: You can make notes on individual EBSCO eBooks and on individual pages, but not particular passages. Notes on pages can serve as a bookmark. Notes are saved and accessed through your EBSCOhost account folder.
The major benefit to this method is that your notes can be saved indefinitely and are not linked to any checkout times associated with the eBook you are using. EBSCO is also our largest eBook vendor so online annotations with EBSCO will be your most common alternative to ADE. The downsides are that you must login to your EBSCO account, you must have an internet connection to read and annotate, there's the possibility of forced log-outs with extended usage, and that EBSCO does not support highlighting (or notes on specific passages).
3. ProQuest eBook Online Annotations
Functionality: You have the option to bookmark and leave notes on entire pages, or highlight (in three, overlap enabled, colors) and annotate individual passages. These annotations save to your ProQuest bookshelf (when you are signed in) and do not expire. You can access an annotated eBook through your book shelf and then use the annotations tab (the star symbol on the left menu) to review individual annotations and their associated pages.
ProQuest (eBook Central) has the most robust online annotation tool set and seems the easiest to use. ProQuest does not require you to create a separate account; simply click "sign in" to recognize your Fuller ID log-in and save eBooks and annotations to your private folder. You can click on an eBook's title and check under "access online" to see if there is an option of a ProQuest eBook. The only downside to ProQuest annotations is the need for internet access, the experience of login timeouts, and the relatively smaller number of ProQuest eBooks available. See screenshot below:
