User account

Which file type do I need to choose?

The best file type depends mainly on the type of device(s) you intend to use to read your eBook and your own reading preferences. Refer to our eBook Formats guide for more details about the PDF, ePub, and MobiPocket formats, which are the three formats available from publishers using the HFS Digital Library.

I have a Kindle, can I buy eBooks from HFS?

Possibly, but there are some limitations on file format. The primary format for eBooks on the Kindle is the MobiPocket format; Mobi files should be readable on this device.

It's also possible to read PDF eBooks without DRM protection on your Kindle. Our eBook Devices page has instructions on how to download these files to your Kindle, and our eBooks with DRM page has more info about copy-protection.

At this time, the Kindle cannot read ePub files.

I have a Nook, can I buy eBooks from HFS?

Yes. The Barnes and Noble Nook can read PDF and ePub files natively. DRM-protected eBooks can be uploaded to your Nook using Adobe Digital Editions. We don't advise downloading MobiPocket eBooks if you intend to read them on your Nook.

Why can't I get the file to open?

Make sure you have the appropriate program installed on your computer or device for the eBook format you've chosen. Free programs are available to read eBooks in any format available through the HFS Digital Library. Refer to our eBook Formats and eBook Devices pages for more information. If you have purchased a copy-protected eBook, you may need to download Adobe Digital Editions to read it and download it to your other devices.

What is Adobe Digital Editions?

Adobe Digital Editions is a free application that enables you to download, read, organize, and transfer digital content that you have purchased online. Additionally, it is required to read any of our DRM-protected eBooks. For more information on DRM, refer to our eBooks with DRM page.

Do you have an eBook for [Title ABC]?

The choice to make a title available to customers as an eBook is at the sole discretion of our client publishers. Go to the Our Clients page and click on the link for the publisher of the book you're interested in. Books available through the HFS Digital Library are available for purchase directly from the publisher's website.

In addition, some of our publishers may sell their titles as eBooks through one or more third-party eBook vendors. Try searching for the title on the Google eBookstore, the Barnes and Noble Nook Store, the Amazon Kindle Store, the Sony Reader Store, and others.

What formats are available for [Title ABC]?

The publisher's website will have more information about the formats available for their eBook titles. Go to the Our Clients page for a list of links to our clients' websites.

How do I log into my account?

Click on the "User Login" link to the left to get to the login screen. If this is your first time logging in, enter the username and password e-mailed to you by HFS after you completed your eBook purchase, then click the "Log In" button. (Your username will usually be your e-mail address.) You'll be asked to change your password after you log in successfully.

How do I change my password?

Click on the Edit link at the top of the page. You can enter a new password on this screen. Enter the password a second time in the Confirm Password field, then scroll to the bottom and click Save.

How soon am I charged for my purchase?

A charge will immediately appear on your bank statement under the name "Hopkins Fulfillment Services/HFS" for the purchase of your e-books. If you also purchased print books, you will be billed for those when the books ship from the warehouse. 

What technology is required to read an eBook?

eBooks can be read on dedicated eReaders, desktop and laptop computers, tablets, smartphones, and other compatible devices. Offline content can be read using any eReader compatible device. Please see our eBook Devices guide. If a book has DRM protection, Adobe Digital Editions will need to be installed on your computer, eReader, or tablet. Click here to download Adobe Digital Editions. For additional information, please read the eBooks with DRM section.

Can I read my e-books offline?

Yes. You can read them on your computer or download them to a compatible eBook reader. See our eBook Devices guide for more details. You may also need to download Adobe Digital Editions to read copy-protected items offline.

Where can I buy a print copy of my eBook?

You can order a print copy online from the publisher's website (see our Client List), from your favorite bookstore or online retailer, or by calling HFS at 1-800-537-5487.

Who do I contact for technical support?

Please e-mail hfscustserv@press.jhu.edu for all technical-related questions. A representative will respond to your question within 24 hours.

What publishers do you represent?

HFS distributes books for:

Johns Hopkins University Press *
University of Pennsylvania Press *
Georgetown University Press
Catholic University of America Press
University of Massachusetts Press *
University of Pennsylvania Museum *
The Brookings Institution Press *
Baylor University Press *
Urban Institute Press *
University of Washington Press *
Maryland Historical Society
Center for Talented Youth
The University Press of Kentucky *

At present we are only selling eBooks for clients denoted with an asterisk. You can browse available eBooks on each of their websites.

The eBooks in your HFS Digital Library may be downloadable in any of three file formats: PDF, ePub, or MobiPocket. You select this format when you purchase the eBook from the publisher's website. The eBook format you choose must be compatible with your computer, handheld device, or eReader.  Free software is available for nearly all computers and handheld devices that will read all three of these formats. If you intend to read your eBook on a dedicated eReader--such as an Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, Sony Reader, or Kobo eReader Touch--you should check that your device supports the eBook format you select.

PDF eBooks are readable on most computers and handheld devices using Adobe Reader. Some operating systems and browsers are also able to read PDF files without Adobe Reader using built-in tools. PDF eBooks are more similar to printed books than ePub and Mobi files are: the text of the book is "set" in a fixed layout on the page. This makes PDF a good format for larger screens, such as computers or tablets, but less ideal for smaller screens, such as smartphones or eReaders.

ePub files, unlike PDFs, are "reflowable" eBooks. This means that the text of the book is not in a fixed layout on the page; instead, the text can wrap and resize to be readable on many different screens. ePub files are compatible with most dedicated eReaders, with the notable exception of the Amazon Kindle.  

MobiPocket is the file format best suited for the Amazon Kindle. In fact, Kindle books purchased directly from Amazon are actually MobiPocket files with Amazon's own digital rights management (or "DRM") protection added. Amazon offers free Kindle apps for most platforms (PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android, and others) that are capable of reading Mobi files.

In addition to desktop and notebook computers, a number of dedicated eBook devices, or eReaders, can be used to enjoy the titles in your HFS Digital Library offline. More recently, a number of tablets and smartphones are capable of functioning like eReaders with the installation of some readily available software. See our eBook Formats page for more information.

paidContent.org publishes a list of eReaders that compares these devices on their Comparing E-Readers and Tablets page. The "Native Formats" row gives information about which eReaders can handle PDF, ePub, and Mobi formats.

Of these three formats, ePub is supported by most eReaders, including the Barnes and Noble Nook and the Sony Reader. Apple iOS devices--such as the iPad and iPhone--will automatically download ePub files after installing iBook, Stanza, or Bluefire from the App Store. A detailed list of devices that support our PDF and ePub titles be found on this list from Adobe Digital Publishing.

Amazon Kindle devices do not support ePub files. (It is possible to import PDFs without DRM protection to the Kindle, but PDF is not an ideal reading format for many portable devices.) Instead, the Kindle natively supports the MobiPocket, or Mobi, format. The instructions below detail the process of transferring your Mobi purchases to your Kindle. More detailed support can be found from Amazon.

Special Kindle instructions

Download the MobiPocket format eBook to your computer.  Then transfer the file to the Kindle reader by following these steps:

  1. Remove the electrical plug from the end of your Kindle charging cord. This will reveal a USB connector that you can then plug into any USB port on your computer, or a USB hub connected to your computer.
  2. Plug the other end of the Kindle charging cord into the charging port on your Kindle. Your Kindle can be on or off for this part of the process. The Kindle's charging port doubles as the data transfer port; when your Kindle is plugged into the computer you will be able to both recharge its battery from the computer's battery and transfer files.
  3. Wait until your Kindle automatically goes into USB drive mode and appears in your computer's system as a removable mass-storage device, just as a DVD or data CD would.
  4. Double-click on the Kindle's icon to open a window displaying its various folders. Locate the folder designated for the file type you want to transfer from the computer to the Kindle. Note that only certain file types-- .MOBI, .PDF, .AZW, .AZW1, .TXT, .PRC, .AA, .AAX and .MP3--are currently readable by the Kindle.
  5. Locate the files you want to transfer on your computer's hard drive, then drag and drop them into the appropriate Kindle folder.
  6. Use your computer's undock, eject or unmount function to "eject" the virtual Kindle disc once the transfer is complete.
  7. Disconnect your Kindle from the USB cable. It will automatically return to wherever you may have been reading before you connected it to the computer.