Printing eBooks (PDF) – GCU Technical Support

This article contains steps about printing PDF eBooks. Most GCU eBooks are provided through alternative formats and are not available as PDFs. If your eBook is not provided in a PDF and you need guidance on how to print it, please choose from the appropriate links below depending on your eBook type:

Our licensing agreement with eBook publishers permits students to print one (1) copy of their eBook for personal use. You may choose to print your eBook in its entirety, by chapter, or by page. If you choose to print by chapter (recommended for larger eBooks) or by page, you may print each portion one time in accordance with the terms of the licensing agreement.

NOTE If you can’t print at home and have decided to print at a public library or a paid printing service, we recommend emailing the eBook file to yourself or putting it on a flash drive. You will need to sign into your eBook at the printing location before you can print it.

To print the PDF version of your eBook, log into it using Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, select File, and then select Print. Alternatively, use the Ctrl + P (PC) or Command + P (Mac) shortcuts to print the eBook.

When printing particular sections of your eBook, be sure to input the appropriate range of pages before selecting Print. You will be able to print specific pages of the textbook, only so long as you have not printed them before. Notice: Printing by appropriate range of pages may not reflect the actual page numbers found in your eBook. Please see the section 'Printing by Chapter' for steps on how to print individual chapters.

NOTE If you have unlocked your eBook, but the pages are protected when printing, save the eBook to your desktop before attempting to print. If the issue persists, check to make sure you have the most up-to-date version of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. See the Adobe Reader Installation and Setup article for more information about Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.

Additionally, once you have saved the eBook to your desktop and made sure you have the most up-to-date version of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, ensure the Save ink/toner option on the print screen is unchecked.

Printing by Chapter

Start by selecting the Bookmark icon from the left-hand side.

Next, select the Chapter that you want to print.

Then, right click over the chapter to select Print Section(s). If you select Print Page(s), it might not print correctly or only print the first page.

Once on the print screen window, click on Print.

Flattening

If, when attempting to print your eBook, you are prompted with a “flattening” message that does not appear to process, there are a few troubleshooting steps that can be taken to address the issue.

First, it is recommended that you update Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. You can check for updates by selecting Help and then Check for Updates from the drop-down menu.
If you are still unable to print after updating, you can also use an alternate method of printing which may resolve the issue. After selecting File and Print as you normally would, click on the Advanced option and place a check mark in the box for Print As Image. Then select OK.