Answered By: Amber Pierdinock-Weed
Last Updated: Oct 21, 2025     Views: 1635

Some HathiTrust books can be downloaded without logging in as a UMD user, but others require a Directory ID and password for full-text download.  

  • Books that are in the public domain and are not subject to any other third party agreements can be downloaded in their entirety without a log-in.  
  • Books that were Google-digitized are subject to third party agreements, and as such require a log-in to be downloaded even if they are in the public domain.   

You can see whether a title was digitized by Google on the left sidebar, near the top.

Only current UMD students, current UMD faculty/staff and retired UMD faculty/staff have Directory IDs and will be able to download Google-digitized books. Community Borrowers & Researchers will not be able to download Google-digitized books, even when on campus.   

Not all HathiTrust books will prompt you to sign in. If the book is prompting you to sign it, it is because it was Google-digitized (or is otherwise subject to third party licensing agreements).

Accordingly, patrons using guest accounts will not be able to download the full text of the book.  You can download single pages or read the book onsite at one of our libraries. 

Please go to the Database Finder for more information and a link for logging in to HathiTrust. 

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