PDFs

A PDF (Portable Document Format) is a file format used to present and exchange documents reliably, independent of software, hardware, or operating system. Invented by Adobe, PDF is now an open standard and are easily viewed using free Acrobat Reader DC software.

When you download a PDF from a relevant link, it usually will appear in the ‘Full Text’ format as below. In this format you can search for keywords such as surnames using your web ‘Find’ facility. Also you can copy text direct from the document to save or incorporate into a document.

Or if you click on ‘See other formats’ you will see a page similar to this.

This displays a visual representation of the actual publication and you can scroll through the pages like looking through the actual book. If there are images in the book then looking at the various pages in this format can be helpful.

Or using the Download Options menu you can download in PDF format and save that PDF copy on your computer. This is useful if it is a publication you are likely to search at various points. To read it open in a PDF Reader as that provides a search by keyword facility.

You may come across an image in a PDF of an old book that you cannot find anywhere else but would like to include in your account.