SBL Handbook of Style

A citation for an electronic book is the same as citing a print book. SBL specifies the format of the electronic book should be indicated for all items that are not a pdf. 

SBL indicates that books available online rather than downloaded should include a DOI or the permanent, stable URL. LCU suggests using the name of the commercial database, but check with your professor to be certain. Both examples are shown below. 

B: Wolf, Kenneth Baker. The Poverty of Riches: St. Francis of Assisi Reconsidered. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost).

B: Wolf, Kenneth Baker. The Poverty of Riches: St. Francis of Assisi Reconsidered. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. https://library.lincolnchristian.edu:2443/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=138272&site=ehost-live.

If page numbers are available, use the page number in the footnote as shown here.

N: Kenneth Baker Wolf, The Poverty of Riches: St. Francis of Assisi Reconsidered (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005), 100, eBook Collection (EBSCOhost).

N: Kenneth Baker Wolf, The Poverty of Riches: St. Francis of Assisi Reconsidered (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005), 100, https://library.lincolnchristian.edu:2443/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=138272&site=ehost-live.

When citing an item freely available on the internet, such as Google Books, utilize the entire URL.

B: Habermas, Gary. The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ. Joplin, MO: College Press, 1996. http://books.google.com/books?id=pMMeqKHZIDkC&lpg=PP1&dq=historical%20Jesus&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false.

N: Gary Habermas, The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ (Joplin, MO: College Press, 1996), 150, http://books.google.com/books?id=pMMeqKHZIDkC&lpg=PP1&dq=historical%20Jesus&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false.

If page numbers are not indicated, utilize a locator such as a chapter number or section to indicate the location in the note. SBL strongly recommends using electronic sources that reproduce the printed pagination if possible.

Citations for books downloaded to an ebook reader or app must include the format or ebook reader name after the complete book citation unless the book is a PDF.

B: Wright, N. T. Small Faith—Great God. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2010. Kindle.

If page numbers are not available, indicate the location of a cited passage by using a chapter or section number as demonstrated here.

N: N. T. Wright, Small Faith—Great God (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2010), chap.2, Kindle.

SBL indicates you must always include the full publication information in addition to the URL. SBL states to use the full URL when citing personal websites.  However, when using commercial databases such as those provided by the Jessie C. Eury Library, there are three possible options for providing the URL.

1. If a commercial database lists a recommended permanent URL for the source, use the permanent URL. Permanent URLs are available in EBSCO eBooks and on Ebook Central.

2. If a commercial database lists a DOI (Digital Object Identifier), SBL indicates to use it as a DOI provides a more stable and permanent URL and is the best option.

3. If no permanent URL or DOI exists, LCU indicates it is permissible to use the name of the database being used but check with your professor.

SBL does not recommend using access dates but notes the date of publication should be included.