Creating an account
It isn't strictly necessary to open an account to make purchases on our website, but it is best to do so if you plan to buy our products regularly. That way, you can ensure better follow-up of your orders, initiate returns and create a list of interesting products for future reference or sending to friends. In short, an account will improve the management of your purchases.
To create an account:
- Click on Create an account at the top right of the home page;
- Enter a valid email address;
- To finish creating your account, provide your given name and family name and indicate a password.
It is of the utmost importance that there be no mistakes in the email address you enter in step 2. We use it to send the automated messages triggered by online purchases of our products: order confirmations, download confirmations, shipping confirmations, etc.
Also, it is essential that your email manager be configured not to treat messages from the address of Les Publications du Québec (publicationsduquebec@servicesquebec.gouv.qc.ca) as junk mail (spam).
Online Subscription
Access to some publications is provided via online subscriptions. A few very simple steps are needed to purchase and view this type of product.
Let's say you want to subscribe to the digital version of Normes d'ouvrages routiers - Tome I and make it available to 10 workstations. You will need to find the collection in our online catalogue (see Image 1) and purchase 10 subscriptions.
Image 1 Product details: Normes d'ouvrages routiers - Tome I
Subscription maintenance
After you have completed your purchase, you will receive an automated email confirming that your order was registered. This email is sent for all online purchases of paper or digital products.
You will also receive a second email, with the subject line Subscription confirmation. This email contains a Subscription maintenance link that will take you to a form (see Image 2) where you can register a user name and password for each of the 10 subscriptions.
Subscription access
After registering the access information, you can view the documents you subscribed to. Your Subscription confirmation email contains a second link—www.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca—that will take you to the home page of Les Publications du Québec. From there you can access your subscription by following the path given below:
Online products » Ouvrages routiers » Traffic Control Devices
To open a PDF document in the collection, you have to authenticate yourself by entering one of the user name and password combinations registered earlier (see Image 3).
If you have subscribed to an online product, it is very important to remember that the user name and password needed to access your subscription are not the same ones you use to access your account. The two processes are completely different.
Image 3 Authentication form for access to an online subscription
Expiry of subscription
Thirty days before the anniversary date of your subscription, you will receive an email warning you that your subscription will expire soon. The message contains a link to our online catalogue, where you can renew your subscription. If you don't act on the first email, you will receive a second one fifteen days before your subscription expires, providing you with the same opportunity to renew.
Downloads
Some publications are sold as downloadable files. You can purchase them, like any other product, through our online catalogue.
Once you have completed your purchase of a downloadable document, you will receive an automated email confirming that your order has been registered. This email is sent for all online purchases of paper or digital products.
You will also receive a second email, with the subject line Download confirmation. This email contains a direct link to the file you want to download.
Most downloadable documents sold by Les Publications du Québec are in PDF format. To view them, you need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader (version 8 or later) installed on your computer.
Online access to the downloadable document you have just purchased is restricted in two ways. First, you can open the file from your download confirmation email no more than three times. Second, you have 30 days, from the date of purchase, to access the document. If you exceed either limit, you will no longer be able to open the document from your confirmation email. That is why it's very important to save the document to your computer as soon as possible.
E-book
Digital Book
The digital book takes the form of a computer file. It must be transferred to a
digital medium to be read. Depending on the device used, the digital book can offer
several very interesting features for the reader. Thus, it is possible
to enlarge the font size, perform a keyword search, add
bookmarks, personal notes to the text, etc. In short, the book becomes interactive.
Digital Media
These devices allow you to archive and read digital books. Among the many
digital media, we find the computer, the electronic tablet (iPad), the
smartphone (iPhone or Blackberry) and e-readers (also called livrels, readers or
ebooks ) which are devices used only for reading
digital books.
E-readers
Since e-readers are devices dedicated to reading digital books, there is no
software to install. However, not all e-readers support all digital book formats.
It is therefore important to check the compatibility of the digital book with your
reading device at the time of purchase. To do this, consult the user manual for your device or the manufacturer's website.
Adding books to your electronic tablet (iPad), your smartphone
(iPhone) or your multi-touch screen (iPod Touch)
To add a book in ePub or PDF format, you must first
download it to your computer. Afterwards, you can add this file to your
digital jukebox (iTunes). To do this, in the menu, choose File >
Add to Library and select your book's file. This
should normally automatically appear in the Books section of your
library on iTunes. When your device is connected to your computer, you
will be able to sync it manually or automatically with the library
on your computer.
Formats
PDF
PDF (Portable Document Format) was created by Adobe to provide a standard
file format for archiving and editing documents. PDF files can
incorporate fonts, images, and other types of elements. They can thus
faithfully reproduce the original appearance of a document on a wide variety of
computer platforms. This is why this format is widespread on the
Web. In recent versions, it is possible to add forms, comments, hyperlinks, and interactive elements.
To view a PDF on a computer, we recommend downloading the free applications Adobe Reader or Adobe Digital Editions.
Apple computer users running the Mac OS X operating system can also download the aforementioned Adobe software or use the Preview software that was previously loaded onto your computer at the time of installing the Mac OS X operating system.
PDF files can also be read on most mobile platforms, such as smartphones, e-readers, and tablets.
EPUB
EPUB is proposed by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF). It is set to
become the standard for digital publishing. This means it has been developed by several
companies and organizations associated with the publishing field. It thus meets the specific needs
of publishers. EPUB facilitates the layout of running text since
it adjusts based on the type of reading device used. The technical specifications of the EPUB format are based on open programming standards from the
public domain, such as XML, XHTML, CSS, and others.
There are several software applications with which you can read an EPUB file on your computer, but we recommend downloading the free application Adobe Digital Editions.
EPUB is also supported by most mobile platforms, such as smartphones, e-readers (except the Amazon Kindle 1) and tablets.
List of reading applications that allow reading of digital books
Computers
Mobile Devices
Which browser to use?
A browser is a software application used to access the Web. The most used browsers are Internet Explorer and Firefox, followed by Chrome, Safari and Opera. There are a few minor differences in the way browsers display Web pages, but you can use the browser of your choice to visit our website. The important thing is to use a recent version, insofar as possible. Your experience on our site will be all the more enjoyable.
The following external links can be used to download the most recent version of your favourite browser:
FirefoxChrome
Safari
Opera
Enabling JavaScript
JavaScript is a programming language that is widely used to design websites. Among other things, it can validate the information a user provides when making an online purchase. JavaScript is an essential element of any transactional website, and Les Publications du Québec website is no exception. We also use JavaScript to enable you to view free online publications, such as the laws and regulations. That is why your browser must be configured to allow JavaScript to run.
If you are unable to create an account or access your shopping cart, or if some pages don't display, JavaScript may be disabled. Use the following few steps to enable it:
If you use Firefox:
- On the menu bar, click on Tools;
- Select Options...;
- Click on Content at the top of the window;
- Check Enable JavaScript;
- Click on OK;
- Reload the page.
If you use Internet Explorer 7 or 8:
- On the menu bar, click on Tools;
- Select Internet Options;
- Click on the Security tab;
- Select the Internet zone;
- Click on the Custom level... button;
- In the Security Settings - Internet Zone window, scroll the list and, under Active Scripting, check Enable;
- Click on OK;
- When you see the warning "Are you sure you want to change the settings for this zone?", answer Yes;
- Click on OK to close the Internet Options dialogue box;
- Reload the page.
Enabling cookies
A cookie is a text file that contains a unique identification number allowing us to identify you and, as a result, personalize and simplify navigation for you to suit your needs. Because cookies are text files, they can in no way be executed on your computer and are completely harmless.
Our website uses cookies to manage shopping carts and subscriptions, and for no other purpose. Thus, it is important that your browser accept cookies.
To enable cookies, follow these few steps:
If you use Firefox:
- On the menu bar, click on Tools;
- Select Options...;
- Click on Privacy at the top of the window;
- Check Accept cookies from sites;
- Check Accept third-party cookies;
- In the Keep until: drop-down menu, select they expire;
- Click on OK;
- Restart the browser.
If you use Internet Explorer 7 or 8:
- On the menu bar, click on Tools;
- Select Internet Options;
- Click on the Privacy tab;
- Click on Advanced;
- Check Override automatic cookie handling;
- Under First-party Cookies and Third-party Cookies, check Accept;
- Click on OK;
- Restart the browser.
Your IP address
To find out your IP address, click here.