Getting books for Kindles

[meghane_e]

UPDATE: For anyone interested in this topic the E-Book Readers > Amazon Kindle covers most of this material although some of the details are spread out.


Hi,
I'd like to add something to a thread somewhere, anywhere but not sure where, with a summary of buying or borrowing books from LEGITIMATE alternate sources. If a summary already exists, can you point me there? Thank you!!

UPDATED 12/8/2025

Specific Format information:
A) AZW3: Should be able to sideloade to your Kindle

1. Source: Usually from Amazon or a converted EPub
2. Using a USB cable, connect your Kindle and computer
3. Once your Kindle is connected it should show up as a new drive
4. On that drive, navigate to drive:\documents\Downloads
5. Move or drag the AZW3 file to this directory

B) EPUBs:

1. Source: The most common format from authors, publishers, libraries, other online bookstores
2. First try converting them to AZW3 and sideloading first.
3. If that doesn't work, try SendToKindle.
4. LAST RESORT (illegit): If that doesn't work, you may have to use this guide: https://www.reddit.com/r/Calibre/com...ur_kindle_nook
   • SendToKindle for PC app is no longer available. Use the SendToKindle url instead: www.amazon.com/sendtokindle
   • SendToKindle for Mac, Android, and iOS apps should still be working
5. Most EPUBs require a run through EPUB Check and issue resolving before they can be transferred via the SendToKindle website or app.
   1. Several sources can run EPUB Check: Calibre EPUB Editor, Sigil, Kindle Previewer, etc.
   2. Open the EPUB in on of those apps
   3. Run EPUB Check as appropriate for each application
   4. Most issues are related to CSS incompatabilities, and incompletely defined fonts (serif/non-serif)
   5. Resolve these issues
   6. Try steps 1 and 2 again

Barnes and Noble (Nook readers):

1. Requires the Nook app.
   • NOTE: Nook for PC (and only for PCs) has been removed from the Microsoft store and most other places. If you don't already have the Nook app installed, try https://nook-for-pc.informer.com/download
2. Buy the book on barnesandnoble.com.
3. Use the Nook app to download the book to Android/Mac or PC if possible.
   • EPUBs can be transferred from Android to PC by using a USB cable to connect your phone to PC. Navigate to the NOOK/
4. Import the EPUB into Calibre.
   1. For PCs , go to ~/AppData/Local/Packages/BarnesAndNoble*.
   2. Do a search for *.epub or */*.epub
5. For Kindle reading: Use format instructions at the top

Rakuten.com or Kobo.com (Kobo readers):

1. Requires either the Calibre deACSM plugin or Adobe Digital Editions application.
2. Buy and download the book from the rakuten.com or kobo.com website.
3. You can try importing the ACSM file into Calibre directly. Try changing the File Type filter when searching for the file if .acsm files aren't showing up.
4. If that doesn't work you'll have to use Adobe Digital Editions
   1. Open Adobe Digital Editions and import the .acsm file. Again, try changing the File Type filter when searching for the file if .acsm files aren't showing up.
   2. Find and copy the location by right-clicking on the book for details
   3. Import EPUB into Calibre using the location above.
   4. For Kindle reading: Use format instructions at the top

Libby (Overdrive Libby app):

1. In the US only, books can be sent directly to your Kindle through the Libby app.
2. Requres the Libby phone app or libbyapp.com, plus library card(s).
3. Most come from physical local libraries. There might be a few found online.
4. There is an Overdrive Libby extension for Calibre which is helpful but no required.
5. Once a book is checked out, go to the website and click the book. Look for "Manage Load > Read With... > Other Formats > Epub".
6. Sometimes it will be straight to EPUB format, sometimes may require you to upload into Adobe Digital Editions first (save the location).
7. Import EPUB into Calibre using the location above.
8. For Kindle reading: Use format instructions at the top

Google Play:
WIP TBD


Bonus: Amazon:
In the Product Details section of Kindle books, you can look for this and it will tell you if it is an Amazon-trapped book:

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by meghane_e

Hi,
I'd like to add something to a thread somewhere, anywhere but not sure where, with a summary of buying books from LEGITIMATE alternate sources. If a summary already exists, can you point me there? Thank you!!

Barnes & Noble is not a good idea to buy eBooks from. It may not be possible to download them.

You did leave out eBooks.com and Google Play Books. Both can have ePub downloads which can have the DRM removed. So you can convert the ePub to KF8.

[Sirtel]

And not all books from Kobo, Google Play or Ebooks.com have DRM. Books with no DRM can be downloaded as ordinary epubs and don't require Adobe Digital Editions.

[lkmiller]

For Libby/Overdrive, if you want to read on a Kindle, you can just borrow Kindle books.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

For Libby/Overdrive, if you want to read on a Kindle, you can just borrow Kindle books.

I believe only in the US.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by meghane_e

Rakuten.com (Kobo readers):
a) Requires Adobe Digital Editions application.
b) Buy and download from the rakuten.com website.
c) Open Adobe Digital Editions and import the .acsm file

i) Right-click for info on the file location and save the location.

d) Import EPUB into Calibre using the location above.
e) For Kindle reading:

i) Convert to AZW3 then back to EPUB.
ii) Open the book in the EPUB Editor and run the 'Epub Check' link or the 'bug' icon (same thing).
iii) Resolve issues here.
iv) Load file to amazon.com/sendtokindle

For me, I use the ACSM plugin for calibre to import DRMmed books directly into calibre. Non-DRMmed books will simply download the book file.

As for converting to AZW3 and then back to ePub? A useless step, IMNSHO. Run either the calibre editor with the epubcheck plugin or Sigil with the epubcheck plugin. calibre's bug check is not the same as epubcheck and misses many errors that epubcheck will catch. I've not had any issues sending a book to a Kindle using any of the Send to Kindle methods after the ePub passed epubcheck and I have checked that none of the ePub options were not supported by Amazon using Kindle Previewer. You may want to check HTML and CSS Tags Supported in Kindle Format 8 and Attributes and Tags Supported by Enhanced Typesetting. If nothing else, those pages are a great cure for insomnia.

And a quick reminder that Kindle format ebooks are only available from libraries in the USA.

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by meghane_e

... I'd like to add something to a thread somewhere, anywhere but not sure where, with a summary of buying books from LEGITIMATE alternate sources.

ETA: This comment was originally posted in Dealing with Kindle ebooks in calibre, before this new thread was created and meghane_e's topic was moved here into its own thread.

Perhaps this should go in the Kindle forum? This thread [Dealing with Kindle ebooks in calibre] is about getting Kindle ebooks into calibre, not about getting non-Kindle ebooks onto a Kindle.

Barnes and Noble (Nook readers):
a) Requires the Nook app.
b) Buy the book on barnesandnoble.com.
c) Use the Nook app to download the book to PC/Mac.

As far as I know, it has been years since there has been a Nook app that works on Mac. So while your info may work for PC users, it does not for Mac.

Libby (Overdrive Libby app): ...

I would argue that libraries are not "legitimate" sources for obtaining ebooks from which one intends to strip DRM (though I know others disagree and justify such actions). Also, your very first sentence says "a summary of buying books from LEGITIMATE alternate sources", which would seem to disqualify libraries from your list.

[meghane_e]

Thanks for input and feedback!

My follow up questions and comments:

I will add some notes that not all EPUBs require DRM-stripping but they may need to be reconfigured/finissed for upload to Kindle.

Side-note: I've been having trouble getting books to side-load onto my Kindle with any consistency lately. I guess I'll have to look into that too.

Barnes & Noble: I've never encountered a problem with downloading books from B&N. But I've only bought and transferred about about 40 books. How prevalent would this be, and do you think there's anyway to tell beforehand?

Google Play, ebooks.com: I'll work on finding and testing instructions for these (I usually avoid Google Play almost as much as Amazon).

Apple Books: I'll add a note that it exists, but someone else would have to provide instructions for that one.

ACSM plugin: When I checked a couple of years ago, it was pretty inconsistent. I'll revisit it.

Libby: I've run into problems a handful of times where some books weren't getting delivered to my Kindle. I had to download them to my PC directly.

Libby DRM: Libby books kind of fall into a DRM limbo. Authors do get paid some, but it's true, it's not the same as an individual purchase. Patrons are supposed to have physical cards to check out Libby books, which means libraries are receiving taxes. But even if not Kindle, they're supposed to be able to read the books on any digital platform.

I can certainly add to the title "or legitimate source".

Perhaps this should go in the Kindle forum? This thread is about getting Kindle ebooks into calibre, not about getting non-Kindle ebooks onto a Kindle.

Ultimately it's to read non-Amazon books on a Kindle. Calibre is the most centralized resource, that I am personally familiar with, for converting between formats, handling DRM, fixing EPUB book issues, re-converting, etc.

So wherever it might be most useful... ??

[Sirtel]

AFAIK Apple DRM cannot be removed as things stand now, so there's no point to add Apple Books.

Side-note: I've been having trouble getting books to side-load onto my Kindle with any consistency lately. I guess I'll have to look into that too.

You know you can just sideload AZW3 files directly via USB, don't you? No need to upload them to Amazon.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I believe only in the US.

Yes. Kindle library loans are only available in the US.

[meghane_e]

I certainly used to be able to. I'm not sure why, but none of them will show up on my Kindle anymore when I do it manually.

Sounds like a me-issue, which is good news and probably solveable! So I'll take that particular issue up in another thread.

[meghane_e]

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...&postcount=429

Made some of the updates. Put in a placeholder for Google Play, but no content there yet.

I assume something like this doesn't already exist, correct?
And any thoughts on where this would go?

[meghane_e]

Originally Posted by meghane_e

Barnes & Noble: I've never encountered a problem with downloading books from B&N. But I've only bought and transferred about about 40 books. How prevalent would this be, and do you think there's anyway to tell beforehand?

So I had forgotten about the Nook for PC being blotted out from existence. I added some additional instructions on getting that. Would still be interested to know how prevalent books not being importable by B&N would be and if there's any way to tell beforehand. Their Product Details page doesn't seem to indicate it.

[odamizu]

ETA: This comment was originally posted in Dealing with Kindle ebooks in calibre, before this new thread was created and meghane_e's topic was moved here into its own thread.

Originally Posted by odamizu

Perhaps this should go in the Kindle forum? This thread [Dealing with Kindle ebooks in calibre] is about getting Kindle ebooks into calibre, not about getting non-Kindle ebooks onto a Kindle.

Originally Posted by meghane_e

... Ultimately it's to read non-Amazon books on a Kindle. Calibre is the most centralized resource, that I am personally familiar with, for converting between formats, handling DRM, fixing EPUB book issues, re-converting, etc.

Actually, as the OP [of Dealing with Kindle ebooks in calibre], I can state unequivocally that [Dealing with Kindle ebooks in calibre] is about getting Kindle ebooks into calibre and using Kindle ebooks in calibre. It is NOT about getting non-Kindle ebooks and how to put non-Kindle ebooks on a Kindle.

I understand that most threads go at times, and I have certainly been guilty of sending threads off on tangents. But there is a limit to how far a thread should stray, and I am asking, as the OP [of Dealing with Kindle ebooks in calibre], that you not hijack [Dealing with Kindle ebooks in calibre].

It doesn't really matter to me if your topic goes in the Kindle forum or Calibre forum, but I am asking that you either start your own thread or find a more appropriate thread to add to.

[meghane_e]

Oh!! Sorry!! The thread names didn't seem very distinct to me, so I was confusing this thread name, the suggested other thread, and my post. In other words, I pretty much agree with you! Thanks, I'll figure out how to move it.