legal sources of e-textbooks

sdive · 09-17-2013, 12:18 AM

Apart from the big 3 (Apple, Amazon and Barnes and Noble)...
- Google have plans to start providing too, right?

Other providers: CourseSmart, Chegg, Inkling, Kno.

Am I missing anyone important?

Thanks!

Lynx-lynx · 09-17-2013, 12:27 AM

O'Reilly, Kobo and Sony holds some titles as well.

Depends what subject/s you're looking for.

stickybuns · 09-17-2013, 12:34 AM

You can purchase/rent directly from the academic publisher in some/most(?) cases.

owly · 09-17-2013, 03:52 AM

Are you at university or college? Ask the library. You might have access to a service like ebrary.

Hellmark · 09-17-2013, 10:12 PM

Google has some as well, but for the most part, the publishers are holding a tight rein on their ebooks. Quite a few use some proprietary formats that aren't supported by any ebook readers. Some don't even let you use a downloadable file, but rather just have a webpage you use. It seems it is mostly the smaller publishers that are allowing stuff in formats we use.

crich70 · 09-19-2013, 12:41 PM

I think Wikibooks has some don't they?

Ntsimp · 09-19-2013, 12:44 PM

If you don't need specific ones for a specific class but are just looking for general study materials, and if you are fine with PDF rather than "proper" ebook formats, there is a lot of legal nonfiction at http://www.e-booksdirectory.com/

WillAdams · 09-19-2013, 02:46 PM

While it's presented nicely, the e-booksdirectory.com link doesn't have that many books (and most of them are from Smashwords, Project Gutenberg or Archive.org).

John Mark Ockerbloom's, The Online Books Page is the most exhaustive listing of books on-line I'm aware of.

William

MovieBird · 09-19-2013, 08:09 PM

OpenStax

Ntsimp · 09-20-2013, 12:13 PM

The files at OpenStax are too darn huge. I had no idea there was any such thing as a 300MB ePUB!

ForsCream · 09-29-2013, 06:44 AM

You missed the vital source e-textbooks: www.vitalsource.com

donpapachino · 10-01-2013, 12:25 AM

i got mine at bookboon.

09-17-2013, 12:18 AM	#1
sdive Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2013 Device: iPad 2	legal sources of e-textbooks Apart from the big 3 (Apple, Amazon and Barnes and Noble)... - Google have plans to start providing too, right? Other providers: CourseSmart, Chegg, Inkling, Kno. Am I missing anyone important? Thanks!

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09-17-2013, 12:27 AM	#2
Lynx-lynx Treachery of images ... Posts: 4,149 Karma: 94320195 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Australia Device: Sony 650, Kobo Glo, H2O, Aura One, Forma, Libra 2, Libra Colour	O'Reilly, Kobo and Sony holds some titles as well. Depends what subject/s you're looking for.

09-17-2013, 12:34 AM	#3
stickybuns Evangelist Posts: 405 Karma: 479729 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3, Kindle Paperwhite 2	You can purchase/rent directly from the academic publisher in some/most(?) cases.

09-17-2013, 03:52 AM	#4
owly Guru Posts: 729 Karma: 3822612 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Sweden Device: Paperwhite 2, Kobo Aura H2O	Are you at university or college? Ask the library. You might have access to a service like ebrary.

09-17-2013, 10:12 PM	#5
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,592 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	Google has some as well, but for the most part, the publishers are holding a tight rein on their ebooks. Quite a few use some proprietary formats that aren't supported by any ebook readers. Some don't even let you use a downloadable file, but rather just have a webpage you use. It seems it is mostly the smaller publishers that are allowing stuff in formats we use.

09-19-2013, 12:41 PM	#6
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	I think Wikibooks has some don't they?

09-19-2013, 12:44 PM	#7
Ntsimp Groupie Posts: 150 Karma: 1215642 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Utah Device: iriver Story HD, Android	If you don't need specific ones for a specific class but are just looking for general study materials, and if you are fine with PDF rather than "proper" ebook formats, there is a lot of legal nonfiction at http://www.e-booksdirectory.com/

09-19-2013, 02:46 PM	#8
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,260 Karma: 3439432 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	While it's presented nicely, the e-booksdirectory.com link doesn't have that many books (and most of them are from Smashwords, Project Gutenberg or Archive.org). John Mark Ockerbloom's, The Online Books Page is the most exhaustive listing of books on-line I'm aware of. William

09-19-2013, 08:09 PM	#9
MovieBird TuxSlash Posts: 392 Karma: 2436547 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: GlowNook	OpenStax

09-20-2013, 12:13 PM	#10
Ntsimp Groupie Posts: 150 Karma: 1215642 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Utah Device: iriver Story HD, Android	The files at OpenStax are too darn huge. I had no idea there was any such thing as a 300MB ePUB!

09-29-2013, 06:44 AM	#11
ForsCream Connoisseur Posts: 63 Karma: 495132 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: iPad, Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite	You missed the vital source e-textbooks: www.vitalsource.com

10-01-2013, 12:25 AM	#12
donpapachino Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2013 Device: none	i got mine at bookboon.