One of the pleasures of being in the book industry for so long (hmm… it’s been 36 years. When did that happen?) Anyway, one of the real pleasures is staying in touch with colleagues: booksellers, publishers, distributors, writers and innovators.
Sometimes we hear about a development or just get a snippet of news that might be interesting to others. We hope you enjoy our occasional posts about books and reading.
Launched in 2000, eBooks.com is the oldest e-bookstore on the web, selling ebooks published by local and global book publishers to a world-wide audience.
eBooks.com operates as a recommendation service and e-bookstore.
Sign up for our email alerts and you’ll receive regular reading recommendations in your fields of interest. Our recommendations are not AI-driven; they are personal recommendations from our team of real, human editors.
As an e-bookstore, we operate much like Amazon or any other online retailer, except that we only sell books in digital form. You can search or browse millions of ebooks. When you find something you’d like to read, buy it and you can be reading in a matter of minutes.
You can download our ebooks to any of thousands of ebook reader devices, as well as your smart phone, tablet or computer. Here’s how:
Download your ebook: Log in to eBooks.com, go to your bookshelf, and click Download next to your chosen ebook. Download the lcpl file and open it in Thorium Reader.
Enter your Reading Key: When Thorium Reader asks for an LCP Passphrase or Reading Key, copy the key from the eBooks.com download page and paste it into the app.
Note: You only need to perform Steps 1&3 the first time you download an ebook. For future ebooks, you can simply click Download.
If you have an e-reader device that is compatible with Readium LCP (lcpl files), you can then transfer the ebooks to your e-reader from your computer. (More about transferring ebooks via Thorium Reader)
Install the eBooks.com app: Install our eBooks.com app on your device (Click here for an eBooks.com app user guide). There are three versions available. Depending on the type of device you have, install one of these:
Sign in to the app: With the app open, login using the same credentials you used for your eBooks.com account.
Download your ebook: Tap on the cover of the ebook you’d like to read.
Note: You only need to perform Steps 1&2 the first time you download an ebook. For future ebooks, you can simply open the app and tap the cover to download. For more information please see our app download guide.
E-Ink device: How to transfer an ebook from a computer to an Adobe compatible e-reader
You’ll need to have an app called Adobe Digital Editions (“ADE”) installed on your computer and device. Most of the ebooks we sell are locked (encrypted) by their publishers, and this ADE software unlocks ebooks.
It’s likely that ADE is already installed on your device, but that’s not true of all devices, so you should check here to make sure your device is compatible.
There are three ways to read ebooks from eBooks.com on your computer.
The easiest option is to read online in your browser using our Online Reader. You do not need to install anything.
If you prefer to download your ebooks and read them offline, we recommend using Thorium Reader, a free desktop reading app designed for modern ebooks.
We also continue to support Adobe Digital Editions, for customers who already use it or prefer to keep using it.
Think of it like music: you can either stream a song, or you can download it and play it in an app. Reading online is like streaming. Downloading gives you a copy of the ebook file on your computer.
Recommended option: Read online with our Online Reader
The simplest way to read your ebook is to use our Online Reader.
Click the Read now button next to the title of the book.
Your ebook will open inside your web browser. You do not need to download any software or install a reading app.
Our Online Reader works in all major modern browsers and includes helpful reading features such as adjustable text size, layout settings, and accessibility-friendly controls.
For most customers, this is the quickest and easiest way to start reading.
Recommended download option: Use Thorium Reader
If you would like to download your ebook and read it offline on your computer, we recommend Thorium Reader.
Thorium Reader is a free desktop reading app for Windows, Mac and Linux. It is designed for EPUB ebooks and provides a clean, modern reading experience.
Once the book has been added to Thorium Reader, you can read it there without returning to eBooks.com each time.
Thorium Reader is the best choice if you want to keep your ebooks available on your computer and read them offline.
Still supported: Adobe Digital Editions
We continue to support Adobe Digital Editions, also known as ADE.
If you already use ADE and are happy with it, you can keep using it. However, for most customers who are setting up desktop reading for the first time, we recommend using our Online Reader or Thorium Reader instead.
To use Adobe Digital Editions:
1. Install Adobe Digital Editions
Install Adobe Digital Editions on your computer.
If you need help, please see our guide: Installing Adobe Digital Editions on your computer.
2. Authorize Adobe Digital Editions
After installing ADE, you need to authorize it. This allows your downloaded ebooks to unlock correctly.
To authorize ADE:
Open Adobe Digital Editions on your computer.
If a book is open, click Library to return to Library view.
Click Help.
Click Authorize Computer…
In the eBook Vendor field, select Adobe ID.
Enter your Adobe ID and password.
Click Authorize.
If you do not already have an Adobe ID, click Create an Adobe ID and follow the instructions on Adobe’s website. Then return to ADE and enter your Adobe ID and password.
Please keep a note of your Adobe ID and password. You may need them later if you change computers or need to authorize a new device.
3. Download your ebook
Return to your eBooks.com account and click Download next to the book title.
Once ADE has been installed and authorized, you usually only need to do this setup once. Each time you buy a new ebook from eBooks.com, you can click Download and open the book in Adobe Digital Editions.
Which method should I choose?
For the quickest and easiest experience, choose Online Reader.
If you want to download your ebook and read offline, choose Thorium Reader.
If you already use Adobe Digital Editions and want to continue with it, you can do so.
If you need help at any stage, please contact us and we will be happy to assist.
If you are reading on a computer, we recommend Thorium Reader.
If you rely on Adobe Digital Editions to transfer books to an e-ink device, you should continue using Adobe Digital Editions until your device supports a newer method.
We will continue supporting Adobe Digital Editions for as long as it’s needed
We recently asked a large group of eBooks.com customers how they felt about moving from Adobe Digital Editions to Thorium Reader.
The response was enthusiastic. Most people were happy to make the switch. Thorium Reader is modern, stable, accessible, and easier to use. It works on Windows, Mac and Linux, and it supports the newer Readium LCP content protection system, which we believe is a much better long-term solution for our customers.
But there is one important exception.
If you use an older e-ink reading device, such as some Kobo, Sony, PocketBook, Nook or other dedicated e-reader tablets, and you normally transfer ebooks from your computer to that device using Adobe Digital Editions, then you should continue using Adobe Digital Editions for now.
Why Thorium Reader is usually the better choice
For most customers who want to read ebooks on a computer, Thorium Reader is the option we recommend.
Thorium is a free desktop reading app developed by EDRLab, the organisation behind Readium LCP. It is designed for modern EPUB reading and includes many features that make reading easier and more comfortable, including:
a clean, modern reading interface
strong support for EPUB 3
excellent accessibility features
support for Windows, Mac and Linux
adjustable text size, spacing and display settings
support for Readium LCP-protected ebooks
ongoing development and improvement
In short, Thorium Reader is a much more modern ebook platform than Adobe Digital Editions.
If you read your eBooks.com books on your computer, Thorium is likely to be the better choice.
When Adobe Digital Editions may still be the right choice
There is one situation where Adobe Digital Editions may still be necessary.
Some customers do not read mainly on their computer. Instead, they download ebooks to their computer and then transfer it to a separate tablet device.
For many years, Adobe Digital Editions has been the standard way to do this. Some e-ink devices rely on Adobe’s system in order to transfer it from the computer to the device.
So, if your normal reading routine is:
buy or download the ebook from eBooks.com
open it on your computer in Adobe Digital Editions
connect your e-ink device with a USB cable
transfer the ebook from Adobe Digital Editions to the device
… then you should continue choosing Adobe Digital Editions for the time being.
That does not mean ADE is better than Thorium. It simply means your particular device may still depend on Adobe’s older transfer system.
A simple rule of thumb
Choose Thorium Reader if you want to read your ebook on:
your Windows computer
your Mac
your Linux computer
a modern reading app that supports Readium LCP
Choose Adobe Digital Editions if you need to transfer your ebook to an older e-ink device that still requires ADE.
What about Kobo, Sony and other e-ink devices?
Many dedicated e-ink devices were built around the Adobe Digital Editions system. This is especially true of older models.
If your device instructions tell you to use Adobe Digital Editions, or if you have successfully transferred eBooks.com purchases to that device using ADE in the past, then the safest approach is to keep using ADE for that device.
This may include some devices made by Kobo, Sony, PocketBook, Nook and others. Compatibility varies by model, so the important question is not just the brand of the device, but how that particular device handles protected EPUB files.
Will this change in the future?
Yes, we expect this to change over time as device makers modernise their requirements.
The ebook industry is moving toward newer, more open and more reader-friendly systems. Thorium Reader uses Readium LCP, a modern content protection technology designed specifically for ebooks. LCP is already used by libraries, universities, booksellers and reading platforms around the world.
We expect more device manufacturers and reading systems to support LCP over time. As that happens, more readers will be able to use Thorium Reader and LCP-based downloads as their normal route to reading on different devices.
But we are not quite there yet.
For customers with older e-ink devices that still require Adobe Digital Editions, ADE remains necessary for now.
Our recommendation
If you are reading on a computer, we recommend Thorium Reader.
It is modern, accessible, easy to use, and better aligned with the future of ebook reading.
But if you rely on Adobe Digital Editions to transfer books to an e-ink device, you should continue using Adobe Digital Editions until your device supports a newer method.
We know this can be confusing. The important thing to remember is that you do not need to switch just for the sake of switching. Choose the option that works best for the way you actually read.
For many customers, that will now be Thorium Reader.
For some customers with older e-ink devices, it will still be Adobe Digital Editions.
We’re pleased to announce that eBooks.com now supports Thorium Reader, a free desktop reading app for Windows, Mac and Linux.
This is an important step in our move toward a simpler, more modern ebook experience. For many years, customers who wanted to download protected ebooks to a computer had to use Adobe Digital Editions. That option is still available where needed, but Thorium Reader gives eBooks.com’s customers another, better path: one that is modern, accessible, and much easier to use.
What is Thorium Reader?
Thorium Reader is a free ebook reading application developed by EDRLab, the European Digital Reading Lab. It is designed for reading ebooks on a desktop or laptop computer, and it supports EPUB, PDF and other digital reading formats.
It is also built with accessibility in mind. Thorium Reader includes adjustable reading settings, keyboard navigation, screen reader support, read-aloud features, bookmarks, search, navigation through the table of contents, and other tools that make reading more comfortable for a wide range of users.
In short: it is a serious ebook reader for people who read seriously.
Why we are supporting Thorium
At eBooks.com, we are working to improve every part of the reading experience: our online reader, our mobile apps, and the way customers download books to read offline.
Supporting Thorium Reader is part of that larger project.
Thorium is based on open reading standards and supports Readium LCP, a newer content protection system that is designed to be much less intrusive for readers than older DRM systems. With Thorium and LCP, customers do not need to create a separate Adobe account simply to open a book they have already purchased.
That matters. Buying an ebook should not feel like solving a technical puzzle. Our goal is to make the process as straightforward as possible: buy your book, download it, open it, and read.
Better for accessibility
Accessibility is one of the strongest reasons to support Thorium Reader.
Many people need more than a fixed page on a screen. They may need larger type, different fonts, better spacing, keyboard controls, screen reader compatibility, read-aloud support, or a cleaner navigation structure. Thorium Reader has been developed with these needs in mind.
Thorium is accessible for visually impaired and dyslexic people. It is fully usable with keyboard alone and supports navigation and reading with popular screen readers like JAWS, NVDA, Narrator and Voiceover. Other accessibility features include support for high-contrast, customizable font including dyslexia font), color themes, text size and Text To Speech (TTS) read aloud.
This aligns closely with our own direction at eBooks.com. We want our reading platform to work well for as many people as possible, including readers who are blind, have low vision, have dyslexia, have mobility impairments, or simply prefer to adjust the reading environment to suit their needs.
No single reading app is perfect for every person, but Thorium is a substantial improvement over many older desktop reading options.
What this means for eBooks.com’s customers
When you download an ebook from eBooks.com to your computer, you can now open it in Thorium Reader.
For many customers, this will be the easiest and best desktop option. Thorium is free, regularly maintained, and available for Windows, Mac and Linux.
If you’re new to Thorium Reader, the basic steps are simple:
Install Thorium Reader on your computer.
Go to your eBooks.com account and download your ebook.
Open the downloaded file in Thorium Reader.
Start reading.
We have also prepared help articles to guide customers through the process.
What about Adobe Digital Editions?
We know that some customers still rely on Adobe Digital Editions, especially those who use older e-ink devices that require Adobe software to transfer ebooks from a computer to the device.
For that reason, we are not removing Adobe Digital Editions as an option. If your reading device still depends on Adobe Digital Editions, you can continue using it where it is supported.
But for customers who read on a desktop or laptop computer, who want a modern, accessible reading experience, we recommend Thorium Reader.
A step toward a more open ebook future
The ebook world has been too fragmented. Different stores, different reading apps, different accounts, different restrictions. All of this creates friction for readers.
Thorium Reader and Readium LCP point towards a better model: one based on open standards, accessibility, interoperability and convenience.
We are pleased to support that direction.
This is one more step in our broader work to modernise the eBooks.com reading experience across web, desktop and mobile. We want our customers to have more choice, less friction, and better tools for reading the books they buy.
We hope you enjoy using Thorium Reader with eBooks.com.
One of the nice things about buying ebooks from eBooks.com is that you have choices.
You can read online in your web browser, read on your phone or tablet using the eBooks.com app, or download your ebooks to a desktop reading app such as Thorium Reader. You do not need to be technically minded, and you do not need expensive software. The reading options we recommend are free.
We have recently made some major improvements to the way eBooks.com titles can be read. Our mobile apps have been rebuilt, our Online Reader has been completely upgraded, and we now support Thorium Reader for desktop users — including people who use Linux.
Here is a quick guide to the main options.
1. Read online in your web browser
The simplest way to read many eBooks.com titles is to use our Online Reader.
There is no app to install. You just sign in to your eBooks.com account, go to your bookshelf, and open the book in your browser.
Our new Online Reader is a major improvement on the previous version. It is cleaner, faster and easier to use, and it has been designed to make reading comfortable on a wide range of screen sizes.
It is a good choice if you want to start reading straight away, or if you are using a computer where you do not want to install additional software.
Best for: quick access, reading in a browser, switching between computers.
2. Read on your phone or tablet with the eBooks.com app
For reading on a mobile device, we recommend our new eBooks.com app.
These apps have replaced our older Ebook Reader apps. The new apps are built on modern technology and are designed to be simple, stable and pleasant to use.
Once you sign in, your eBooks.com library is available in the app. You can read on the move, adjust the reading layout to suit your preferences, and continue reading across devices.
The app is available for both:
iPhone and iPad
Android phones and tablets
Best for: reading on the go, phones, tablets, and everyday personal reading.
3. Read on your desktop with Thorium Reader
If you prefer to download your ebooks and read them on a desktop or laptop computer, we recommend Thorium Reader.
Thorium is a free ebook reading application for desktop computers. It works with modern ebook standards and provides a clean, accessible reading experience.
A major benefit is that Thorium supports Windows, macOS and Linux. This is especially helpful for Linux users, who were not supported by Adobe Digital Editions.
Thorium is also a good option for readers who want to keep their ebooks organised in a desktop library and read without using a web browser.
Best for: desktop reading, offline reading, Linux users, and readers who prefer a dedicated reading app.
What about Adobe Digital Editions?
For many years, Adobe Digital Editions was the standard desktop app for reading downloaded ebooks protected by Adobe DRM. Some customers may still use it.
However, eBooks.com now supports newer and more flexible reading options. For most desktop users, we recommend trying Thorium Reader instead.
Accessibility
Accessibility is a central part of our new reading experience.
Our new Online Reader, mobile apps and Thorium-compatible desktop reading options have been developed with global accessibility standards in mind. This means we are working to support readers who use screen readers, keyboard navigation, text resizing, high-contrast settings and other assistive technologies.
We want ebooks to be easier to read for everyone — not just for people using the most common devices or default settings.
Which option should I choose?
Here is the simplest answer:
If you want to start reading immediately, use the Online Reader.
If you want to read on your phone or tablet, install the eBooks.com app.
If you want to read on a desktop or laptop, especially if you use Linux, try Thorium Reader.
You can choose the option that suits you best. Many readers use more than one.
Need help?
If you are not sure which option is right for you, sign in to your eBooks.com account and go to your bookshelf. From there, we will show the reading options available for each title.
You can also contact our support team if you need help getting started.
eBooks.com is partnering with EDRLab to use Readium LCP, a modern content-protection system for ebooks.
LCP helps protect publishers’ and authors’ rights while offering readers a simpler, less frustrating experience.
Unlike older DRM systems, LCP is designed for an open, interoperable ebook ecosystem rather than locking readers into one proprietary platform.
The move supports eBooks.com’s broader investment in better reading technology, including our new online reader, mobile apps and Thorium Reader support.
We’re pleased to announce that eBooks.com has partnered with EDRLab to adopt Readium LCP, a modern, elegant and interoperable content-protection system for ebooks.
For many years, ebook retailers, publishers, libraries and readers have had to work within a digital rights management landscape that has often felt unnecessarily complicated. Traditional DRM systems have helped publishers protect their content, but they have also introduced friction for readers: extra accounts, confusing authorisation processes, software limitations, and too many moments where the technology gets in the way of simply opening a book and reading.
The industry can do better.
Readium LCP — Licensed Content Protection — is a 21st century approach to protecting digital books. It has been developed for the modern ebook ecosystem: one in which readers expect to move easily between devices, publishers need dependable protection for their intellectual property, and reading systems must support accessibility, usability and long-term interoperability.
By working with EDRLab, eBooks.com is joining a community of like-minded ebook vendors, technology providers, publishers and reading-platform developers who believe that content protection should be secure, practical and reader-friendly.
Why this matters
LCP is designed to protect digital publications without locking readers into a single proprietary ecosystem. That is important.
A healthy ebook market depends on openness and interoperability. Readers should be able to buy books from trusted retailers and read them using high-quality reading software. Publishers should be able to protect their works without forcing customers through outdated or confusing technical processes. Retailers should be able to innovate, improve accessibility and deliver better reading experiences without being constrained by legacy systems.
LCP helps make that possible. It supports modern ebook formats, including EPUB and PDF, and is designed to work across a distributed ecosystem of vendors and reading applications.
For readers, this means a smoother path from purchase to reading.
For publishers, it means robust protection that is aligned with current standards and modern reading technology.
For the wider industry, it means a practical alternative to older models of ebook DRM.
A better experience for readers
Our first priority is always the reader.
Customers who buy ebooks from eBooks.com should be able to access their books with as little friction as possible. They should not need to understand the history of ebook DRM, or know which vendor owns which authorisation system, or create unnecessary third-party accounts just to read a book they have bought.
LCP gives us a path toward a cleaner and more intuitive experience.
It also fits naturally with our broader investment in new reading platforms. eBooks.com has recently been modernising the way customers read: through our new online reader, our new mobile apps, and our support for Thorium Reader on desktop.The adoption of LCP is part of the same programme of work: making ebook reading simpler, more reliable, more accessible and more pleasant.
A responsible approach to publisher protection
We understand why publishers require content protection.
Authors and publishers invest heavily in creating, editing, producing and distributing books. They need confidence that their titles can be sold digitally in a way that discourages unauthorised sharing and protects commercial value.
LCP allows us to meet that need while also improving the customer experience. It is not a rejection of content protection. It is a better implementation of it.
For publishers, this means eBooks.com can continue to support secure digital distribution while moving toward a more modern, standards-based ecosystem. For customers, it means fewer barriers and a clearer, more reliable reading experience.
Supporting accessibility and modern reading standards
Accessibility is central to the future of digital reading.
Ebooks should be usable by as many people as possible, including readers who rely on assistive technologies, custom display settings, text resizing, screen readers, keyboard navigation, or other accessibility features. Content protection should not prevent legitimate readers from using the tools they need in order to read comfortably.
This is one of the reasons we are enthusiastic about EDRLab’s work. EDRLab has played an important role in advancing open standards, accessible reading systems and modern ebook infrastructure. Its work on Readium, Thorium Reader and LCP reflects a vision of digital reading that is open, accessible and built for the long term.
That vision aligns closely with our own.
Collaboration across the ebook ecosystem
We are delighted to collaborate with EDRLab and with other ebook vendors who are adopting LCP.
The ebook industry is at its best when retailers, publishers, libraries, technology providers and standards organisations work together. No single company should have to define the future of digital reading alone. Interoperable systems, shared standards and practical collaboration are essential if the industry is to provide readers with better alternatives.
By adopting LCP, eBooks.com is supporting that collaborative approach. We see this as part of a broader movement toward ebook systems that are less fragmented, less frustrating and more capable of serving readers and publishers alike.
Looking ahead
The adoption of LCP is an important step in eBooks.com’s continuing work to improve the reading experience for our customers.
It sits alongside a wider programme of product improvements, including our online reader, mobile reading apps, desktop reading support and our continued focus on accessibility and reliability.
Our goal is simple: to make it easier for people to buy, open and enjoy ebooks.
We are grateful to EDRLab for its leadership, and we are pleased to be part of an ecosystem that is working toward a better future for digital reading.
Once you’ve acquired an ebook from eBooks.com, you can just start reading inside your web browser, using our online reader. To use the online reader, click the “Read now” button next to the book cover in your eBooks.com library.
To download the whole book you’ll need to install a free app.
If you’d prefer to to download the whole book just install a small, free app. This is true if you download an ebook from us or from any other major ebook retailer.
Some of our publishers distribute their ebooks without encryption (“DRM-free”). For those ebooks, you don’t need special software. You can just download a normal PDF or epub file. But those publishers are the exception. Read more about DRM-free ebooks.
eBooks.com has offered browser-based ebook reading for many years. In fact, we were early pioneers of the idea that you should be able to buy an ebook and begin reading it straight away, without first installing specialist software or downloading files.
But our new online reader is a very different thing from the original version.
It is faster, cleaner, more flexible, much more accessible, and designed to work beautifully on desktop computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones. Whether you are sitting at your desk, reading on the sofa with a tablet, or stealing ten minutes on your phone while waiting for a train, your eBooks.com library is available wherever you have a browser.
Why read online?
For many people, the simplest way to read an ebook is not to download it at all.
Downloading an ebook can still be useful, especially if you want to read offline or use a dedicated desktop app such as Thorium Reader. But it can also involve extra steps: choosing the right app, installing it, signing in, downloading the book, opening the file, and making sure everything is authorised correctly.
Reading online skips all that.
You buy the book. You open it. You read.
That is the main appeal of the online reader: it removes friction. There is no software to install, no file to manage, and no need to remember where the book was saved. Your ebook simply opens in your browser.
It works on computers, tablets and phones
The new eBooks.com online reader is designed for modern devices. It works on large desktop screens, laptops, tablets and mobile phones.
That matters because people no longer read in just one place. You might begin reading on a work computer during your lunch break, continue on your laptop at home, and later read a chapter on your phone before bed.
The online reader makes that kind of movement natural. Your books live in your eBooks.com library, and you can return to them from any compatible web browser.
A full-featured reading app, inside your browser
A browser-based reader should not feel like a stripped-down preview tool. Our new online reader is a proper ebook reading app.
It includes the kinds of features readers expect from a high-quality ebook app, including comfortable page layout, easy navigation, search, bookmarks, notes, highlighting, table-of-contents access, font and display controls, and support for different screen sizes.
On mobile, it still behaves like a serious reading app. This is important. Many people assume that reading in a browser on a phone must mean a compromised experience. That is not the case here. The mobile version includes the tools you need for real reading, not just quick reference.
In some respects, the online reader now offers a richer reading experience than some traditional desktop ebook applications. You get the convenience of the web, without giving up the features that make long-form reading comfortable.
Designed for comfortable reading
Good ebook reading is not just about displaying text on a screen. The details matter.
The new reader is designed to give you a clean, calm reading environment. You can adjust the display to suit your preferences and your device. The aim is to make the technology disappear, so you can focus on the book.
This is especially useful for people who move between devices. A layout that feels right on a large monitor will not necessarily be right on a phone. The reader adapts so that the experience remains usable and comfortable across different screen sizes.
Built with accessibility in mind
Accessibility is central to the design of our new reading platforms.
The online reader has been built to meet modern accessibility expectations, including support for readers who rely on assistive technologies or who need more control over how text is displayed. This is part of a broader eBooks.com commitment to making ebooks easier to read for more people, across our online reader, mobile apps and desktop reading options.
For many readers, accessibility features are not extras. They are the difference between being able to read comfortably and not being able to read at all. That is why accessibility has been treated as a core requirement, not an afterthought.
When online reading is the best choice
The online reader is a great option when:
You want to start reading immediately after purchase.
You are using a shared or temporary computer.
You do not want to install another app.
You switch between several devices.
You prefer not to manage downloaded ebook files.
You want a simple, reliable way to get back to your library.
It is also useful for organisations, students, travellers and anyone who wants their books available without needing to set up software on every device they use.
When downloading still makes sense
Online reading is not the only option. Some readers prefer to download their ebooks and read them in a dedicated app. That can be the better choice if you want offline access, if you prefer a particular reading application, or if you are building a local ebook library on your own computer.
eBooks.com supports several ways to read, including our online reader, our mobile apps, and desktop reading through Thorium Reader for many titles.
The point is not that one method is right for everyone. The point is that you have choices.
Start reading from your eBooks.com library
To use the online reader, sign in to your eBooks.com account, go to your ebook collection, and open the book you want to read.
There is nothing to install. Your book opens in the browser, and you can begin reading straight away.
That is what the new eBooks.com online reader is for: making ebook reading simpler, more flexible and more enjoyable.
We’re pleased to announce the release of our new mobile apps for iOS and Android.
These apps replace our legacy mobile readers and represent a major step forward in performance, usability, and accessibility. After significant investment in modern infrastructure and design, we believe they offer one of the most refined and flexible ebook reading experiences available today.
Accessibility has been a central design principle from the outset. The new apps are built to meet the highest modern accessibility standards, with features including:
Adjustable fonts, sizes, and spacing
Support for system accessibility settings
Compatibility with screen readers
Improved navigation and structure
We believe that reading should be available to everyone, and these apps reflect that commitment.
Built for performance and reliability
The new apps have been developed using modern technologies from the ground up. The result is a reading experience that is fast, stable, and highly responsive. This applies whether you’re opening a large professional title with complex layout, or quickly returning to your place in a novel.
Clean, elegant design
We’ve taken a deliberately minimalist approach to design. The interface is clean and uncluttered, allowing the content itself to take centre stage. Every interaction has been carefully considered to make reading feel natural and effortless.
Best-in-class page rendering from Colibrio
At the heart of the reading experience is Colibrio’s advanced ebook rendering engine, widely regarded as one of the best in the industry. The engine is focused on delivering a high-quality, accessible reading experience, often utilized in specialized, accessible reading applications. This ensures:
Beautiful typography
Smooth pagination
Consistent layout across devices
Accurate handling of complex ebook content
Secure, flexible DRM with Readium LCP
The apps utilise Readium LCP (Licensed Content Protection), a modern, user-friendly DRM system that balances publisher requirements with reader convenience. Compared to older DRM systems, LCP offers a simpler and more reliable experience for end users. LCP is an open-standard, interoperable DRM for EPUB, PDF, and audiobooks, developed by the Readium Foundation to enable seamless, user-friendly reading without third-party account requirements.
Real-time sync across devices
Your reading experience is seamlessly synchronised across platforms. Whether you’re reading on your phone, tablet, or in your browser:
Your current position is always up to date
Bookmarks and highlights stay in sync
Typography and layout preferences persist
You can move between devices without interruption
“These new apps provide the foundation for future enhancements, including expanded discovery and purchasing features.”
Highly customisable reading experience
Users can tailor their reading environment to suit their preferences, including typography, margins, spacing, and themes (e.g. day/night modes).
Instant access to your library
Purchased books are immediately available in the app, with no complex setup required. This reduces friction and improves first-time user experience.
Improved handling of complex content
Because of our leading position in academic, professional and scientific ebook distribution, it was important that our new apps excel at handling large and complex ebook files:
Better rendering of tables, figures, and structured content
Stability with large or technical EPUB files
A new chapter for eBooks.com
This is an important milestone for eBooks.com. We are squarely focused on delivering the best possible experience for our customers; one that combines performance, flexibility, and accessibility in a single, elegant solution.
We look forward to hearing your feedback as we continue to refine and expand the platform.
Kindle Fury: Amazon to end support for older Kindles 10 April 2026 (BBC) While the company has said the change would only affect 3% of current users, “this could amount to 2 million devices rendered obsolete according to some estimates, potentially generating over 624 tons of e-waste”.
Google Play Ebook Apps Still Lack Basic Functions 10 April 2026 (Android Police) Google Play Books has a serious problem, and Google doesn’t have the answer. They’re too busy trying to insert AI into the ebook reading experience.
31% of Americans read an ebook last year 9 April 2026 (Pew Research) The overall share of Americans who have read a book in the past year has remained fairly stable since we first asked this question in 2011. Digital and audiobooks … have become more widely used. About three-in-ten adults (31%) now report reading an e-book in the past year, up from 17% in 2011. Audiobooks have seen similar growth, with use of this format more than doubling in the same period.
Audible to open ‘Bookstore without books’ in New York 9 April 2026 (Kazinform) The venue will include seven dedicated listening areas where visitors can sit and enjoy the recordings using high performance headphones from Sony and immersive Dolby Atmos sound technology. The Audible Story House will operate throughout May.
The Hit Erotica Writers Outwitting Nigeria’s Religious Censors 9 April 2026 (New York Times) In a region that operates under a dual legal system, where Shariah law exists alongside secular courts to strictly regulate public morality, steamier stories are deemed immoral. Some books have been publicly burned by zealous officials. Now, a new generation of writers is publishing far more explicit content — and serializing it on WhatsApp, where it is out of reach of religious and government censors who are still focused on paper books.
EBSCO is Ditching Adobe’s Ebook Reader for Thorium Reader 8 April 2026 (EBSCO) As of Tuesday 14th April 2026, users who download whole EBSCO e-books for offline reading will need to download Thorium Reader instead of Adobe Digital Editions. EBSCO are switching to the free Thorium Reader app as it is compatible with screen readers and adheres to modern accessibility standards.
W. W. Norton Gets Accessibility Certification 7 April 2026 (The Globe and Mail) Benetech, a global nonprofit focused on providing equitable opportunities for all learners, awards GCA certification to publishers who demonstrate consistent success in producing accessible EPUBs, which are the industry-standard files for ebook content.
Bangladesh: Five Audiobook Platforms, and Counting 7 April 2026 (Publishing Perspectives) According to Kommersant, Russia’s digital book market—covering e-books and audiobooks—grew 25% in revenue in 2025 to RUB 23.6 billion ($297 million), while unit sales rose 45% year over year.
Russia’s Audiobook Market Goes Full Streaming 7 April 2026 (Publishing Perspectives) According to Kommersant, Russia’s digital book market—covering e-books and audiobooks—grew 25% in revenue in 2025 to RUB 23.6 billion ($297 million), while unit sales rose 45% year over year.
Japanese government passes bill to make digital textbooks official 7 April 2026 (Japan Times) Japan is expected to use digital textbooks, which are currently treated as supplementary learning materials, as official textbooks from as early as fiscal 2030 after government screenings in fiscal 2028 — making them eligible for free distribution in elementary and junior high schools.
Manta Expands into Manga Market with Kodansha Partnership 7 April 2026 (The New Publishing Standard) Platform Evolution: From Webcomics to All-in-One Story Hub. Manta’s parent company RIDI Corporation, South Korea’s first content unicorn, brings substantial IP advantages through its position as the nation’s leading webnovel publisher – providing Manta with a pipeline of proven stories for adaptation.
Amazon is now flagging which Kindle Books are DRM-Free 6 April 2026 (The Good E-Reader) There don’t seem to be many DRM-Free Kindle Books on the platform, and most of them are from TOR and Baen Publishing. Many Tor original novellas and short stories are DRM-free.
Where to Buy eBooks: A Complete Guide for Modern Readers 5 April 2026 (Programming Insider) Best Platforms to Buy eBooks. There are many platforms available, but choosing the right one depends on your needs—whether it’s affordability, variety, or academic content.
Tolino Media Expands into Audiobooks for Self-Publishers 3 April 2026 (The New Publishing Standard German self-publishing platform Tolino Media has launched audiobook distribution services, enabling independent authors to publish audio titles alongside their existing e-book and print offerings. For self-publishers, the move eliminates a key barrier to audio market entry – complex multi-platform distribution – while maintaining production autonomy.
What Harlequin’s AI Microdrama Deal Is Really About 3 April 2026 (The New Publishing Standard) The French translation pivot, the line closure, and now the Dashverse and Toonstar deals, are all consistent with a corporate direction that treats AI not as a threat to manage but as infrastructure to deploy. As March concluded, Harlequin announced a multi-year agreement with Dashverse, an AI-native entertainment company, to co-produce 40 animated microdramas based on its romance titles.
New smart glasses: read ebooks and play chess 3 April 2026 (The New Publishing Standard) The latest smart glasses from Even Labs help you by automatically transcribing live conversations or providing verbal cues that float in front of your eyes, without distracting you. And it’s supposedly getting better with a range of apps now available for these glasses.
A device that transcribes and translates audiobooks while you listen 3 April 2026 (dev.ua) In addition to the main idea, the author of the application believes that it “can be useful for people who have hearing problems. The read-along function also helps to better focus on the content.” The Libly application reads in 30 languages. It also allows you to translate the decoded text into over 70 languages.
WTO moratorium against tarrifs on ebooks is up for review 28 March 2026 (US News) The moratorium covers cross-border transmissions such as software downloads, e-books, music and movie streaming and video games. Some developing nations, including India which has long opposed the moratorium, contend its extension would deprive them of tariff revenue to fund infrastructure and close the digital divide. More than 200 global business organisations signed a joint statement calling for an extension of the moratorium.
Pearson’s shift to digital underpins solid growth 28 March 2026 (Ad Hoc News) Annual revenue reached approximately $4.82 billion, with net income of $604.19 million, underscoring operational efficiency. Gross profit stood at $2.48 billion, highlighting strong margins in core segments. The shift toward digital products, including e-textbooks and online platforms, now constitutes a growing portion of sales, reducing reliance on physical books.
Livres Hebdo Secures NetGalley France Licence in Strategic Digital Push 27 March 2026 (The New Publishing Standard) NetGalley, originally developed by Firebrand Technologies in 2008 and now owned by Japan’s Media Do International (following its 2021 acquisition), operates across five international markets including the US, UK, Germany, and Japan.
Are E-ink Devices Actually Better For Your Eyes Than Tablets? 27 March 2026 (BGR) For light reading, an e-reader is still a better option than a tablet. Follow the 20/20/20 rule: Stop reading. Look at something 20 feet away from you for 20 seconds, then resume. Repeat this process every 20 minutes.
Bookshop.org is launching its own branded device 26 March 2026 (Good E-Reader) Bookshop.org has been working on getting a dedicated e-reader off the ground for a couple of years now. The upcoming gadget, called the “Color E-Reader”, will feature the latest, yet-to-be-released e-ink display.
Illinois goes after ebook library suppliers 26 March 2026 (25NewsNow) Illinois’ Digital Library Protection Act would restrict publishers from making agreements to distribute electronic materials like e-books and audiobooks if the agreement would keep the library from “customary operational functions” or “performing customary lending functions.”
Music Labels seek $300M from pirate library Anna’s Archive 26 March 2026 (Ars Technica) Plaintiffs said the DMCA damages of $2,500 would exceed $7 billion if applied to all 2.8 million released music files. Of course, Anna’s Archive isn’t likely to pay the proposed financial penalty or delete the Spotify data, just as it was never likely to comply with a January 2026 court order in a different lawsuit.
GlobalComix Secures $13M and Acquires INKR 25 March 2026 (The New Publishing Standard) The company has acquired Singapore-founded INKR, an AI-powered manga platform boasting over 200,000 volumes of Japanese, Chinese and Korean content.
Utah imposes a tax on ebooks and audiobooks deemed “harmful to minors” 23 March 2026 (VitalLaw) Effective October 1, 2026, Utah will impose an excise tax on commercial entities that publish digital content deemed to be “harmful to minors”, and allocate tax revenue for mental health programs and enforcement of age verification.
John Wiley’s Profitability Uptick and AI Content Partnership 15 March 2026 (Simply Wall St) In early March 2026, John Wiley & Sons reported improved third-quarter profitability and completed two share repurchase tranches. The combination of higher earnings, ongoing buybacks, and deeper integration into AI-powered clinical workflows highlights how Wiley is monetizing its content across traditional publishing and emerging healthcare technology channels.
Audible partners with British Airways 20 March 2026 (Press Release) British Airways is collaborating with Audible, a leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, to bring more than 250 hours of podcasts and audiobooks to the skies.
ONIX metadata standard update focuses on internationalisation 23 March 2026 (Publishing Perspectives) The revision introduces four changes: clearer attribution of reviews and descriptive content; added contextual detail about people or entities featured in a book; adjustments to publisher and imprint name order to improve multilingual sorting; and support for transliteration across different writing systems.
Chicken Soup for the Soul Sues AI Firms for Copyright Infringement 20 March 2026 (Publishers Weekly) Chicken Soup for the Soul is suing tech companies OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, xAI, Perplexity, Apple, and Nvidia for copyright infringement. The suit, filed March 17 in the Northern District of California, alleges that hundreds of its copyrighted works were ingested without authorization or compensation to train large language models.
Best E-Readers for Night Reading: Top Warm Light Picks 20 March 2026 (gagadget.com) Night reading used to mean choosing between a dim lamp and blasting your partner awake with overhead light. Front-lit e-readers solved the lamp problem years ago, but the early warm-light implementations were uneven – orange at the corners, white in the center, and sliders that topped out at a pale amber that barely qualified as warm. That gap has closed.
AI Is Writing Fiction. Publishers Are Unprepared 19 March 2026 (New York Times) Hachette’s Shy Girl creares a stir: The Times analyzed passages from the novel using several A.I. detection tools and found recurring patterns characteristic of A.I. generated text, like gaps in logic, excessive use of melodramatic adjectives and an overreliance on the rule of three…
Why you should avoid Audible’s new Standard subscription at all costs 14 March 2026 (Android Police) A new, cheaper Audible subscription must be great, right? Unfortunately not. Audible’s new Standard tier may make audiobooks cheaper than ever, but it’s terrible value. The catch is you need to stay subscribed to listen to your books. Want to listen to the audiobook you just purchased? Make sure you keep giving us money, because we don’t want you to pay us once for this title, we want you to pay us for it forever.
Spotify Audiobooks growing in the United Kingdom 14 March 2026 (Good E-Reader) The interest in audiobooks is on the rise, especially among younger audiences. In the UK, over half (52%) of audiobook listeners are under 35, illustrating Spotify’s success in reaching a new demographic. “When we reduce friction between formats, we make it easier to stay immersed and finish more books.”
Zebralution merges with Bookwire 12 March 2026 (Music Business Worldwide) Frankfurt-based Bookwire announced Monday that it had acquired 100% of Zebralution‘s shares, including subsidiaries Open Publishing GmbH and EMS GmbH, from German music rights collecting society GEMA, following clearance from the German Federal Cartel Office. The deal arrives less than two months after GEMA sold Berlin-based digital distributor Zebralution to New York-based private equity firm Insight Holdings Group.
What if none of this matters? 12 March 2026 (The Future of Publishing) Thad McIlroy’s reflections on the 55th London Book Fair: “They’re dashing about so quickly because outside the hall their AI overlords hover, speaking softly, not shouting. If you stop for a moment, and listen carefully, you can just make out their words, “Books are a thing of the past,” they whisper. “Certainly they were useful in their time…”
Audible will launch in 11 new international marketplaces 11 March 2026 (Good E-Reader) This includes Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Poland, Ireland, Singapore, South Africa, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Audible will roll out these localized user experiences through a strategic collaboration with Amazon.
Ed tech under pressure as US lawmakers target student screen time 11 March 2026 (Times of India) Legislators in 16 US states have introduced bills this year that would limit education technology in schools. Some proposals seek to ban school-issued laptops and email accounts for preschool and elementary school students. Others aim to cap the amount of time older students can spend on screens during the school day.
Amazon Locking DRM on Some Older Kindles Now 10 March 2026 (The Ebook Reader) If you have an older Kindle running software version 5.16.2.1.1 you’re probably going to run into problems removing the DRM from ebooks downloaded to it. Usually when something like this happens it’s because of a software update, but that software version dates back to August 2023 so Amazon has apparently found a new way to change the DRM that’s being used on older Kindles without updating the software.
Amazon Breaking DRM Removal on Some Older Kindles Now 10 March 2026 (The Ebook Reader) If you have an older Kindle running software version 5.16.2.1.1 you’re probably going to run into problems removing the DRM from ebooks downloaded to it. Usually when something like this happens it’s because of a software update, but that software version dates back to August 2023 so Amazon has apparently found a new way to change the DRM that’s being used on older Kindles without updating the software.
Google integrates NotebookLM with ebooks 10 March 2026 (Android Police) … by adding support for EPUB files as sources. You can now directly upload EPUB files to NotebookLM. Then, you can turn them into Video or Audio Overviews, generate Slide decks, or get an overview of their content — all in just a few taps. NotebookLM is a free, AI-powered research and note-taking assistant from Google. It is designed to boost productivity by allowing users to interact with their own data.
Fans skeptical of potential AI translation usage in manga 9 March 2026 (Comics Beat) In response to public outcry against the use of AI in its translations, Seven Seas Entertainment publicly posted on X that it “remains committed to human translators.” Comments exploded at the manga publisher’s recent acquisition by Japanese eBook distributor, Media Do, with one user stating, “you don’t get to decide anymore.”
New App required to download e-books from ProQuest Ebook Central 9 March 2026 (Manchester University) Ebook Central Reader App will replace Adobe Digital Editions as the mechanism to use to download whole e-books from ProQuest Ebook Central for offline reading.
Kodansha Partners with Massive Gaming Platform ROBLOX 27 February 2026 (ITmedia Via Publishing Perspectives) Roblox is the world’s largest online platform where users can create and publish games and have others play them. Kodansha is partnering with Roblox to enable creators to officially build games based on popular manga franchises, including Blue Lock, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, and Attack on Titan.
The Boox Palma 2 Pro is the Kindle killer 23 February 2026 (makeuseof.com) It fits a full e-reader into a smartphone form that’s compact and fits into your pocket. The new model is only 175 grams, making it effortless to hold for long reading sessions or slip into a bag for reading on the go.
If you own the Kindle ebook, you can get the Audible version at a discount 23 February 2026 (Gadget Guy) “Immersion reading” is being added to the Audible app, joining the existing functionality on Kindle devices. Enabled via a ‘Read & Listen’ tab within the app, it highlights the text of an ebook while the audiobook plays.
Audible Now Lets You Read Along With Your Kindle Books 18 February 2026 (Publishers Weekly) Audible has added its new Read & Listen feature, which allows users to to follow audiobook narration with synchronized, word-by-word highlighted text, provided they own the Kindle e-book.
Dutch streaming platform pays author only 8.5 cents per audiobook listen 18 February 2026 (NL Times) For context, authors typically earn around 10 percent of the cover price for the first 4,000 copies of a physical book, equating to roughly 2 euros per book, while e-books often provide a 25 percent share of net proceeds.
Anna’s Archive rolls out the red carpet for robots – and asks them to “persuade” their humans to make donations 18 February 2026 (Complete Music Update) Part of its unsettlingly chirpy pitch to the robots is a polite ask for any roving AI that comes across the page to consider the fact that it has “likely been trained in part on our data” and to make a donation. Or, if the robot in question is not equipped with the means to pay directly, to use their powers of “human persuasion” to talk an obliging meat puppet into doing it for them.
ElevenLabs Summit: An Audiobook Company That Isn’t About Audiobooks 17 February 2026 (Publishing Perspectives) Its recent London summit made clear that audiobooks are just one vertical among many for a company now valued at $11 billion. “The average UK resident spends 10 hours on hold each year.” That gap represents one of the largest immediate commercial opportunities in applied artificial intelligence.
The Onyx Boox Note Air 5 C has perfected the recipe for the ideal E Ink tablet 16 February 2026 (MSN) Onyx Boox tablets are what Amazon’s Kindle e-readers could only dream of being. Equipped with the Google Play Store, native OCR, stylus support, and a wide range of features found in full-fledged Android tablets, Boox’s E Ink devices are spectacular.
German Social Reading Investment 16 February 2026 (Borsenblatt, via Carlo Carrenho at Publishing Perspectives) Frankfurt-based social reading app READO—now counting more than 500,000 active users—has secured a seven-figure funding round, notes Börsenblatt. Are you ready to abandon Facebook and move your bookshelf to READO?
With e-textbooks, Massachusetts lawmakers seek consumer protections for students 13 February 2026 (New England Public Media) MA Lawmakers have proposed a special commission to look at the financial impact of e-books on students, considering the benefits, costs and resale limits of e-textbooks, as well as looking at the single-user access model and contracts that electronic textbook producers have with colleges and universities.
Wiley Enters Strategic Partnership with IT Group Virtusa 12 February 2026 (Intellectia) Virtusa has taken over Wiley’s technology operations in Sri Lanka in a multi-year managed services partnership to provide infrastructure and application services, aimed at accelerating Wiley’s technology transformation.
Microsoft Launches Publisher Content Marketplace for AI Rights 11 February 2026 (The New Publishing Standard) The early partners include Business Insider, Condé Nast, Hearst, The Associated Press, USA TODAY, and Vox Media – all news and magazine publishers optimised for velocity and volume. At the same time Amazon has been briefing publishing executives about plans to launch a content licensing marketplace that would allow publishers to sell their content directly to AI companies, positioning itself as a direct competitor to Microsoft’s PCM
Anna’s Archive Quietly ‘Releases’ Millions of Spotify Tracks, Despite Legal Push-back 12 February 2026 (Torrent Freak) Anna’s Archive is generally known as a meta-search engine for shadow libraries, enabling users find pirated books and other related resources. The shadow library’s backend torrent index now lists dozens of new torrents containing approximately 2.8 million tracks totaling roughly 6 terabytes of audio data. This marks a significant escalation in the already historic standoff with the music industry.
Amazon Kindle Scribe has a new rival with an unbeatable price tag 11 February 2026 (t3.com) The InkPad One from PocketBook has a 10.3-inch e-paper display for a great price, and comes with a stylus and a premium build. This includes an aluminium frame and paper-like writing experience, as well as all the properties of a luxury eBook device. Where it mainly differs from the Kindle Scribe is in price – you can expect to pay just £270 for the InkPad One in the UK ($360 in the States). That’s more than £100 cheaper than the black and white Scribe.
Negligible ebook and audio book sales growth in 2025 11 February 2026 (Publishing Perspectives) December ebook sales were off 2.8% in 2025 from the previous year, and finished down slightly for the full year (0.3%). Digital Audio net revenues were off 0.8% in December 2025, with the format posting a modest 2.1% gain for the year.
Storytel Group Reports Record Profitability 11 February 2026 (Press Release) “Our integrated streaming and publishing strategy delivered record profitability and cash flow generation for 2025. As we enter 2026, we are focused on scaling this momentum by leveraging AI-driven innovation to lead the future of storytelling.”
Pirate Group Anna’s Archive fails to respond to music labels’ copyright lawsuit 9 February 2026 (Music Business Worldwide) Shadow library Anna’s Archive has been formally placed in default after failing to respond to a copyright lawsuit filed by major record labels and Spotify over the alleged scraping of 86 million tracks from the streaming platform.
ElevenLabs, Valued at $11 Billion, ‘Doubles Down’ on Audiobooks 9 February 2026 (Publishers Weekly) Last week, ElevenLabs raised an additional $500M Series D funding, valuing the company at $11 billion, nearly double the $6.6 billion the company had been valued at in September 2025. It is hosting its annual summit for audio creatives and enterprises in London this Wednesday.
Nvidia says it didn’t use pirated books to train its AI models 9 February 2026 (Toms Hardware) Company asking for Anna’s Archive suit to be dismissed. Nvidia is pushing back against claims that it trained AI models on pirated books, telling a federal court in California that its alleged contact with the library ‘Anna’s Archive’ doesn’t amount to proof of copyright infringement.
Bookshop.org and Draft2Digital Partnership 4 February 2026 (Press Release) Through this partnership, self-published ebooks will be sold by independent bookstores, marking a transformative milestone for indie authors.
Why Some Of The Largest Book Publishers Are Hiring AI Engineers 3 February 2026 (Forbes) None of them is planning to use AI for editing or writing — at least for now. Instead, the job listings reveal that publishers are looking to adopt AI to run their businesses more intelligently, such as building forecasting models that can help predict which books will perform well and how they should be priced.
Danish Students Face Fines Over Textbook Piracy 2 February 2026 (Torrent Freak) After “awareness” campaigns that failed to move the needle for years, Denmark’s leading anti-piracy group is shifting to a more aggressive litigation strategy. The Rights Alliance confirmed it will begin filing civil lawsuits against individual students who are caught sharing even a single digital textbook. In 2025 57% of digital textbooks in Sweden were illegal.
HarperCollins is using AI for book translations 2 January 2026 (Good E-Reader) Harlequin romance books are now using AI for translations from English to French, and all in-house translators were fired.
Harlequin’s translations desk has been optimised…
December 2025
Trade Publishing: Ebooks dropped from 17 percent to 11 percent in a decade 30 December 2025 (The New York Times) Since 2016 ebooks dropped from 17 percent to 11 percent of trade publishing revenue, according to data from the A.A.P. that looked at the first 10 months of each year. But revenue from e-books this year was about the same as it was last year.
Centralized Audiobook Production and Distribution Platform for Independent Authors 30 December 2025 (Digital Journal) The PublishMyAudiobook platform allows authors to manage audiobook production from narration auditions through final distribution preparation. Authors retain control of their audio rights and are not required to enter exclusive distribution agreements.
Some Audiobooks Are Outselling Hardcovers 29 December 2025 (The Wall Street Journal) Though the pace of growth has slowed, audiobooks remain a bright spot in publishing.
Spotify acknowledges 300tb data scrape by book pirate Anna’s Archive 29 December 2025 (Chaos Zine) The group estimates that Spotify hosts approximately 256 million tracks, with Anna’s Archive claiming to possess metadata for about 99.9% of this collection, along with roughly 86 million audio files that constitute approximately 99.6% of total listens.
