Google Books can now be downloaded in the open EPUB format making these public domain books more accessible.
The EPUB format is supported by an increasing number of devices, including e-readers, netbooks and phones.
Recently, Sony made the announcement that the EPUB format will be supported by its upcoming Reader devices - the Pocked Edition, the Touch Edition and the Daily Edition. Google Book users can now choose between the PDF and EPUB formats for downloading books.
What is EPUB
EPUB is a free, open standard supported by a growing ecosystem of digital reading devices, allowing publishers to produce and distribute a 'digital publication' file and offer consumers interoperability between software and hardware for unencrypted reflowable digital books.
"By adding support for EPUB downloads, we're hoping to make these books more accessible by helping people around the world to find and read them in more places," Brandon Badger, product manager, Google Books, wrote on the Inside Google Books blog. "More people are turning to new reading devices to access digital books, and many such phones, netbooks, and e-ink readers have smaller screens that don't readily render image-based PDF versions of the books we've scanned. EPUB is a lightweight text-based digital book format that allows the text to automatically conform (or "reflow") to these smaller screens..."
How do I download a book from Google Books
Easy, just find any public domain book on books.google.com and click on the Download button in the toolbar.
More information on Google Online Services - Accessible Information Applications
Author Credentials: Ian was born and grew up in Australia. Since then, he has traveled and lived in numerous locations and currently resides in Montreal, Canada. Ian is the founder, a writer, and editor in chief for Disabled World. Ian believes in the Social Model of Disability, a belief developed by disabled people in the 1970s. The social model changes the focus away from people's impairments and towards removing barriers that disabled people face daily. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and achievements, check out his bio.
• Life on the Bridge: What About Us?: Advocating for inclusive, lifelong disability support, Kaelynn Partlow's 'Life on the Bridge' underscores the urgent need for equitable programs across all autism and disability spectrums, challenging systemic neglect of severe cases.
• In Search of Teressa: A Remarkably Told Memoir Daring Us To Recognize Who We Are: In Search of Teressa is a memoir written born out of a partnership between two women: Teressa, a woman diagnosed with several personalities, and international brain and behavior expert Lynette Louise.
Citing and References
Founded in 2004, Disabled World (DW) is a leading resource on disabilities, assistive technologies, and accessibility, supporting the disability community. Learn more on our About Us page.
Cite This Page: Disabled World. (2009, August 27 - Last revised: 2010, June 25). Free Download of Books from Google in EPUB Format. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved April 25, 2025 from www.disabled-world.com/disability/publications/google-books-epub.php
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