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E-books: Collections & Access: Devices, Apps, and Software

iOS Devices

For example: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch

Reader apps are available on iTunes.

Apps for iOS devices include:

This good article (July 2013) describes reading apps for iOS devices. 

Windows Mobile Devices

For example:  Nokia Lumia 920; Windows Phone 8X by HTC; Samsung ATIV Odyssey

Reader apps are available at the Windows Phone Store.

Calibre: e-book Manager and format converter

Calibre is FREE software that will sync to your e-device and convert, organize, and generally help you to manage your e-book collection.

It allows you to convert e-book formats to read on different e-reader devices (but it does *not* remove DRM protection). Here is the Calibre FAQ.

 

General Information

This page has been adapted from the E-Book Guide at Johns Hopkins Sheridan Libraries and is used with their permission.

See these Wikipedia pages for more informatio
n:

Adobe Digital Editions (ADE)

  • TO DOWNLOAD DRM-PROTECTED BOOKS. Use ADE software to download or transfer copy-protected (DRM) e-books to and from your  computer/laptop to other devices like e-readers
  • ADE supports industry-standard e-book formats, including PDF and EPUB
  • NOTES: (1) This software is required to read public library books and some JHU e-books. (2) On iDevices, ADE and the BlueFire app (see below) *must* use the same Adobe ID.

Adobe PDF Reader

  • Adobe Reader software is the global standard for electronic document sharing
  • It is the only PDF file viewer that can open and interact with all PDF documents

Amazon Kindle

For example:  Kindle, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Fire

TIP: Some of the free e-book sites offer books in several formats, some of which Kindle accepts. For example,

Some E-book Formats

Android Devices

For example:  Google Nexus, Samsung Galaxy, HTC One

Reader apps are available at the Google Play Store.

This good article (March 2013) describes reading apps for Android devices.

Barnes and Noble Nook

For example:  Nook Classic, Nook Color, Nook Tablet, Nook HD, Nook HD+

Many public libraries get their e-books from a company called Overdrive. Recently the 3M company has gotten into the e-book business as well.

If your public library has e-books through one or both of these companies, you can get Barnes and Noble apps that will allow you to download directly to your Nook. (Your public library will also provide these apps when you are about to check out an e-book.)

  • Overdrive Media Console - This app allows you to download DRM-protected books to your Nook from your public library or other institution that gets their e-books through Overdrive. NOTE: You need your library card number.
  • 3M Cloud Library - This app allows the same thing, and you also need your library card number. Here is more info about 3M Cloud LIbrary.