Download textbooks and read them on the larger screens of today's touchscreen devices like the iPad. This page helps you find textbooks that can be downloaded by tracking the latest news and watching the blogs. Sources for downloadable textbooks are also provided.

Steve Jobs at the product announcement of the iPad said "We think iPad will be a terrific e-book reader for popular books and textbooks..."http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/187897/ipad_to_feature_apples_ibooks_ereader_app.html These textbooks could conceivably be downloaded from the Apple iBookstore which is the ebook equivalent of the iTunes store.http://seekingalpha.com/article/184665-apple-s-tablet-will-be-more-than-just-an-e-book-reader

The CEO of McGraw-Hill confirmed in an interview prior to the release of the Apple iPad that their textbooks would be on this iPhone OS-driven touchscreen device although not included in the product announcement.http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-10438335-260.html http://www.macrumors.com/2010/01/26/mcgraw-hill-ceo-confirms-apple-tablet-iphone-os-based-going-to-be-terrific/ The iPad may be the means in which Apple gets back to its roots in education.http://education.zdnet.com/?p=3583 Market research from Compass Intelligence forecasts that technology spending in the educational market (US only) could reach $61.9 billion in 2013 which is a 30% increase from 2008 spending.http://www.compassintelligence.com/Media/CompassGuidePost/tabid/74/EntryID/49/Default.aspx Electronic textbooks may reach 10-15% of sales by 2012.http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/05/17/why-universities-should-hate-the-ipad/

While there is great promise for reading textbooks on the larger screens of new generation of ebook readers, Amazon has had difficulty getting universities to embrace the Kindle for textbook readers.http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2009/09/28/23918/ Students are also skeptical of textbooks solely on an ebook reader.http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/05/etextbooks/ http://business.theatlantic.com/2010/01/will_the_ipad_really_revolutionarize_textbooks.php In addition to usability issues, some digital textbooks are licensed only for the semester.http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story/Students-not-electrified-by-E-books-yet/aDtUi8egoEW5oUATBnHqVw.cspx Yet many educational systems, such as in California, Georgia, and Texas are pushing for digital textbooks.http://gov.ca.gov/press-release/12996/ http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/10/01/pm-wiki-texts/ http://www.editlib.org/d/27054/_27054.pdf http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2010/02/ga_bill_recognizes_digital_tex.html http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/education/the-web-could-soon-replace-textbooks

The early May announcement of Google Book Search increases the range of textbooks (especially out of print) available to educators.http://www.google.com/educators/p_booksearch.html

Reading textbooks on an ebook reader requires different features than just reading a novel. Students need to annotate, bookmark, and highlight specific text. They may also wish to access the web (via embedded link on page) to find related information. It is unknown if the iBooks application on the Apple iPad will offer these features.http://download.cnet.com/iBooks/3000-20412_4-11212325.html The Kindle currently does not.

Textbook publishers such as McGraw-Hill, Pearson, Thomson, and Wiley offer ebook versions for many of their textbooks. MacMillian has just released the DynamicBooks format allowing professors to choose and assemble selected pages.http://www.downloadsquad.com/2010/02/24/macmillans-dynamicbooks-offers-editable-digital-textbooks/

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) offers free textbooks.http://www.ncert.nic.in/textbooks/testing/Index.htm

Direct Textbook offers a free iPhone application called Book$Price to search for the best deals on digital textbookshttp://www.prweb.com/releases/college-textbooks/app/prweb3983044.htm

Here are some websites that provide textbooks for download ranging from free (sponsored) to those at retail prices:

A compilation by FriedBeefhttp://www.friedbeef.com/7-best-places-to-download-free-textbooks/

Bookboon - Free PDF textbooks sourced from European universities

Free TechBooks - resource page for computer science and programming books

Freebooks4Doctors

University for Free

Flat world for free textbooks

Wikibooks for free editable educational books

Free High School Science Texts - free science and mathematics textbooks for Grades 10 to 12

CafeScribe has gone social allowing a user to connect with others to find other digital book readers, class groups, study groups or academic interest groups adding value to its 8,500+ collection.http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/digital-textbooks-acquire-powerful-search-and-social-networking-capabilities-93673754.html

Textbook/Mediahttp://www.textbookmedia.com/ requires Microsoft Silverlight application

BookBoon.com is an advertiser-supported downloadable textbook website.http://www.loyolagreyhound.com/media/storage/paper665/news/2010/02/23/News/Bookboon.com.Works.To.Alleviate.Students.Of.Textbook.Bills-3876887.shtml

Bridgepoint Education Constellationhttp://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bridgepoint-education-announces-constellation-94408739.html

FreeTechBooks for free computer science and programming textbooks

Freebooks4Doctors for over 300 free medical textbooks and other resources

University for Free focuses on sharing of free University texts (student-driven)

Free High School Textbooks (FHSST)

Campus Grotto lists the following websites:http://www.campusgrotto.com/where-to-download-textbooks.html

CafeScribe

Textbook Revolution

CourseSmart

iChapters

Wikibooks - community of free editable educational books including WikiJunior for non-fiction books (children 12 and under)

Flatworld Knowledge - online for free with print-on demand - instructors can modify them as well

Open Text Book

Freeload Press

Scribd

In addition to currently published textbooks, most but not all academic book digital archives are free with many older textbooks available. Google Book Search will help in finding these books.

Source Credit:http://www.youngester.com/2010/05/download-books-where-you-can-download.html

Community College Open Textbook Collaborativehttp://collegeopentextbooks.ning.com/

The Board of Governors, the policy-making body for Florida's State University System announced the "open textbook" initiative on April 29th. Orange Grove Texts Plus provides 120 free digital textbook titles.http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/education/highered/fl-fltl-cp-freebooksfla-20100426,0,1849973.story Students go online to view them, download and print the books, or buy bound volumes at about half the cost of normal textbooks.

Educational institutions should be aware that the Department of Justice reached a settlement with Princeton University that e-readers could not be required unless the less sighted had access to equivalent capabilities.http://www.examiner.com/x-21533-Dallas-Disability-Examiner~y2010m5d3-Department-of-Justice-settles-Kindle-DX-lawsuit

Inklinghttp://venturebeat.com/2010/01/27/inkling-ipad/ a highly interactive ereader for Apple iPad

Coursesmart

ScrollMotion

new section coming soon

http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2009/09/28/23918/

Students are also skeptical of textbooks solely on an ebook reader.http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/05/etextbooks/ http://business.theatlantic.com/2010/01/will_the_ipad_really_revolutionarize_textbooks.php

Some digital textbooks are licensed only for the semester.http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story/Students-not-electrified-by-E-books-yet/aDtUi8egoEW5oUATBnHqVw.cspx

Top 10 sites by Degree Directoryhttp://degreedirectory.org/articles/10_Places_to_Buy_Digital_Textbooks_Online.html

Zinio

iChapters

CourseSmart

eCampus.com

McGraw-Hill eBookStore

Taylor and Francis eBookStore

Books on Board

Vital Source Bookshelf

CafeScribe

Universal Digital Textbooks

Recommended resource websites are Textbook Revolution, Freeload Press, Textbooksfree.og

Still buying hardcopy textbooks? Amazon now has over one million titles eligible for their Textbook Buyback Programhttp://www.marketwatch.com/story/over-1-million-books-now-eligible-for-the-amazoncom-textbook-buyback-program-2010-05-10?reflink=MW_news_stmp - trade in your textbook and get Amazon Credit