Skip to main content

Open Library release updated BookReader app

The Open Library have just announced an updated version of their BookReader. This web baed reading app is designed to work with Open Library’s ebooks as well as the Internet Archive’s collection.

You know that the Internet Archive, the patron saint of deceased websites, try to archive everything, right? Well, the IA have a pretty extensive collection of scanned pd works converted to PDF as well as a large library of CC and user uploaded titles. That’s what the BookReader is for.

Some of the improvements include:

  • Redesigned user interface that maximizes the amount of space given to the book. Click the down arrow on the navigation bar to hide the user interface. (The Origin of Species)
  • Navigation bar that helps show your location in the book and navigate through it. Search results and chapter markers (if available) show up on the navigation bar.
  • New Read Aloud feature reads the book as audio in most browsers.  No special software is needed – just click the speaker icon  and go!
  • Tables of contents are being automatically generated for most books and can be edited or added manually through the Open Library site.  The chapter markers appear in the new navigation bar. (Launching Out Into The Deep in Wake of the War Canoe)
  • Vastly improved full-text search.  Search results are shown on the navigation bar and include a snippet of text near the matched search term. (Search results for “hawk” in book of birds)

The read aloud isn’t that bad (Blio is much worse). If you’d like to see a live demo, click here:

Similar Articles


Comments


Mike Cane December 10, 2010 um 12:56 pm

I never knew they even had a frikkin app. It doesn’t exist now unless it’s for iOS or Android (and, next year, webOS).


SFWA Finally Notices Internet Archive's Decade Old Open Library, Decides It's Piracy | The Digital Reader January 9, 2018 um 12:42 pm

[…] about the SFWA's missive is that the Open Library is not a new endeavor.  I first wrote about it in 2010, but the program initially launched in 2007. It has been running for ten years, and the SFWA only […]


Write a Comment