Digitalization has stepped forward, and you can now get almost any information without leaving your home. The same applies to books: today, virtually all the treasures of world literature are available to you in just a few clicks. All you have to do is to order the book you want in electronic format and enjoy reading. To make this process as convenient and pleasant as possible, you need an excellent e-reader, and VitalSource Bookshelf is a great choice. This program is multiplatform and has a version for Windows. We will tell you about it.

How does this program work?

The primary purpose of VitalSource Bookshelf for Windows is to make reading significant texts from a monitor more convenient and less harmful. The developers have chosen the name of the program as precisely as possible because the program imitates such detail of the interior as a bookshelf on the user's monitor.

Any text file stored on the user's computer, such as txt, .html, .doc, .rtf, etc., can be turned into a book (a file with the *.book extension) and placed on the virtual shelf. You can also find files for turning into books on the Internet. When installing, BookShelf inserts the appropriate icon in your browser toolbar. Once the user has found a web page with the desired text on the Internet, they click on this icon. The text will be converted into a book file and placed on a virtual shelf.

You can create an unlimited number of shelves and fill them with books of different themes. Each frame can have its name and design.

Interface

VitalSource Bookshelf for Windows is designed in a friendly graphical style. This graphic style can be customized, and the setting of the appearance of the program is very flexible. You can customize almost any component of the selected skin, such as font color or background picture. You can also download skins from the Internet, modify an existing one, and create your own.

In addition, if you change the program's size, it applies only to a selected book. In this way, you can create your stylized library. For example, you can create a dark background and apply a gothic font in a thriller or use light colors and funny fonts, such as the well-known Comic Sans, in any humorous story. The main thing is to know the measure...

Working with books

The user can also customize the appearance of a book. You can set the number of pages per spread, define their fonts and text sizes, set page color and background, and more. You can edit your book by deleting and formatting text or adding illustrations and hyperlinks. It is also possible to share finished books with other users of the program.

Bookmarks

VitalSource Bookshelf for Windows allows you to navigate through a book and leave bookmarks on it. Moreover, when the reader closes the book and places it on the shelf, BookShelf remembers the moment they interrupted reading. The next time they return to the book, the program opens the text exactly where the reader stops, no matter how long it takes.

Voice reading

The program has a built-in component, allowing you to read and listen to texts. Of course, in this case, the reader is read by an artificial automatic voice, so this feature is unlikely to help read classical literature and poetry when the intonation is as essential as the content. But service and technical texts can be listened to without looking at the monitor.

Primary features

• Downloading books and reading them offline;

• Customizable markers and adding notes for more effortless reading;

• Creating cards with text and pictures is useful when reading scientific literature, as it helps you remember basic terms and concepts;

• Easy navigation through books using the shelf system;

• The ability to change the font, font size, and background color to make reading more accessible (in particular, the ability to increase the font may be helpful for people with poor eyesight);

• The ability to listen to books;

• Cross-platform.

Conclusions

VitalSource Bookshelf for Windows is a versatile e-book reader. Various features, such as voice reading, flexible customization, and the ability to create cards, turn the program into an actual intellectual center. So if you need to read books on your computer monitor, Bookshelf will simplify and embellish this activity.