Just like a year ago, we are presenting the list of ebooks that were most downloaded from Project Gutenberg in the last 30 days – just in time for Christmas.

Almost 7.8 million free ebooks were downloaded from Project Gutenberg since mid-November 2023. Apart from all-time classics, you will find on the list three picaresque novels by Tobias Smollett and a short story by Philip K. Dick.

Founded in 1971 by Michael Hart, Project Gutenberg is the longest established digital library.

Currently, the site offers free access to over 70,000 eBooks that can be read online or downloaded in a variety of formats, for all possible ebook apps and e-reading devices, including Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, and Rakuten Kobo.

The site provides useful stats about ebook downloads, Top 100 Ebooks in the Last 20 Days, where you can see the most popular titles based on how many times they were downloaded or read online.

Between November 15 and December 15, 2023, users downloaded from Project Gutenberg 7,776,391 ebook files.

On the list, you will find such classics as Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, or Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

For the second year in a row, three books by T. Smollett made it to the Top 20 Most Downloaded Ebooks, including The Adventures of Roderick Random. These three books alone were downloaded 108,000 times in the last 30 days.

Tobias Smollett was a Scottish poet and author living in the 18th century. He is best known for his picaresque novels – stories of an anti-hero’s adventures in a disreputable world. They usually feature a roguish protagonist who is forced to rely on his wits, charm, and cunning to survive misadventures.

You can download ebooks from Project Gutenberg to any e-reader or book-reading app. Make sure to pick up the file called EPUB3. This file format is compatible with Kobo, Apple Books, Nook, Google Play Books, and Amazon Kindle, among other platforms.

Top 20 free ebook downloads for Christmas 2023

1. Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Published in 1818, this famous classic novel follows a young scientist named Victor Frankenstein who creates a hideous sapient creature out of body parts of the dead.

The creature is rejected by society and ultimately seeks revenge on his creator.

The book combines elements of the Gothic novel and the Romantic movement, and is considered one of the first true science-fiction stories.

Number of downloads: 83,710

⇢ Download

2. Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen

The world’s beloved novel of manners is set in rural England at the beginning of the 19th century and follows the relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and her love interest Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy.

We follow the five Bennet sisters as they navigate their way through their family’s financial struggles, the pressures of marriage and society, and their own personal feelings.

Through witty dialogue and character development, Austen explores themes of love, class, and pride.

Number of downloads: 58,559

⇢ Download

3. Moby Dick; Or, The Whale

Herman Melville

A classic novel by Herman Melville tells the story of the obsessive quest of Ahab, captain of the whaling ship Pequod, for revenge on the giant white sperm whale that on the ship’s previous voyage bit off Ahab’s leg at the knee.

The novel is a great exploration of themes of fate, revenge, and the power of nature. It has been adapted into numerous films and television shows over the years.

D. H. Lawrence called Moby-Dick “one of the strangest and most wonderful books in the world” and “the greatest book of the sea ever written.”

Number of downloads: 57,192

⇢ Download

4. A Christmas Carol

Charles Dickens

First published on December 19, 1843, this novella is considered one of the most popular and beloved Christmas stories of all time.

The story follows the miser Ebenezer Scrooge as he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future, who show him the error of his ways, and how to be a better man.

The tale of redemption of the human spirit has been adapted for stage, film, and television many times over the years.

Number of downloads: 56,917

⇢ Download

5. Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare

Written by Shakespeare early in his career, the tragedy follows two young star-crossed lovers whose families are engaged in a long and bitter feud.

The play is set in Verona, Italy, and it revolves around the forbidden love between Romeo Montague, a young man from the Montague family, and Juliet Capulet, a young woman from the Capulet family.

The play is one of Shakespeare’s most famous and well-loved works, and it has been adapted for stage, screen, and opera countless times. It is a story of love, loss, and the destructive power of family feuds.

Number of downloads: 53,359

⇢ Download

6. Middlemarch

George Eliot

Middlemarch is a novel by George Eliot, set in the fictional Midlands town of Middlemarch during 1829–1832 and follows several intersecting stories with a large cast of characters.

The novel explores the social and political changes in England during the early 19th century, particularly the impact of industrialization and the reform of local government.

Middlemarch is widely regarded as one of the greatest novels in the English language.

Number of downloads: 47,070

⇢ Download

7. A Room with a View

E. M. Forster 

Set in Italy and England, the story is both a romance and a humorous critique of English society at the beginning of the 20th century.

The novel brought Forster recognition when it was first published and is now considered a modern classic.

The story centers on Lucy Honeychurch, a young upper-middle-class Englishwoman, and her experiences with love, independence, and travel.

Number of downloads: 46,322

⇢ Download

8. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare 

This is a comprehensive collection of the writings of William Shakespeare. It includes all of his plays, sonnets, and other poems, as well as various other works attributed to him.

The book includes, among others: The Sonnets, All’s Well That Ends Well, Hamlet, Macbeth, and Romeo and Juliet. The Comedy of Errors, The Merchant of Venice, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream are also included.

This free ebook is an invaluable resource for any student or fan of Shakespeare’s work.

Number of downloads: 43,412

⇢ Download

9. Little Women

Louisa May Alcott 

Little Women is a classic novel by Louisa May Alcott, originally published in 1868. It follows the lives of four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March, and their experiences growing up in Massachusetts during the Civil War.

The book has been adapted for stage and screen numerous times and has been lauded for its strong female characters and its exploration of themes of love, family, and independence.

Number of downloads: 42,078

⇢ Download

10. The Enchanted April

Elizabeth Von Arnim

The Enchanted April is a 1922 novel by British writer Elizabeth von Arnim.

It tells the story of four very different women who rent an Italian villa for the month of April and, through the beauty of the surroundings, find contentment, joy, and transformation.

The novel was adapted into a film in 1992, starring Miranda Richardson and Joan Plowright.

Number of downloads: 39,864

⇢ Download

11. The Blue Castle

L. M. Montgomery 

A 1926 novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, best known for her novel Anne of Green Gables.

The book tells the story of Valancy Stirling, a 29-year-old spinster who is stuck in a restrictive life, but finds freedom and adventure when she begins to explore the world around her.

Number of downloads: 39,252

⇢ Download

12. Cranford

Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell

First published in 1851, the novel is set in the fictional town of Cranford, a small market town in the north of England.

We follow the lives of the town’s many female inhabitants, who are mostly middle-class and elderly spinsters, as they go about their everyday lives and gossip about their neighbors.

The novel is known for its humorous, gentle satire of Victorian life and its strong female characters.

Number of downloads: 37,176

⇢ Download

13. The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom

T. Smollett

The novel, first published in 1753, follows Ferdinand Count Fathom, a handsome and charismatic con artist who is adept at convincing people to part with their wealth.

After being sent away from his home in England, Fathom continues to travel across Europe and experience numerous adventures.

Through the course of the novel, Fathom is forced to confront his own moral boundaries and ultimately selects a path of redemption.

Number of downloads: 37,088

⇢ Download

14. The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

T. Smollett

The Expedition of Humphry Clinker, first published in 1771, is widely considered to be one of the first picaresque novels in English literature.

The novel follows the adventures of its protagonist, Humphry Clinker, as he and his companions journey from London to Scotland and back again.

Along the way, they encounter a variety of characters and settings, and the novel offers a vivid picture of life in 18th century Britain.

Number of downloads: 36,499

⇢ Download

15. The Adventures of Roderick Random

T. Smollett

Here is another novel from T. Smollett. It follows the exploits of Roderick Random, a young man from a well-to-do family who is disinherited and forced to make his own way in life.

Random goes on a series of adventures, ranging from romance and duels to a naval battle and a stint in a debtors’ prison. 

The novel is noted for its realistic and humorous depiction of 18th-century life and for its exploration of themes such as social mobility, corruption, and injustice.

Number of downloads: 36,151

⇢ Download

16. History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

Henry Fielding

This comic novel by English author Henry Fielding, first published in April 1749, follows Tom Jones, an illegitimate foundling, from infancy to adulthood. 

Tom’s journey takes him through various social circles and tests of morality, eventually leading him to true love and a fulfilling, prosperous life.

The novel was well-received when it was first published, and it has since become one of the most beloved novels in the English literature.

Number of downloads: 36,151

⇢ Download

17. My Life — Volume 1

Richard Wagner

My Life is an autobiography by German composer Richard Wagner.

First published in German in 1889, it contains a detailed account of Wagner’s life and works, as well as his personal reflections on his life and times.

Number of downloads: 34,290

⇢ Download

18. Twenty Years After

Alexandre Dumas

Twenty Years After is a historical novel by Alexandre Dumas, first published in 1845. It is the sequel to The Three Musketeers and part of the D’Artagnan Romances series.

The novel follows the adventures of d’Artagnan’s sons as they fight to protect France from the machinations of Cardinal Mazarin, the chief minister of King Louis XIV.

The novel also follows the fortunes of the other musketeers, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, and their respective families.

Number of downloads: 34,289

⇢ Download

19. The Eyes Have It

Philip K. Dick

From one of the most important figures in 20th century science fiction comes a short story was first published in 1953. It follows a man who is utterly convinced that the world is being overrun by aliens.

Through the eyes of the protagonist, the story blurs the boundaries between imagination and actuality, presenting a thought-provoking reflection on the nature of truth and the fallibility of human perception.

Number of downloads: 33,555

⇢ Download

20. The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Scarlet Letter is a classic novel by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1850.

The book tells the story of Hester Prynne, a young woman who conceives a child while living in an oppressive Puritan society.

The novel examines the effects of societal pressure on an individual, as well as themes of sin, guilt, and redemption.

Number of downloads: 31,412

⇢ Download

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The fact that you don’t reveal your reading activity to the public doesn’t mean your sensitive data is 100% protected.

The rise of e-books has brought a new era of reading convenience, but it has also raised concerns about privacy.

Opposite to social media, what you read is supposed to stay private. And this single thing makes you extremely vulnerable. Among the books you’ve read, there may be some you would never discuss publicly.

The book you are reading in a privacy of your bedroom says more about you than the dozens of Caturday posts you share on Instagram or Mastodon.

However, major e-book publishers and tech giants like Amazon, Rakuten Kobo, Google, or Apple are collecting vast amounts of data on your reading habits, anyway. It includes what books you read, when you read them, how long you spend on each page, and which device you use.

The reason is they want to improve your reading experience and book discovery. But they also use it to target ads – and who knows what else.

At the same time, ebook publishers and sellers do nothing or little to offer users transparent privacy rules and settings. And there are a lot of things to do in this area. Here is a set of basic privacy settings users should have in ebooks and audiobooks.

The Fast Company reports that a congressional letter was issued from a coalition of groups that include civil rights, anti-surveillance, anti-book ban, racial justice, LGBTQ+, and immigrant.

The coalition calls on federal lawmakers to investigate the digital reader surveillance. Activists argue that the data collection is an invasion of privacy and that it could have negative consequences for freedom of expression and their ability to access information.

This investigation is an essential first step to revive the right to read without fear of having your interests used against you. Because, unfortunately, that right is on life support when it comes to digital books. 

The future of reading is at stake, and lawmakers must act to protect readers. We need strong privacy laws that apply to e-book readers, and we need to hold these companies accountable for their data collection practices.

Please keep it in mind: every time you sync your e-reader or app is the time you are sending your sensitive data to the company that may process it.

Keep reading. Here are tips and lists to explore:

Amazon has just launched Your Books, a personalized space with all your print, Kindle, and Audible books. However, the service doesn’t include your sideloaded ebooks.

Amazon seems to understand that many Kindle and Audible users keep buying print books.

The company has just launched a new service that will let you access all the books you have ever purchased on Amazon – and in any possible format.

Called Amazon Your Books, the service “is a personalized space to explore all of your print, Kindle, and Audible books”.

From now on, you don’t have to go separately to the Content Library (to find Kindle ebooks and Audible audiobooks) and the Orders history (to find print books).

The service is designed to help you find books easier, and the format doesn’t really matter. When you visit the home page of Your Books, you will see the filter bar at the top.

An interesting thing is that filters are adjusted to the content of your library. The “Suggested filters” bar lets you quickly find books based on your favorite format, but also genre or author. If you have many books from the “history” genre, you will have a “history” filter button. Or the “Stephen King” button, if you have bought a lot of King’s books.

When you filter your books to a specific genre, all the formats will be displayed: print, Kindle, and audiobook.

What’s interesting, the service lets you combine the filters. You can, for instance, find all the books from the “mystery & thrillers” genre that are in the Kindle format.

Amazon wants the new service to be “your personal book sanctuary”, and it means not only the books you’ve bought, but also about the ones you may buy. Yes, Your Books is Amazon’s another tool to get you into buying more stuff.

Just enable the “discovery mode” by clicking on the button in the top-right corner, and for every book in your library, you will see a list of similar items to consider.

A great thing about Your Books is that it also includes a quick link to your Notes and Highlights, an online preview of all the remarks you’ve made in your Kindle ebooks.

The biggest disadvantage of Your Books service is that it doesn’t include your personal files that you have added to your Kindle library. Amazon thinks they are not your books.

Don’t worry, all your sideloaded ebooks are still available from your Amazon profile section. They are stored in a Content Library section in a drop-down list that appears when you click on a menu item with your name.

One important thing to know is that Your Books is not a part of your profile list (and I hope it will change in the future).

So far, there are two ways to access the Amazon Your Books home page:

▸ Go directly to the dedicated url link at amazon.com/yourbooks.

▸ Type “your books” in Amazon’s search bar, and the section will appear right at the top of search results.

Are you planning to try Amazon Your Books? Are you missing your personal ebooks in here? What would you improve in the section?

Keep reading. Here are more news and tips:

This simple guide will let you use an iconic composition notebook design as a Kindle screensaver image.

Custom Kindle lockscreen covers are getting popular these days, thanks to a TikTok hit video that talks about how to replace the default screensaver image with your own one.

All you have to do is create an image, convert it to an epub format, and send the file to your Kindle. Then, go to Settings » Device Options on your Kindle, and enable Display Cover.

This way, you can customize the Kindle lockscreen image with anything you like. You can use a graphic program or an online design tool, such as Canva or Pixlr, to upload and modify one of your photos or create an image from scratch.

If you are a fan of composition notebooks, I will show you how you quickly create a ready-to-use image that you can customize with your name or text. It will take no more than 30 seconds to have the design ready.

The trick is that you can use Zazzle online platform to customize the design and then just make a screenshot.

Zazzle is one of the leading online stores connecting designers and consumers. I have created a few notebook designs here, and anyone can customize them by just typing a name.

Obviously, you don’t have to buy anything on Zazzle. Just use the personalization option to add your name and make a screenshot that will have a resolution that’s suitable for a Kindle display.

Later in the post, you will see four of my composition notebook designs. All you have to do is follow this simple guide.

How to personalize a composition notebook design?

1. Pick up any of the covers listed below and follow the link to the Zazzle store.

2. On Zazzle, click on either the “Personalize” button or “Personalize this template” link.

3. Start typing your name or custom text in the text area. The text will appear on the design as you type.

4. Use the screenshot tool on your computer to grab the cover image.

5. The notebook design has the proportions that are close to the proportions of Kindle models (except the Oasis and Scribe, which are much wider).

To get the proportions that would fit the display of your Kindle perfectly, you can crop and resize an image using Image Resizer. It’s the simplest and most user-friendly image modification tool I’ve found online.

Here are the screen resolutions of the popular Kindle models:

▸ Kindle 11 (2022) – 1072 ×  1448 px
▸ Kindle Paperwhite 5 (2021) – 1236 × 1648 px
▸ Kindle Scribe (2022) – 1860 ×  2480 px
▸ Kindle Oasis 3 (2019) – 1264 × 1680 px

What is a composition notebook?

The pseudo-marbling composition notebook pattern emerged in Western Europe in the mid-19th century. However, the origins of this timeless design, that’s loved by users all over the world, date back to the 12th century Japan.

Composition notebook is one of the most popular designs picked for Kindle case covers. Imagine: you can have it not only as a case cover, but also the actual front of the Kindle itself.

An inseparable part, and something that completes the beauty of the composition book, is its label. Crafted, cut, and stamped by hand, it’s a proof that everything you write inside is exceptional.

Personalized composition notebook lockscreen covers for Kindle

Classic composition notebook

This vintage artwork is inspired by a legendary composition notebook with a unique dual-color pattern and semi-oval label. It’s available in eight colors, including black, green, and pink.

For the best contrast, I recommend using the black variant shown and visualized below.

Suminagashi paper composition notebook

This modern, unique pattern is a photorealistic replica of the classic Japanese Suminagashi marbling. 

Suminagashi marbling, also known as “floating ink,” is an ancient Japanese paper marbling technique. The process involves floating inks on the surface of a water basin and then pressing paper onto the surface to capture the patterns.

Mulberry paper composition notebook

The artwork lets you admire the natural beauty of papier-mâché. This pattern is inspired by the look of mulberry paper with full-sized leaves. I’ve used a modern label design to amplify the gentle structure of the background.

Marbled paper composition notebook

This vintage design recreates the feel of an outstanding marbled paper technology used for classic notebooks in the 18th and 19th century. The distressed label comes with a retro font face and other elements that were common in the classic composition notebook design.

If you would like to try other designs, make sure to explore my collection of Customized Composition Notebooks on Zazzle.

Keep reading. Here are other lists and tips:

Spotify’s announcement of the introduction of audiobooks in the U.S. comes with an infographic about audiobook listening habits.

A month after bringing audiobooks to users in the U.K. and Australia, Spotify has extended the offer to the United States.

If you are a Spotify Premium member, you can get instant access to a large selection of audiobooks, with no extra cost.

You can go directly to this link on the web to browse the catalog of Spotify audiobooks. Currently, there are over 200,000 audiobooks included, compared to 150,000 at the beginning of October 2023.

However, you have to keep in mind that you can listen to Spotify audiobooks for only 15 hours per month. An average audiobook takes around 10 hours, so your Premium subscription will let you finish one audiobook.

The blog post announcing Spotify audiobooks coming to the U.S. includes a few interesting facts about audiobook listeners. The data was gathered in a consumer survey of over 1,000 Americans.

The key outcome is that Gen Z and millennials lead in audiobook listening. 72% of 18-to-34-year-olds report that they listen to audiobooks. Relaxation (63%) and comfort (51%) are the top reasons for audiobook listening.

Here are other interesting facts:

▸ 37% of audiobook listeners have listened to an entire audiobook a second time or more.

▸ 66% of 18-34-year-old audiobook listeners in relationships say they’ve listened to audiobooks with their partner to “spice things up”.

▸ Almost half of audiobook listeners consume audiobooks while traveling or on vacation.

▸ 70% of audiobook listeners are more likely to listen to additional audio content after listening to audiobooks.

Are you a Spotify Premium subscriber? If yes, are you going to try the audiobooks?

Source: 200,000+ Audiobooks Are Now Available to Spotify Premium Listeners in the U.S. – Spotify Blog

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This shopping season, forget about the Kindle, and get Kindle books instead. In three combines deals, well over 1,000 books are featured – and Cyber Monday hasn’t started yet.

Many users are waiting for Black Friday to get an upgraded Kindle model for a lowered price.

The thing is that there have been no new Kindle models this year. And e-readers, as a category, are evolving at a much slower pace, compared to, for instance, tablets.

You can still save on Kindle e-readers, although the Black Friday 2023 is over. But ask yourself a question: Do I really need a new Kindle for the purpose of getting it at a slashed price?

Why not consider packing your current Kindle or Kindle app with new books that you could delve into this holiday season?

Especially, that right now there are 1,090 Kindle books on sale, with prices starting at $0.99.

For the first time ever, Amazon offers not one, but three short-term Kindle deals. And I’m not counting in the ongoing Kindle Monthly deals and Kindle Exclusive deals.

Al three deal offers area featured on the official Kindle Daily Deal home page, and I will list them below so that you can get a quick glimpse at what you can get.

One of the deals, Treat your Kindle with great reads, ends tomorrow, so it will be valid on Cyber Monday 2023. However, two other ones, are valid only on Sunday – and there are 960 ebooks that you can grab at discounted prices.

Tip: Scroll down the individual page with deals to reveal the full list of books, not only the featured ones.

Epic Kindle reads starting at $0.99

Books featured: 101
End date: November 26, 2023, 11:59 PST

The latest, 13th novel from the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo, Killing Moon, was released in May 2023. The brilliant but troubled detective must confront a chilling serial killer who preys on young women and leaves behind a disturbing signature. The regular price of the Killing Moon is $29.99 (hardcover), but you can get the Kindle edition for only $3.99.

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro is the timely novel about an artificial friend named Klara, who navigates the complexities of human relationships and the explores the nature of love and belonging. The book costs today $3.99, instead of $14.99.

There are 99 other books to explore in this deal. Which one caught your attention?

Black Friday Kindle Savings

Books featured: 759
End date: November 26, 2023, 11:59 PST

The largest Kindle deal so far includes 759 books from, this time not only fiction, but also biographies and spirituality.

The prices range between $0.99 and $6.99. I suggest using the category widget on the left side to narrow down the list of results to books from your favorite genre.

In the New York Times bestseller, Upstairs at the White House, J. B. West, the chief usher of the White House offers a unique, behind-the-scenes look at America’s first families. The regular price of the book is $17.99 (hardcover), but you can grab the Kindle edition for only $1.99 today. If you have an active Kindle Unlimited subscription, you can get it for free.

This particular deal offers several books that have been published by Macmillan and HarperCollins Publishers this year, including S. A. Cosby’s All the Sinners Bleed ($2.99) or The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons ($2.99).

Treat your Kindle with great reads

Books featured: 230
End date: November 27, 2023, 11:59 PST

Most of the books are from the literature & fiction, mystery and thrillers, romance, and science fiction categories.

Karin Slaughter’s After That Night is a chilling tale of suspense and betrayal, as the past comes back to haunt a doctor whose life is shattered by a violent attack. The book costs today and tomorrow only $3.99, instead of $14.99.

After Death by Dean Koontz is $2.99. You will pay the same for the Goodreads Choice, Kate Quinn’s The Diamond Eye.

Make sure to visit the Kindle Daily Deal home page tomorrow to grab Cyber Monday 2023 Kindle deals.

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The audiobook market is poised for continued growth. With the rise of smart speakers and the growing popularity of podcasts, audiobooks are well-positioned to become an even more integral part of our lives.

Market Us has just released a report that shows that the global audiobook market will reach an estimated USD 39.1 billion by 2032 from USD 4.2 billion in 2022.

North America was the market leader in 2022, driven by the widespread availability of digital devices and the popularity of subscription-based services, such as Audible, Apple Books, or Scribd.

However, Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region, “with increasing smartphone adoption and a growing interest in English-language content.”

The non-fiction segment accounted for the largest revenue share in audiobooks market in 2022.

Self-help and personal development audiobooks continue to be popular, along with business and finance audiobooks for professionals.

Adults constitute the major target audience, utilizing audiobooks for entertainment during commutes or multitasking activities.

This incredible growth of the audiobook market is driven by the increasing popularity of digital media, the convenience of smartphones, and the growing trend of consuming content on the go.

Source: Global Audiobooks Market Report – Market.Us

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These library-themed products from Zazzle online store are extremely easy to customize. All you have to do is add your own text!

Are you looking for a library-themed gift that you can adjust to a specific occasion, sense of humor, or taste? You can customize any of the following designs by just adding your own text.

On the web, you can find thousands of products designed to be great gifts for librarians or library lovers. 

The thing is that you may still not find the right one. The fonts are too childish, the colors are too bright, the message is fine… but you would change it a bit.

To solve this problem, I have spent several recent weeks on creating custom library-themed designs that you can quickly adjust to your specific needs. And all you need to do is replace the blank text with your own one.

User customization is one of the greatest things about Zazzle – one of the leading online sites connecting designers and consumers.

On Zazzle, you will be able to quickly change the text and see the product as you would receive it. Obviously, you can pick up a different background color of the t-shirt.

What’s even more important, you can transfer any of these designs to dozens of other products, including personal accessories, different apparel items, or home decor.

All newly added, customized products can be found in this Zazzle collection: Personalized Library Gifts by Geek Updated.

Tip: You can transfer any of these designs to any other product that’s offered on Zazzle. Just use the “Transfer this design” option.

How can I personalize a design on Zazzle?

Many designs on Zazzle can be quickly personalized by replacing a blank text with the one you want.

If this option is available, you will see a large “Personalize” button next to the product image.

When you type the text, it will appear almost instantly on the product image!

Do you want to add your own graphic element, change the font color or size? Just hit the “Edit using Design Tool” button to open a design dashboard.

All the designs in the following list let you quickly replace the text with your own one.

Customized gifts for librarians

The best spot to enjoy life is [personalize] t-shirt

Libraries matter because they make people wiser, healthier, and happier. This cozy, minimalist, lively artwork says: “The best spot to enjoy life is the reading room of my library”.

Not clever enough? Just use the “Personalize” button to start typing your own message. You can change both the beginning and end of the sentence. So, how would you phrase it? ⇢ Customize

Drink coffee and support libraries personalized mug

This modern, college-style artwork says: “Drink coffee and support libraries. They are awesome!”. You can type your text in as many as five areas. Just use the “Personalize” button to start typing.

The design works well on both light and dark backgrounds. Available in five different colors. ⇢ Customize

Urban library support squad t-shirt personalized

Are you supporting libraries and librarians? Now you can express it. This vintage artwork shows an engraved image of a skyscraper city. The text goes: “Urban Library Support Squad”. You can replace both the “library” and “squad” texts. ⇢ Customize

Celebrate [personalize] Day Every Day t-shirt

Celebrate the happy day every day! This vintage artwork lets you express your support for libraries all year long. The text goes: “Celebrate Library Day Every Day.”

The design lets you customize two fields. You can also pick up several colors of the t-shirt. ⇢ Customize

Calm down and [personalize] mouse pad

Can’t find what you are looking for? This cozy artwork comes with handwritten typography that says: “Breathe, calm down, and just ask the librarian”. A great idea for a library supporter or as an accessory for a library’s reading room.

You can customize every single text in this design. The only limitation is your imagination. Start creating! ⇢ Customize

Periodic table of the earth’s most awesome humans : [personalize] t-shirt

Are you looking for a clever way to express appreciation of your librarian? Use “The Periodic Table of the Earth’s Most Awesome Humans.” The only entry in this table is “Lb – Librarian”.

You can customize the text by replacing the abbreviation and profession with the name of your favorite librarian. ⇢ Customize

Silently [personalize] t-shirt

After you’ve silently corrected all the grammar errors around you, it’s time for something new. This cute, vintage artwork says: “Silently making a list of your overdue books”.

There are many ways you can use the “silently” meme on a t-shirt. Got an idea? Just start typing. ⇢ Customize

Library announcement foam board personalized

Are you a fan of a vintage typography? Check out this artwork that sports the 19th century display font and says: “Believe it or not, but in this library, we are using the silence to calm the loud guys down”.

All text fields in this design can be customized so that you can adjust the message to even the most specific needs. A light colored version of this vintage-style typography artwork is also available on Zazzle. ⇢ Customize

All I need is love and [personalize] sweatshirt

Love is the most important thing in life… but sometimes it’s not. This vintage, gothic artwork says: “All I need is love and another reason to go to the library today”. A great gift idea for a library supporter in your life.

Not clever enough? Just use the “Personalize” button to quickly add your own text. You can transfer this design to any other apparel. All you have to do is pick up the right type in the Style section on the right. ⇢ Customize

[Personalize] matter t-shirt

Who or what matters to you the most? Now you can easily express it. This vintage artwork is fully editable. You can place your text in three text areas. Libraries matter, bookstores matter, banned books matter. Act now! ⇢ Customize

Minimalist typography fully customized

Are you looking for a minimalist typography artwork that could be easily customized with a library-themed text you provide? This modern, sleek artwork says: “I’m here, but my mind is still at the library”. You can change it whatever you want, be it a library quote, a name of your favorite librarian, or the name of the upcoming event.

This artwork lets you write down your message in a thin, elegant font, as well as add a background icon, for instance a letter or symbol. ⇢ Customize

Visit a library more than once personalized tote bag

Everybody says: “It’s a good day.” Do the opposite. This cute, positive artwork has a twist. It says: “It’s definitely not a good day to visit a library just once”. Obviously, you can change the message to anything you find funnier, brighter or more relevant. ⇢ Customize

I’m not a librarian [personalize] t-shirt

Librarians are all unique individuals with their own passions, interests, and personalities. This modern handwritten typography artwork provides just one of the many possible descriptions: “I’m not a librarian. I’m just a walking knowledge machine with a built-in snooze button”.

Not funny or clever enough? Use the “Personalize” button to quickly add your own text. There is also a dark-themed color version available on Zazzle. ⇢ Customize

The list first appeared on Reader Updated blog.

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AI chatbots are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and can now hold conversations about even the most complex topics.

It’s no surprise that every industry, including publishing, investigates how to benefit from AI, while keeping an eye on possible threats, naming only the case of training large language models (LLMs) on pirated books.

Imagine that you host a private book club meeting, where you can discuss the book you are currently reading – any time, anywhere. And the other book club member is a chatbot trained to talk about nothing else than this particular book.

It may happen sooner than you think.

YouAI is a startup that offers tools for building custom AI-powered apps. They have just added a new app to their growing collection of ready to use tools.

Called Book AI, this template “will let you turn any book into an AI”. All you need to do is upload your book’s content as a data source.

Will Knight, a senior writer for WIRED, uploaded Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to Book AI app to test it.

The Franken-bot did a decent job summarizing the book and its themes.

The chatbot also noticed some interesting similarities between the classic story of scientific hubris and the current concerns about artificial intelligence.

Once the chatbot content is ready (and every publisher or author can already do it, using tools like Book AI), the remaining task would be to include the chat seamlessly into the book.

Some companies, naming only Solution Tree, already plan to offer AI conversational companions to go with their new titles.

It would require the redesign of book reading apps to include the option to start the chatbot in one or two taps. And, ideally, this chatbot should be able to speak and recognize the voice.

Actually, the Kindle ecosystem offers two features that make it easy to imagine the chat companion coming to the Kindle even in the upcoming months.

One is Whispersync for Voice. It lets you seamlessly switch between reading your Kindle ebook and listening to its audiobook companion. Text and sound go hand in hand, and this has been doable since 2012. Already, over 60,000 Kindle books come with audiobook companions.

The other feature that makes ebooks one step closer to book chat companions is Kindle X-Ray. It provides readers with further details about the characters, places, and themes in the book they are reading.

And the best part is that Amazon doesn’t need to produce chatbot companions themselves. All they can do is provide a reliable tool for KDP self publishers, just like they do it with X-Ray. 

Having in mind how easy the process is with YouAI’s chatbot generator, it shouldn’t be the hard task to accomplish.

If you were given an opportunity to buy an ebook with a chatbot companion for an extra $3, would you test it?

Source: Why Read Books When You Can Use Chatbots to Talk to Them Instead? – Wired / Cover image: Midjourney

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This move is part of Spotify’s broader strategy to become a one-stop shop for all things audio, offering users a wide range of content to choose from, including music, podcasts, and now audiobooks.

By offering instant access to a large selection of 150,000+ audiobooks, Spotify is making it easier for Premium subscribers, as well as managers for Family and Duo accounts, to discover and listen to audiobooks.

The company has partnered with respected audiobook publishers, including Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and RB Media, to bring its users a wide range of titles, including bestsellers, new releases, and classics.

We believe that offering personalized music, podcasts, and audiobooks on a single platform gives you a superior way to connect with your favorite artists, podcasters, creators, and authors—all in one spot.

Spotify is also making it easy for Premium subscribers to find and manage their audiobooks. The company has created a dedicated audiobook hub on its website and app, where subscribers can browse and search for audiobooks by title, author, genre, and more.

If you are a Spotify Premium member, and live in the U.K. or Australia – where the new feature is already available, you can go directly to this link on the web to browse the catalog of Spotify audiobooks.

Spotify Premium audiobooks will be available for the U.S. users in the following months. The company does not reveal plans for the rest of the world.

What the company is not boasting about is the monthly usage. You will be able to listen to Spotify audiobooks for only 15 hours per month.

15 hours? Really? An average audiobook takes around 10 hours, so within your “unlimited” Premium access to Spotify audiobooks, you will be able to finish one audiobook.

Hopefully, it may change, as the company claims it’s working on more ways to unlock access to Premium audiobooks.

Are you planning to try Spotify audiobooks when they finally arrive in your country?

Source: Spotify Premium Will Include Instant Access to 150,000+ Audiobooks – Spotify Blog