Introduction to Pressbooks
Why Use Pressbooks?
Pressbooks is online software that enables authors and publishers to design and format any kind of book, including:
- PDF: for print or print on demand
- EPUB: for Apple iBooks, Nook, Kobo, Kindle and most other ebook platforms
- Webbook: private or public
Pressbooks is used by independent authors, small and medium-sized publishers, and educational institutions around the world. All book formats are produced using templates that are optimized to look great in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. File exports produced with Pressbooks can be exported and downloaded from Pressbooks and distributed or shared however you like. The advantages of Pressbooks include:
- A simple, familiar interface
- Professionally-designed book files, without complex software
- Unlimited ability to edit, update, and (re)export books
- Ability to collaborate with other authors and editors
- A variety of book formats
- Affordable access
- Complete control over your own content
What is a ‘Webbook’?
Pressbooks webbooks are website versions of your book that are hosted on Pressbooks and can be distributed for free to the public. Many use Pressbooks webbooks to produce and distribute open educational resources (OER). Unlike a PDF or an ebook, a webbook is a live version of your book that doesn’t need to be exported or downloaded.
Pressbooks produces a web version of every book. You can view yours at any time by clicking the Visit Book link underneath the title of your book in the top menu. However, your Pressbooks webbook is Private until you change the Global Privacy Setting to Public. For more information on how to control the privacy of your webbook, visit the Privacy Settings chapter.
Note: On pressbooks.pub, the Global Privacy Setting only becomes available after upgrading your book to the Self-publisher or Collaboration plan. Authors who are not interested in creating open resources sometimes utilize the Pressbooks catalog feature to give readers access to samples of their books.
About This Guide
This guide is designed to provide help for various parts of the book production process on Pressbooks and includes dozens of chapters ranging across many aspects of writing, publishing, and configuring a book. If you have questions that aren’t addressed here, you may want to check the following resources:
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- Our network manager guide
- Our Knowledge Base (includes a FAQ, a section on book creation and more).
- Our Pressbooks YouTube channel.
If none of our guide resources contain an answer to your specific question, you’re welcome to post in our Community Forum, where your questions will be seen and (hopefully) responded to by other Pressbooks users. Happy publishing!
