Daniel NidzgorskiApr 15
Here's how I read non-kindle #library #books on my #kindle:
1) Download the EPUB format. (If it's an Open EPUB, send it to kindle and skip the rest)
2) It's usually via Adobe Digital Editions. The library gives you a .acsm file, and ADE then downloads the actual EPUB.
3) ADE EPUBs are DRM-protected and not compatible with kindles. I add the book to my Calibre library, with the DeDRM plugin to remove the DRM. https://thecodeshewrites.com/2025/02/25/how-to-remove-drm-from-amazon-kindle-adobe-ade-ebooks-for-free/
4) Send the EPUB to kindle! (no longer need to convert to .mobi)
How to remove DRM from Amazon Kindle and Adobe Digital Editions ebooks - for free - The Code She Writes

How to remove DRM protection from ebooks from vendors like Amazon Kindle, Adobe Digital Editions and Kobo for free with Calibre and DeDRM

The Code She Writes
Show threadDaniel NidzgorskiApr 15

Once in a blue moon, special characters (e.g., apostrophes) will show up as gibberish on kindle. Fortunately, that's easy to fix.

In Calibre's preferences:
1) Common Options > Text and check "Smarten punctuation."
2) To make it happen automatically: Adding books > Adding actions and check "Automatically convert added books..." and "When auto-converting, convert even if the format being added..."

Now any time you add a book to Calibre, it gets converted to an epub with fixed punctuation.

Show threadDaniel Nidzgorski
I usually send my epubs to my kindle using the Send to Kindle app, or sometimes https://www.amazon.com/gp/sendtokindle/ Those use Amazon's servers and will soon stop working for older kindles, but sending files via USB will still work. @jonobie: Any good tips for using Calibre to manage files via USB?
Send to Kindle

Apr 15 at 4:21amWeb
Show threadDaniel NidzgorskiApr 15

The downside to this Amazon-free approach is that it requires a computer, both to download the Adobe Digital Editions and to convert it with Calibre. In contrast, using Amazon's servers makes it easy to log into the library on my phone, check out a new ebook, send it directly to my kindle account, tether my kindle to my phone, and download the ebook. Which I once did when I ran out of books on a beach in Mexico! 🌴😎🏖️

The upside is that EPUBs don't fund Amazon and DRM-free ones don't expire.

Show threadJonobieApr 15

@datasaurus Maybe! :) I first put books in calibre with its nice bulk editing/tagging. I then have a "To Read" custom column that I tag as a check on a book I want to read. When I plug in my kindle with USB, I can sort by the columns of "on the kindle" and "To Read" and note which items are checked in one but not the other. Then it's pretty quick to bulk-send them over. I also tag everything from the Library with "Library" so I remember to delete it later.

If you jailbreak the kindles, there is a plugin for Calibre that would let you send them to kindle via wifi - I haven't played with it though, so I don't know how well it works.

If you're managing two different readers, you might need to play with libraries in Calibre (which I don't love because they copy, rather than reference books - making the size larger), or have a "to read" column for each of you.

Show threadJonobieApr 15

@datasaurus As I'm thinking more, the Calibre "Library" function might work well for two readers, because you're unlikely to have an entire main library duplicated.

So check something out of The Library and move it onto "A's To Read Shelf" or "B's To Read Shelf". Then each person can be responsible for plugging in their kindle when they're ready, shifting to their library, and dragging all the new files there over.