EBOOKs FAQ

Can I buy ebooks and support my local independent bookstore? Yes. Just like buying a regular book, Porter Square Books gets a percentage of the listed price.


Can I read ebooks I buy from Porter Square Books on a Kindle? No.

Can I buy ebooks with a Porter Square Books gift card? Alas, no. 


How are ebooks priced? The ebooks provider Kobo makes all the pricing decisions. Some of their prices are set by the publisher and others are set by Kobo.


Which ebook formats do you sell? We sell Kobo ebooks, which can be read with an app or downloaded as .epub files. Click here for all the info you need about reading our ebooks. 

 

Do ebook purchases count towards the Porter Square Books customer program? No. Selling most ebooks involves a contract that forbids us from incorporating those ebooks in any kind of discount program, including customer loyalty programs. Unfortunately, we just don't have the capacity to sort ebooks purchases so they can be counted towards the program.

 

What is e-ink? E-ink is a digital display format designed to mimic the appearance of physical paper. It was developed to make reading for long periods on a screen easier on the eyes. As technology improves, e-ink becomes sharper and the devices that use it more powerful and flexible. The Kobo devices we carry both use high resolution e-ink.

 

What will happen to the Google ebooks I've already purchased? If you have downloaded them to your device, they will stay there. You paid for them, they're your books. If you read on the IndieBound app, the easiest thing to do is start using the Google Play app. You can also access your ebooks through your Google Play library. Just go to Google, click on the "Play," tab and login in and you should see a link to your ebooks library.


Which digital reader should I buy? There are tons of devices and tablets, all with different strengths and weaknesses, so get online and do your research. Our Kobo ebooks will work on pretty much all of them, except the Kindle. Porter Square Books also sells a number of Kobo reader devices. If you buy a device from us, all of your ebook purchases on that device will credit Porter Square Books, making it the most convenient way to read ebooks and support your local independent book store.

What are ebooks good for? Ebooks save space in a satchel or a shelf, can have a low carbon footprint, not just because they don't use paper, but also because they don't have to be shipped from the publisher to the bookstore. Ebooks also have opportunities for close reading and study, through integration with reference books, connection to internet research resources, and limitless potential for annotation and highlighting. But...

Will ebooks replace regular books? You can't gift wrap an ebook, or lend it to a friend, or get it signed by the author. Your favorite ebook can't sit on the nightstand always at hand for comfort and wisdom. It doesn't show a life together through creases and tears and faded covers. Ebooks don't have a weight or a smell or a feel. One can't wander through an ebook store browsing for whatever happens to strike one's fancy. Ebooks are a great development in reading, but they're not going to replace books any time soon.

For any problems with your Kobo device, please send an email to help@kobobook.