Calibre is a free and open-source ebook manager. It is a great tool for converting ebooks into other formats and sending ebooks to devices like Kindles, Nooks, and iPads. It allows you to bypass the time-consuming methods of ebook transfers that Amazon and Apple support. For example, if I download a book in the open EPUB format, Calibre allows me to convert the ebook to Amazon’s KF8 format, and then send the book to a Kindle via USB.
Calibre does not remove DRM (digital rights management) restrictions from ebooks.
Here are some bookstores that publish DRM-free ebooks:
- Smashwords is an ebook publishing and distribution platform with a massive library of DRM-free ebooks available in multiple formats for any ereader. Smashwords publishes everything from novels to non-fiction to poetry and anything in between.
- DRM-free ebooksite for independent publishers, http://www.weightlessbooks.com featuring Small Beer Press, Subterranean Press, Lethe Press, Wildside, Featherproof, as well as DRM-free magazine esubscriptions from NYRSF, Locus, Lightspeed, Apex, Clarkesworld, and more.
- O’Reilly eBooks are DRM-free and come in a bundle of PDF, EPUB, MOBI, and DAISY formats. They also have Android .apk files when possible. O’Reilly specializes in tech ebooks.
- Fictionwise sells both DRM-protected and DRM-free ebooks. Their DRM-free ebooks are labeled “MultiFormat”. These come in 13 different formats that will work on virtually any e-reading device.
- Double Dragon Publishing offers their titles in paperback and in several DRM-free formats: Rocket Ebook, MS-Reader, Adobe PDF, Palm, Hiebook, iSilo, MobiPocket. Other formats are sometimes available as well. DDP’s books span several genres and categories.
- BeWrite Books titles are available in paperback and DRM-free PDF, EPUB, and MOBI ebook formats. They have books in several genres.
- Baen’s Webscriptions don’t have DRM and come in multiple formats for support on any reading device. Baen’s books are science fiction/speculative fiction.
- Aventura eBooks has set up a new ebookstore http://www.aventuraebookstore.com with DRM-free ebooks. Specialising in publishing new authors in Adventure, Action, Mystery, Crime and Thriller genres for all ages.
- XinXii is a self-publishing and distribution platform with a huge library of DRM-free ebooks available in multiple formats and languages: http://www.xinxii.com
- orbooks are DRM free http://www.orbooks.com/
