Ebook News!
May 19, 2026: Ebsco Ebook News: A new app, Thorium (PC desktop only right now) is replacing Adobe Digital Editions for downloads.
Key Details:
- Highlights of the Thorium App:
- Annotations, highlighting, bookmarking, text-to-speech and manage checkouts (can return your checkouts early and see duration of loans)
- App is only required for most full book downloads. Online reading and chapter downloads will be unaffected.
- You will be able to complete existing loans after the cutoff dates.
- New loans will take place in the new app, and you will be able to move your loans to the new apps at will.
- Mobile app will be available in the Apple store later this year.
- New to Fondren ebooks? Take a look at the Fondren Ebook Research Guide.
July 15, 2026: Proquest’s Ebook Central Reader App is replacing Adobe Digital Editions to download ebooks.
How to use:
- Complete Instructions
- Download the mobile app for Apple or Google mobile devices.
- Login to Ebook Central to retrieve a 7-digit code. After logging into the Reader App with your Ebook Central account, use the 7-digit code to register the app to your account. You can have up to 6 installations of the app across your devices associated with your account.
Features:
- Supports all ebooks now, not just ones using the Proquest DRM to manage digital lending. (This is a new feature as of last month, it was previously DRM-ed books only).
- Syncs reading progress across all devices.
- Loans currently on Adobe Digital Editions will also become available on Ebook Central Reader App to avoid disruption. Existing loans can be completed on either Adobe Digital Editions or the Reader App.
Questions: Contact Fondren’s electronic resources team at eresources@mailman.rice.edu or your Subject Specialist.