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Freading Apple App

Freading allows you to checkout, download, and read ebooks directly on your Apple device without the need to transfer the books from your computer.  You may select from two different reader apps to use your books. To choose one, you may wish to look at the screenshots in "Overview" before you download and set up an app.

Compatibility: iPod Touch, iPad, iPhone with iOS 4.0 and newer. 

Instructions:

Getting Started-Install App & Set Up

  1. Choose an ebooks reader app! Here are two apps we recommend for use with Freading.  Not sure which to pick?  Look at the following Overview section, where we show images from the apps and describe available settings.
    • Freading Reader--from the ebooks platform.  A standard ebooks reader. Largest text size similar to 14 point font.
    • BlueFire Reader--wider variety of options for text size, text & background color, font face.
  2. On your iPad, open the App Store icon.
  3. Search for your chosen reader app by name, then choose to install this free app.
  4. Open your Freading or BlueFire Reader.  Each automatically downloads a "getting started/using this app" document.  
  5. To finish set up of the app, we must activate it with an Adobe ID.  This authorizes the app to use the books, which are protected with security.  Here is where you find that option for both choices of reader 
    • Freading App--tap the "i" in the lower right corner.
      apple app account button
    • BlueFire App--tap "Info" at the bottom of the screen. 
  6. Input your Adobe ID information. 
    • If you already have an Adobe ID set up, go ahead and use your email and Adobe password to log in. 
    • Need an Adobe ID?  Get one here.  There is also a "forgot password" link on this page, if you have simply misplaced this information.

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Overview of Apps

Can't decide which to choose as your mobile reading app?  Look over the screenshots and reading options for each below.

Freading Reader App

This is a simple reader app, with standard colors and text sizes.

Main Screen

The main screen of your Freading app will always show the books that you have downloaded and are reading.   Here is a screenshot of one book downloaded on our account, with most of the white empty space on the app cropped out of the image. 

  • Edit--allows you to delete books from the app when you are finished with them.  They will expire but not delete.
  • Recent/Title/Author--allows you to sort your downloaded books as you prefer.  Our list is currently sorted by author. 
  • gray "i" buttons--at ends of books, shows title, author, publisher, publish date.
  • white "i" button--lower right corner, enter or update your Adobe ID in this area.

apple freading app home screen

Reading Options

To access these options, you need to open a book. We used the Freading User Guide in this example.  

Tap the center of the screen--this pulls up a menu at the bottom of the page.

Tapping Font Size Settings pulls up a miniature menu--note that we have selected the largest size possible.  It is equivalent to 14 point font.

freading reading options menu

freading font size options

 

BlueFire Reader App

BlueFire Reader will be your choice if you need larger fonts or a lot of options for font types and colors. 

Main Screen--Library View

The BlueFire Reader app calls its main screen the "Library" view.  Any downloaded books will be in this section.   This image (extra unused white space cropped out) shows one Freading book downloaded, alongside the sample book that downloaded with the reader and the user guide.  Buttons you'll use:

  • Edit-allows you to delete books from the app when finished.  They will expire but not delete.
  • Blue circular button on each book--this takes you to the book's information page.  
  • Recent/Title/Author--different ways to sort the books on the main screen.
  • Library (in bottom panel)--always returns you to the main screen. 
  • Info (bottom panel)--where you will set or update the Adobe ID for reading books. 

bluefire reading app main screen

Reading Options

To access these options, you need to open a book by tapping on its name or cover art.  We opened the sample book "Treasure Island" for this.

When a book is opened, tap the center of the screen to access the menu.  This is BlueFire's--note that all buttons are clearly marked, and the menu also tells you what page we were on in the book. 

bluefire reading app book options menu

Settings--tap the Settings button to continue. 

General panel.  Note that it highlighted in blue at the bottom of the panel, showing you which options page we are on.  We have labeled some lines that were not in the app.

A little more about some of the options on this page:

  • Preview--this will change as you switch options for text, background, etc.

  • Text Size--the range of sizes is huge for BlueFire.  You will be able to find a comfortable setting! 

  • Margins--select how much white space shows around the text of your book.

  • Page Turn--options on how you want the screen to go from page to page.  We have "slide" turned on.

  • Orientation Lock--if you turn this on, the book will not switch from portrait to landscape mode as you turn the device.

  • Night Mode--changes the background to black, and the text to white.  More color options shown below in the Formatting section. 

general settings panel in bluefire reader

Formatting panel-reach this by tapping "Formatting" at the bottom of the Settings menu. 

Please realize this is all optional.  You can leave the ebook on defaults if you prefer.

  • Use Publisher's Formatting--this must be OFF to change anything else on this panel.  Turning it on returns the ebook to all default settings.

  • Font Face--find a style of font easier to read?  There were over 40 selections possible (from regular to fun fonts) at the time of these instructions.    

  • Justified Text--if you turn this on, the text will stretch from margin to margin.  This may result in extra space between some words or letters.

  • Text & Background Color -- tap the color box to change to whatever colors you want.

  • Theme--pre-built text and background colors to choose from--we like Beach Street! 

Don't forget to SAVE if you've changed something! 

Like to read in the dark?  Try red text on a black background!

 

 

 

formatting settings for bluefire reader
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Check Out & Download a Book!

Want to learn more about tokens and searching for books?  See our page just about Freading Tokens & Website--this stays the same whether you use a mobile app or the computer to use Freading.  

  1. Log in at the Kansas Library Card portal, then click on the Freading access link.  
  2. Search or browse for a book to check out.  
  3. When you have found a book that you want, click on it to open the book's detail page.  Below the book's cover art will be a Download link--click this.
    click the download link to download
  4. You will now see a gray screen, and have a button to open the book in a compatible reader app.  Tap the blue button for your reader app.  This image shows a device with Freading app installed. 
      choose to open book in Freading
  5. The reader app will open, and you will see evidence that it is importing the book.
    • Freading app-"Pending" message until the book is fully downloaded to your device.
    • BlueFire app- "Downloading" message until complete.  It will then ask if you wish to begin reading the book immediately.  Doing so will open the book, chosing the "later" option will return you to the BlueFire main screen.

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Reading a Book

 All books you have currently downloaded should be shown in the reading list of your app, regardless of which you use.  These functions are the same in both BlueFire and Freading apps:

To open a book, simply tap the book in the reading list.

Turning Pages: tap the edges!  Tap on the right edge of the page, or swipe towards the left from the right edge to proceed through the book.  To back up, do the same action from the left edge.

Book Options: tap the center of your reading screen. This pulls up options for:

Freading App

BlueFire App

  • Home (at top, returns you to the app home screen)

  • Table of Contents (at bottom, looks like 3 horizontal lines)

  • Font Size options (at bottom, looks like two As-see the Overview for more on how to set options).

  • Create bookmark (top, right corner--only one at top)

  • Library-returns you to main screen.

  • Contents

  • Bookmarks--list of previously created bookmarks

  • Search

  • Settings (see Overview for more on how to set these options).

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Deleting a Book from the App

When finished with your Freading book, here is how to delete it from your reader app.  This is the same for both Freading and BlueFire Readers. 

  1. Choose the "Edit" button on the upper right corner when in your library view.  A red minus sign will appear in front of all books in your list.
  2. Tap the minus sign for the book you wish to delete--this will pull up a red "delete" button for that book
  3. There is now a "Done" button where the "Edit" was before--tap this to exit deletion mode. 

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|     Last modified: Mar 07, 2013