Trail Conference E-Books

Popular guidebooks from the Trail Conference are available in e-book format

You can now access these helpful resources on a variety of devices, including e-book readers and many different tablets and smartphones, whether out on the trail, referencing on the go, reading at home, or anywhere else you might carry your mobile device.

e-books on Apple devices   

 

Currently available e-book titles:

Hike of the Week e-book

Hiking Long Island 2014

  Get it direct from our store!

 

 

Don't forget the print version!

   
Hike of the Week e-book

Hike of the Week 2013

  Get it direct from our store!

 

 

Don't forget the print version!
   
Harriman Trails e-book

Harriman Trails: A Guide and History 3rd ed. 2010

  Get it direct from our store!

  Available on Amazon

  Available on Apple iBooks

 

Don't forget the print version!

   
Iron Mine Trails e-book

Iron Mine Trails 1999 (no longer available in print)

  Get it direct from our store!

  Available on Amazon

  Available on Apple iBooks

 
 

Introduction to e-books

An e-book, or electronic book, is a publication in digital form that can contain text, graphics, and interactive features, and they are readable on computers and a variety of mobile devices, including dedicated e-book readers.

Compared to print books, many people see both advantages and disadvantages of e-books.  Some of the major advantages of e-books are:

  • Ability to carry thousands of e-books on one small device (especially useful for trail guidebooks -- leave your heavier print books at home or in the car to make your backpack lighter out on the trail!)
  • Ability to enlarge/decrease text size and change fonts to improve legibility
  • Integrated search functions
  • Clickable links to more information on the internet
  • Available for quick download from various online outlets
     

There are multiple e-book formats, of which EPUB,  Amazon's MOBI, AZW and KF8 formats, and PDF are the most popular.  EPUB is an open standard for e-books, and e-books in this format are readable on almost all devices with the major exception of Amazon Kindle.  MOBI, AZW and KF8 are proprietary formats for use on Amazon's Kindle devices, although there are programs available to convert certain sites/default/files to EPUB format.  PDF sites/default/files can be read on most devices, including desktop computers, through various programs such as Adobe Reader.

Digital rights management (DRM) is technology that, with respect to e-books, can be applied to e-books to control their use and distribution, especially related to copying and sharing of e-books.  There is wide debate about the effectiveness of DRM, and while some vendors only sell DRM-protected e-books, e-books without DRM protection are also available.

 

How to get e-books onto your device

The available guidebooks can be obtained directly on our website as well as through other e-book stores including Amazon and iBooks.

 

E-books direct from our website are available in either EPUB, MOBI (Kindle), or PDF format and do not contain DRM.  Purchases directly through our website result in the greatest amount of support for our organization's trail efforts, and while the these e-books do not contain restrictive DRM limiting their distribution and use on multiple devices, we ask that customers respect this functionality and not abuse it.  To obtain e-books through our website, follow the first link next to the book image in the section above, or click here to see all the e-books available.

 

To obtain these e-books through Amazon for Kindle devices or other devices with the Kindle app, click the Kindle link next to the book image in the section above.  Alternatively, within the device or app, search for the book title and purchase/download directly from there.  Note that the Trail Conference has no control over the DRM that other retailers apply to books purchased through them.

 

To obtain these e-books through Apple's iBooks for use on Apple devices, click the iBooks link next to the book image in the section above.  Alternatively, within the iBooks app, search for the book title and purchase/download directly from there.  Note that the Trail Conference has no control over the DRM that other retailers apply to books purchased through them.


Depending on the format chosen, these e-books can be read on a wide variety of devices (tablet and smartphone devices offer multiple e-book apps through their respective app stores, many of which should be able to use these e-books):

  • Dedicated e-book readers like Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, NOOK GlowLight, and Sony Reader
  • eReader tablets like Kindle Fire tablets and NOOK HD tablets
  • Tablets like Apple's iPad or Android-based tablets like the Google Nexus, Samsung Galaxy Tab, or Asus Transformer tablet
  • Smartphones like the Apple iPhone or Android-based phones like the HTC One, Google Nexus, or Samsung Galaxy S5 phone
  • Personal computers

   

Other Frequently Asked Questions

  • I'm a Trail Conference member.  Do I get a discount on the e-books like I do on the print books?
    • Yes, the e-books on our online store are eligible for the same membership discount available for our print books.
       
  • I already bought the published print book.  Do I get an e-book copy for free or at a discount?
    • No, we currently do not offer discounts for combining print and electronic books, either through our website or through other vendors such as Amazon and Apple iBooks.
       
  • Can I download an e-book in multiple formats?
    • E-books purchased directly through our website are provided in a single format as chosen by the customer when adding the item to the cart.  To obtain the e-book in multiple formats, separate orders are currently necessary.
       
  • Can I read my e-book on a Kindle device?
    • If purchasing an e-book directly through our website, choose the MOBI format if available, as this format is useable on Kindle devices.  Alternatively, you can purchase the title directly from Amazon if it is available.
       
  • Can I read my e-book on Apple iOS or Android-based device?
    • If purchasing an e-book directly through our website, choose the EPUB or PDF format if available, as these are useable on iOS (iPhone, iPad) and Android devices.  You will need to install an app that reads EPUB or PDF sites/default/files, of which there are several options.  Some recommended free apps which can read EPUB sites/default/files on either iOS or Android devices include Blio and Bluefire Reader.
       
  • Can I download my e-book onto my multiple devices?
    • E-books purchased directly through our website are free of DRM restrictions for personal, non-commercial purposes and can be used on multiple devices owned by you; however, we ask that customers respect this and not abuse it.  E-books purchased through other retailers may come with additional restrictions.
       
  • Can I share my purchased e-book with others?
    • E-books purchased directly through our website are free of DRM restrictions for personal, non-commercial purposes; however, we ask that customers respect this and not abuse it.  We ask that these e-books not be forwarded or shared with others or used for any commercial purpose.  E-books purchased through other retailers may come with additional restrictions.
       
  • Can I print portions of an e-book on my printer (for instance, printing a single hike description from a guidebook)?
    • If purchasing an e-book directly through our website, consider choosing the PDF format if you are interested in the ability to print sections on your printer.  There are also ways to print e-books in EPUB or MOBI format using third-party software or various copy/paste processes, although the ability to do so largely depends on whether your e-book file has DRM protection or not.  Performing an internet search on 'printing e-books' based on whichever e-book format you have should provide multiple resources.
       
  • Do I need an internet connection (Wi-Fi or cellular connection) to use an e-book?
    • Yes and no.  An internet connection is required to download the e-book to your device.  But for most devices and e-book reader apps, once the book is downloaded, it is stored on the device, making it available without an internet connection.  Certain functionality may require an internet connection, such as clicking hyperlinks in an e-book to visit websites, so be aware that these functions may not be available without a connection.
       
  • Will you be offering all of your print books as e-books?
    • The decision to produce e-book versions of our books will be persued on a book-by-book basis.
       
  • Should I also have the print version of the book?
    • We feel it is not wise to depend solely upon an e-book while out on the trail since batteries can die, weather can be problematic, and devices can have issues.  Be sure to either have a print map or book as backup, and it doesn't hurt to have the print version of the same book back at home for regular reference.
       
  • Should I be worried about the battery of my device while using an e-book?
    • The battery life of your device depends on a number of factors, such as the amount of time it is actively doing something, the screen brightness, how many apps are active (if using a tablet or smartphone), etc.  Many dedicated e-book readers have a much longer battery life than the other devices.  For longer trips, or for trips where you have the app or ebook constantly open, you should monitor your battery life to make sure it is not depleted before the end of your trip.  On tablets or smartphones, you can also enhance the battery life by doing things like adjusting to a lower screen brightness, closing other background apps, and turning off extraneous things like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, notifications and e-mail syncing.
       
  • Can I order an e-book over the phone?
    • Currently, all e-book purchases must be made through our online shop or through other retailer websites.
       
  • Who should I contact if I have issues with an e-book?
    • If the issue is with a particular device, contact that particular device manufacturer for support.
    • If the issue is with a particular app on a device, contact the developer of that app for support.
    • If the issue is with an e-book purchased through Amazon or Apple iBooks, contact Amazon or Apple for support.
    • If the issue is with an e-book purchased directly through our website, contact the Trail Conference for support at [email protected].

 

Where to find additional information

 

Remember: Batteries die, weather can be problematic, and devices can go haywire!  Have a backup and support the work of the Trail Conference by also grabbing these books in print format if available by visiting our online store!

 

 

 

Comment: Please be relevant, civil, non-commercial.

k2malkin@optimum.net's picture

Kudos to our Publications Committee for keeping the Trail Conference on the leading edge of technology for the trails.