APH Press Frequently Asked Questions

Short for electronic publication, an EPUB file is the most widely adopted eBook format on the market. EPUB is an accessible, modern format for reading a book digitally, and all of our EPUB files meet W3C WCAG guidelines for accessibility

After your purchase, you will receive an email that contains a link to your EPUB file. Clicking the link will open a browser window that will allow you to download the EPUB the same way you would with any other file. Below is an example of the email:

Note that some browsers and email programs will automatically download the file in the background when you click on the link, and others may ask you to specify a download location. You might also want to right click on the link so that you can choose the save location using the “Save As” option.

Below are step-by-step instructions for downloading and finding your EPUB file on a PC using Google Chrome and on a Mac using Safari.

On a PC using Google Chrome

1. Click the link, which will automatically start the download. You can also right-click the file and choose the “Save as” option.
2. In the top right corner of Chrome, a download icon will appear. It will look like a filling circle with an arrow in it while the download is in progress, and it will turn into an arrow pointing into an icon of a tray once the download is complete.
3. Click on the download icon, which will open a window that contains a list of recent downloads. Clicking on your EPUB file will open it in your chosen e-reader software. You can also click on the folder icon to open its file location.

Note: You can change the default download location by clicking the three dots on the top right of the Chrome window and choosing Settings > Downloads.

On a Mac using Safari

1. Click the link, which will automatically start the download. You can also right-click to open the context menu for more download options.
2. In the top right corner of the Safari window, click the “Show Downloads” icon. It is a circle with an arrow inside.
3. Click the magnifying glass button next to the filename of your download, which will open its location in Finder.

Note: You can change your default download location on Safari by navigating to Safari > Settings > General and then choosing the “File download location” option.

I received a Sharefile link from customer service. What do I do?
If you have trouble getting to your original ePUB file (if the confirmation email was deleted by mistake or sent to spam, for example), you might receive a Sharefile link from an APH customer service representative so you can access your files. In that case, getting to your ePUB file is a slightly different process, outlined below:

1. Click on the link you received in the customer service email.
2. On the APH Sharefile page, you will be asked to fill in an email, first and last name, and organization. Note. You are not creating an account, and you will not need to log in. We ask for this information to ensure you are able to access your ePUB file.
3. On the next page, you will see the name of your file and details. There is a Download button on the right side of the screen. By clicking on that button, the download should proceed as described above.

There are many free options for reading an EPUB file on a computer or a mobile device, and most operating systems have a default EPUB reader installed. For accessibility, APH Press recommends Thorium Reader, which is available on PC, Mac, and Linux. Thorium is free, features robust accessibility options, and works well with screen readers and other accessible technology.

When you install an e-reader program, you will be asked if you would like to associate .epub files with it. Saying yes ensures that when you double-click on an EPUB file, it will open in your desired reader program. Once you have downloaded and installed an e-reader, opening an EPUB file should automatically add it to that program’s library of books.

For example, when opening an EPUB file for the first time in Thorium on a Windows PC, two windows will open: one is Thorium’s library showing all of your books, and the other is the book file you have just opened. You will see that the book has been added to your library automatically, and from there, you can manage your library or begin reading.

Yes! Kindle, Apple Books, and most other digital storefronts allow you to import an EPUB title into your library. For Apple Books, any file in your library will automatically sync across all of your devices, so the above instructions for downloading and opening the file should be all you need. Since Kindle is managed through Amazon’s storefront, you will have to take extra steps. Instructions are below, but please be aware that the nature of the platform means the instructions may change if Amazon updates their service.

To add a title to your Kindle

1. Navigate to the Send to Kindle page.
2. You can drag and drop a file from Windows Explorer or Finder, or you can click the “Select files from device” button.
3. Once you select a file, the “Ready to Send” window should appear with the name of your ePUB file. Make sure “Add to your library” is checked, and click Send. The delivery may take a few minutes to complete.
4. Open your Kindle and navigate to your library. Your new book should appear at the top of the list. Tapping it will download and open the file.

Most e-reader software has built-in accessibility features that can be accessed in the options menu. In Thorium, for example, you can find text-to-speech options at the top of the reader window, and you can find options to change the appearance of the text using the button labelled “Aa.”

Most e-reader software will also work natively with your computer’s built-in accessibility features, such as screen zoom, text size adjustment, color controls, etc.

Yes! APH Press offers books in EPUB file format to ensure accessibility to all users. We provide alt-text for all images in our books as well as narrative descriptions for any complex images, diagrams, or tables.

If you ever have difficulty with one of our books while using a screen reader, please reach out to us at [email protected] so we can investigate and correct the issue.

APH Press has optimized the appearance of tables and figures in its eBooks, but the ability to read tables or view detailed figures depends mainly on the capabilities of your e-reader and the size of its screen. Here are some suggestions if you are having trouble reading a table:

• Change the font size: Make it larger to read a table more easily; make it smaller so the entire table fits on the page.
• Change the orientation of the screen to horizontal, if your e-reading device has that feature, so the table or figure will be wider.
• Pan across a table if all the columns don’t fit on the screen at one time.
• If you are reading on a PC, make the reading panel larger.
• Use your device’s zoom feature, if it has one, to enlarge an image or table. If you are reading visually on an Apple iOS device such as an iPad or iPhone, tapping twice on a table or image will bring it up in its own separate view. You can then use two fingers on the screen in a spreading motion to enlarge the item.

All tables and complex figures in APH Press books have narrative descriptions that appear at the end of the book and can be accessed by clicking or tapping on the link that appears immediately after a table. Anyone can use the description to access the content of a table or figure.

You can download electronic Learning Center materials from our APH Press Learning page.