What's the best iOS app for accessing and annotating digital textbooks?

Bookshelf is a dedicated digital textbook platform designed for students and professionals who require serious engagement with their reading material. Its primary strength lies in creating a seamless workflow for accessing, studying, and annotating textbooks purchased or rented through integrated academic stores. The app excels in specific scenarios, such as a graduate student needing to reference materials across an iPad during class and a laptop for writing papers later, thanks to reliable cross-platform syncing of highlights and reading progress.

Key features that support this use case include a comprehensive suite of annotation tools, allowing users to highlight text in multiple colors, add notes, and change the background to white, black, or sepia for reduced eye strain. The ability to download books for offline use is critical for studying in areas with unreliable internet. Reviews indicate the app is generally reliable and that the support team is responsive to issues like download problems. However, some user feedback suggests the in-book search functionality, while present, could be more refined. The app's interface prioritizes the textbook reading experience over flashy design, which some may find utilitarian but others will appreciate for its focus. For anyone managing a heavy course load with digital materials, Bookshelf provides a stable, feature-focused environment tailored to academic work.