Google adds hundreds of free textbooks to Gemini Notebook for student study

Students can now add hundreds of textbooks to Gemini Notebook at no charge and use them as sources for questions and study materials. Google announced the catalog on October 29, 2026, bringing books from U.S. and Indian providers into the same notebook where students can generate guides, quizzes and flashcards.

The selection includes OpenStax, Open Textbook Library and S Chand Publishing. Google names those organizations as examples of participating providers, rather than a complete list. Its catalog figure covers hundreds of textbooks across the offering, not a separate count for each named provider.

The addition extends an existing book-source feature: users could already add eligible ebooks purchased through Google Play Books. The change is access to a no-charge textbook selection, rather than the first ability to bring books into the notebook as material for AI assistance.

The entry point is inside a notebook: select “Add sources,” then choose “Textbooks” to browse the available catalog and add a title. Google places the selection within the source-adding workflow, so the book becomes material for that notebook rather than simply a separate reading recommendation.

Once you add a textbook, every answer is grounded directly in the textbook, with inline citations and direct links back to the original source.

Priya Venkatraman, software engineer, Gemini Notebook

That is Google’s description of how the answers work, not an independently verified accuracy finding. The citations and links give students a route back to the textbook passage behind an explanation. They can consult the original material rather than relying only on the generated response.

Students can also transform textbook content into tailored study guides, practice quizzes and flashcards. These are generated from the added material, giving learners a way to move beyond asking individual questions. The same book can supply both an explanation during study and review materials for later practice.