Google adds hundreds of free textbooks to Gemini Notebook

New textbook integration

Google recently updated its AI-powered learning platform, Gemini Notebook, by adding hundreds of free textbooks for students in the United States and India. This update, announced on October 29, 2026, allows users to access content from various educational providers directly within the tool. The initiative is part of Google's Expert Intelligence initiative, which aims to help users interact with trusted and expert-backed information.

The new collection features materials from well-known educational providers such as OpenStax, the Open Textbook Library, and India's S Chand Publishing. Previously, users could only add eligible e-books purchased through Google Play Books to their notebooks. This latest expansion provides a wider variety of free resources for those looking to study complex subjects or prepare for specific examinations.

Students can now browse these textbooks through the platform rather than searching for individual files online. Once a book is selected, it can be added directly to a notebook without the need for manual downloads or uploads. This streamlined process is designed to help students focus on learning rather than managing files.

Interactive study features

Gemini Notebook offers several specific tools to help students organize their revision and test their knowledge. Users can ask questions about specific chapters of a selected textbook to receive explanations in simpler language. The platform can also generate study guides, which are collections of important topics and key points from a subject or chapter.

Beyond summaries, the tool can create practice quizzes to test a student's understanding of the material. It can also generate digital flashcards, which are small cards featuring a question on one side and an answer on the other. These are particularly useful for memorizing definitions, formulas, dates, and other important facts during independent study sessions.

One of the core features of the platform is the inclusion of citations with AI-generated answers. This means students can see exactly which part of the original textbook supports a specific piece of information. By following these references, students can verify the AI's output against the source material to ensure accuracy.

Understanding Gemini Notebook

Gemini Notebook is the current name for what was previously known as NotebookLM. Google officially renamed the tool in July 2026, though existing notebooks remain accessible to users. Unlike a general AI chatbot, this tool is designed to work with specific sources provided by the user, such as PDFs, documents, class notes, and now these textbooks.

The platform functions by allowing users to ground the AI's responses in a specific set of data. For example, a biology student can add a specific biology textbook and ask the AI to explain a difficult chapter. Because the AI is restricted to that source, the answers are more relevant to the student's specific curriculum than a general search engine might provide.

This distinction is important for academic integrity and focus. By working with selected material, students can avoid searching across various websites for answers. Instead, they can stay focused on the specific content prescribed by their schools, colleges, or universities while using AI to help synthesize that information.

How to access the content

To use these new features, students can visit the official website at notebook.google and sign in with a Google account. From there, they can open an existing notebook or create a new one to begin their study session. The interface provides an option to add sources, where users can then choose the textbook category.

Once in the textbook category, students can browse the collection and select the specific book they need. After adding the book to their notebook, the content becomes available for interaction. Students can then begin asking questions, generating study materials, or creating quizzes based on the selected text.

As Jagran Josh reported, the feature is available at no additional cost to students. This makes it a free resource for those looking to enhance their classroom teaching or independent preparation. However, Google notes that students should still read the original textbooks and follow their specific syllabi, as AI-generated explanations may still contain errors.