libraries, online bookstores, and the wider impact of the internet on reading habits. The opening of the text sets the stage for an insightful exploration of the origins and growth of the eBook format, beginning with the launch of Project Gutenberg, which aimed to provide free access to public domain works. It discusses the challenges and triumphs encountered in this journey, including the shift from printed to digital texts and the role of various authors, innovators, and platforms that contributed to this transformation. As the narrative unfolds, it highlights essential developments in the field of digital publishing over the decades, emphasizing how the various milestones reflect broader changes in technology and society's relationship with literature. (This is an automatically generated summary.)