What is Pressbooks?

• Pressbooks is a content authoring and hosting platform used to create rich content with text, images, embedded video, and other interactive elements. Users can export Pressbooks content in formats like PDF and EPUB, and Pressbooks content can also be embedded as module items directly within Canvas. Pressbooks is most commonly used by instructors to create or customize materials for specific course subject matter or topics (sometimes, entire textbooks). These features make Pressbooks a great place to author and host Open Education Resources (OER). 
• While Pressbooks content can be embedded within Canvas, users are not able to create graded assignments with Pressbooks as of June 2025. 

Best Practices

• Writing, reviewing, and organizing content takes time. If you plan to use Pressbooks to create course materials, expect authoring and revising materials to take at least as long as the materials are intended to be used. For example, if you’re planning to use Pressbooks for all course materials during an upcoming semester, plan to spend at least one prior semester writing, revising, and organizing those materials.
• Get started with a plan. With Pressbooks it helps to consider what you want your final product to look like. Are you creating a lab manual designed to be printed and used in person, or are you creating a quick summary of a core concept with self-check questions for review? Having a clear idea of what you want your materials to look like can give you an idea of which Pressbooks features and settings to familiarize yourself with. Learn@UW-Madison team members are always happy to meet and discuss how to best use Pressbooks (or a different teaching and learning tool) to meet your needs. To request a meeting to discuss your project and receive personalized support, feel free to contact the DoIT Help Desk.

Information to Share with Students

• Whenever possible, we recommend that instructors tell students that Pressbooks will be used in the course, or at least note it in their course syllabus, just like with other course materials.
• While Pressbooks is generally stable and usable across a variety of platforms, depending on Pressbooks content visibility settings and browser privacy settings, readers can sometimes experience difficulty accessing Pressbooks content. Pressbooks web content is best viewed with Chrome and Firefox web browsers.
• Student Data Privacy and Transparency
  • UW-Madison operates a number of central IT systems and services that support teaching and learning. All of these systems collect, record and generate data related to student learning activities. For more information, please refer to the UW-Madison Teaching and Learning Data Transparency Statement

Accessibility

• For more information on Pressbooks and Accessibility please see Pressbooks - Accessibility & Usability Information
  
• Pressbooks has a statement on their commitment to accessibility for users and readers.
• The Pressbooks User Guide also has a page authoring accessible and inclusive materials in Pressbooks.

1. If you have a UW-Madison NetID
   • If you already have a UW-Madison NetID you can have a Pressbooks account created for you simply by logging in with your NetID credentials by following these steps:
     1. Navigate to the UW-Madison Pressbooks log in page
     2. Click on the red "Log In with UW-Madison NetID" below the "Log In" button
     3. This will direct you to login.wisc.edu to log in with your NetID credentials (or not if you have already logged in during your browser session), create a new Pressbooks account for you, and log you in to Pressbooks.
         
2. If you do not have a UW-Madison NetID
   • In some special circumstances such as cross-institutional collaboration, Pressbooks accounts may be issued to users without a UW-Madison NetID. If you are a collaborator on a UW-Madison Pressbooks project, and you don't have a NetID please contact the DoIT Help Desk with the following information: 
     1. Your Name and email address,
     2. The name and email address of your collaborator at UW-Madison,
     3. A brief description of what your goals are with Pressbooks, including a link to the specific Pressbook you are collaborating on (if already created).  

Note: We recommend that new Pressbooks users request a consultation with Learn@UW-Madison to introduce you to the platform, ensure that your use case fits with Pressbooks’ feature set, and address any initial questions you may have. To request a consultation, contact the DoIT Help Desk.

• Pressbooks is a teaching and learning tool centrally supported by the Learn@UW-Madison team. For technical support questions, instructors should contact the DoIT Help Desk. 
• The DoIT Help Desk provides instructors, staff and students with free tech support and troubleshooting help by phone, email or chat. Instructors and instructional staff can also request a consultation with a Learn@UW-Madison team member through the DoIT Help Desk.
• Some browser extensions or plug-ins may interfere with Learn@UW tools. If a Learn@UW tool is not operating as expected, please try these steps: General Troubleshooting for Learn@UW Tools