Medium has reached an agreement to acquire Glose, a startup located in Paris, for an amount that has not been disclosed. Glose has developed applications for iOS, Android, and the web, enabling users to purchase, download, and enjoy books on their preferred devices.

The platform transforms reading into a communal activity, allowing users to curate a digital bookshelf, exchange annotations with their connections, and participate in discussions directly within the text. While other social platforms, like Goodreads, facilitate conversations about books, Glose uniquely integrates these social elements with the act of reading itself – presenting a unified experience rather than separate functionalities. The service also incorporates elements of gamification to encourage continued engagement while tackling challenging reading material, such as rewarding consistent reading habits.

Glose’s streamlined highlighting and commenting capabilities closely resemble those found on Medium. While many reading applications allow for text selection, they often lack robust features for interacting with those selections.

Recently, Glose introduced Glose Education, a specialized version designed for use in educational settings. This platform caters to universities and high schools, enabling instructors to assign readings and facilitate group discussions around books.

To date, over 1 million individuals have utilized Glose, and Glose Education has been adopted by 25 universities, including prominent institutions like Stanford and Columbia University.

Beyond its software offerings, Glose has also established a comprehensive digital bookstore. Through partnerships with 20,000 publishers, users can acquire e-books directly within the application.

Furthermore, Glose provides access to a vast collection of public domain books, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, at no cost. The platform also supports the consumption of audiobooks.

This acquisition marks a significant step for Medium, as the company intends to broaden its scope beyond articles and blog posts. Glose will continue to operate independently for the time being, but Medium intends to incorporate e-books and audiobooks into its existing service.

This strategic move is particularly astute, given that many successful bloggers are also published authors. Currently, these authors often direct readers from their Medium posts to external websites for book purchases. Consolidating an author’s complete body of work within a single platform would enhance the experience for both creators and their audience.

“We are highly impressed with both Glose’s reading technology and products, and their established relationships with authors and publishers,” stated Ev Williams, CEO of Medium. “Books represent a powerful method for exploring concepts and delving into subjects in greater detail. A significant portion of the world’s knowledge resides within books and academic journals, yet this information is often difficult to locate and share. Through Glose, we aim to enhance this experience for Medium’s extensive network of readers and writers. We are excited to collaborate with the Glose team to forge partnerships with publishers, enabling authors to connect with a wider readership.”

The Glose team will remain based in Paris, signifying Medium’s establishment of its first international office outside of the United States. Glose will continue to uphold its existing commitments to authors, publishers, schools, and other organizations.