Given how cheap the printed versions are, I don't get the idea of downloading books like "where there is no doctor". If you're gonna print it out you'll spend more time, ink , and paper than a printed version and all you'll have is a bunch of oversized paper that still needs to be bound or put into a protective cover. If you leave it as a digital file, your medical references are now dependent on you having a working, powered computer available when you need it the most.

Somebody please explain the rationale to me. I can see having a version on a thumb drive but I sure wouldn't want that to be my only copy.

Nothing personal Ratbert, I'm just curious.

I tend to do both.
I download a lot of material to read and for some of it I purchase the book from a bookstore even after I have an electronic copy.

You are right about the cost of printing John.
It is not cheaper to print out a book than it is to buy it.
Part of the reason I download is there are some books that are just not easily available in hard copy anymore.

Another reason is that most hardcopy books would not be available in an emergency anyhow.
Most likely you would not have the book with you when SHTF or you would lose it as the S. was hitting the fan.
If you needed to be mobile then books are usually too heavy to travel.
Also I see a lot of people with the unopened text on the shelf and they assume they automatically have the knowledge available.
You need to practice skills if you are going to use them, so it is better to have an electronic copy that you have practiced the ideas in until they are natural than relying on paper.
The middle of an emergency is not the time to be learning out of a book.
With electronic text I can print off a few sheets and go out and attempt what it says.

For references it can make sense just to write (or print) copies of relevant charts, maps and tables.
(One thing I do is put simple cooking instructions with dried foods.
Like a few reliable bread recipes with the flour, a couple of slow pot recipes for the beans.)
I also have some well abused manuals and guides in my stored kits.
Since I abuse the hell out of field guides and similar texts I purchase a lot of mine from used book stores. By the time I am finished a season the texts are very marked up with editing and are starting to fall apart.

That all said I do recommend the Hesperian texts. They are simply written and good info, also very reasonably priced and the Hesperians do good things with their earnings from the sales.

Thanks everyone for the input. This is a work in progress.

Here are a few suggestions for herbal/home remedy books:

Peterson Field Guides Series:

"Medicinal Plants and Herbs"
There are two versions, one for Eastern/Central North America, one for Western North America.

"Edible Wild Plants"
Again two versions, one for Eastern/Central North America, one for Western North America. Not as relevant to the topic but thought I would mention these as well.

The Green Pharmacy series by James A Duke
There are several versions of these. Note that James Duke contributed to the Peterson Field Guides as well.

"The Doctors Book of Home Remedies" by the editors of Prevention Magazine Health Books
I believe this is the home remedy book I was thinking of.

There are many many others available but as I am just getting into this I can barely vouch for the ones I have already mentioned. As I said the Peterson Field Guides are always reputable. Hopefully others on the forum will pitch in some reputable authors and titles (or start a new thread - I may do this myself ). There is probably a local group that has many home remedy recipes. Some local Doctors, especially in a rural setting, have knowledge of some home remedies. I would venture a guess that some forum members could contribute as well (Up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane, no it's Blast).

BOT (sort of), in a TEOTWAWKI situation you will have to face the grim reality that there will be people who cannot be saved. Even something far from it, like what we are seeing in Haiti. Two years worth of supplies will only postpone the inevitable. Sorry I can't be more optimistic.

I agree with everyone else about training. Knowledge is power and the ability to improvise from available materials will go a lot further than stockpiling supplies. FWIW and YMMV