The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for researching highlighted passages andor notations in an electronic book. Context information is automatically retrieved by monitoring at least one application program executable on a computing system, so as to detect an event associated with the application program, identifying information corresponding to the detected event, and retrieving, automatically without user request, context information associated with the detected event. The first retaining device includes an outer surface engageable with a first vertebra of the spinal column and an inner surface facing the first surface of the resilient core.