From "How to Use This Book:"
There are new spells, feats, subclasses of abjurer and special rules for playing abjurers of different races. All the new rules are interlaced within the text of the supplement. The Handbook itself is presented as pages of the book, as it would be presented to the students of the Academy. Game material is presented around the edges of these pages or in little boxes dotted around the handbook, such as this one.
Nothing within the Academy Handbook series is set in stone and many of our alternative rules are designed to give Games Masers new ideas rather than to allow players to build more powerful wizards. The setting has been designed as open and flexible so that it can be adapted to fit many campaign worlds. The game material is aimed mainly at players, so that they can build a more interesting Abjurer, or simply add more interesting abilities to their wizard or sorcerer.