They say that a good library is the greatest treasure. However, what if there is no opportunity to collect all the books in the world in one room? Then online libraries save the day. In this article, we’ve collected a huge selection of digital libraries where you can find a variety of materials and books in the public domain: from classics of fiction to modern scientific articles. In the list below, you’ll see not only websites but also apps – so, there’s certainly something for all tastes!
Google Books
Google Books is a truly popular full-text search service for materials digitized by Google. Most of the books are from major US libraries. Today, the platform offers you millions of scanned books, which can be viewed or read absolutely free. Moreover, there you can find unique editions of the XII-XVIII centuries. This platform will be incredibly useful for scholars and learners who are looking for essay sources and references.
Of course, the search takes some time, so many students decide to entrust papers to someone experienced. Outsourcing their assignments to professional paper writing help by WritePaper, they kill two birds with one stone. First, they improve their academic performance, getting positive comments from teachers. Second, they release stress and tension that most of us suffer from these days.
Project Gutenberg
This platform was founded by Michael Hart. Back then, in 1971, he was a student at the University of Illinois. Yes, this project can definitely be called one of the most successful companies founded by students, and here’s the reason why. The goal is to create a free electronic library that is available to everyone. The website contains more scientific literature than fiction. You can download books in English, French, Italian and other languages in any format.
Wikisource
The Free Library is a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. Its’ final mission is a constantly updated library of free texts in all languages possible. No doubt, access to up-to-date information is one of the best advantages of digitized learning, and we can’t agree more.
Here, on Wikisource, you will find:
- Texts already published by the authors;
- Translations of original pieces;
- Historical documents;
- Comments on texts, including those written by Wikisource contributors.
You may also be interested in Wikibooks. This is a Wikimedia community where literature can be edited by anyone.
World Digital Library
This is a project of the US Library of Congress. Why is WDL so appreciated? Here, you’ll find a large number of materials representing the cultures of various countries. So, whether you deal with art or history – this is a platform for you.
LibriVox
Audiobooks are gaining more and more popularity, so we can’t help mentioning them. LibriVox is a non-commercial public domain audiobook project. Audiobooks are recorded by volunteers who read the texts – for example, many are from Project Gutenberg. While some can’t imagine themselves without a traditional book, others find it easier to absorb information in an audio format. And progressive teachers who follow EdTech trends take this into account too. After all, each student has their own predispositions and preferences.
DailyLit
Can’t find time to read? Then DailyLit is a must for you. Here, you can literally subscribe to the book. On the days you choose, you will receive an email with an excerpt from the book, the length of which is determined by you. Very handy for busy people!
Ebooks for All
Another free library with user-friendly service. On Ebooks for all, you’ll find fiction, economics, medicine, law, and more.
Free-eBooks.net
The library has a large selection of e-books sorted by genre. In addition, there are also free magazines, and you can replenish the resource with your own books. To get access, you need to register – it’s free.
ManyBooks
The resource provides access to more than 33,000 e-books. Literature is easy to search through the title, recommendations, or recent reviews on the site. The main advantage of the site is that many books are presented in more than 20 formats.
Free Tech Books
This resource collects free books on computer science, engineering, and programming, as well as textbooks and lecture notes.
Free Computer Books
The website consists of a huge collection of free books on programming mathematics; there are also lectures and textbooks. Everything is perfectly classified into topics, so you will certainly not get confused.
Ebook Lobby
Here, everything is divided into categories: business, art, education, etc. Choose a category and download the desired e-book.
Wattpad
Wattpad is not a website: it’s an app that doesn’t lose its’ high positions in ratings for the last 3 years. It has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Washington Post, and for a great reason! Here, you can open up a whole new world of millions of free books and stories. English teachers starting out as writers will definitely be glad to know that Wattpad allows you to take part in competitions to get published, win awards, and partner with global brands.
Home Library
Another handy book reader app is Home Library. There are more than 2400 classics of English literature, and an app covers almost all genres from philosophical treatises and fiction to memoirs, etc.
To Wrap It Up
Long gone are the days when hours in the library and bags full of books were something common. Fortunately, life is becoming much easier thanks to technology.
If you need to find any material or just want to read a specific book, this collection of open digital libraries can help you with this. Download them to where you read (be it a smartphone, tablet, etc.), and then you will certainly not waste time being on the road or standing in line. With access to study materials, teachers will always be perfectly prepared for the lesson, surprising their students with something truly exciting.
