The Internet has opened up a whole wealth of reading opportunities for book lovers. So, finding great books to purchase is easier than ever.
But, did you know that you can actually read books online for free?
And you don’t even need a special device like a tablet, a kindle or any other e-reader to do it. All you need is your Internet browser.
You can read books online simply using a browser like Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari or Firefox.
Many organizations and websites offer books for free, for a variety of reasons – for example, many offer public domain books – which are titles that are not subject to copyright.
To save you some research, we’ve gathered a list of seven awesome places where you can read books for free online.
Table of Contents
1. Project Gutenberg
If you want a place where you can access thousands of books for free, then look no further than the Project Gutenberg website.
Arguably, one of the most extensive free book websites on the Internet, Project Gutenberg, gives you access to more than 50,000 free eBooks. These books are public domain, which means there’s no copyright on them, and the public has free access to them.
The organization itself has been around since 1971.
To get access to the site’s extensive and diverse catalog of free books, simply visit the website, browse the catalog, select the title you want, and then click on the download link that suits your needs.
2. Internet Archive
Offering arguably the largest selection of free books and other documents on the web, the Internet Archive is an excellent resource.
Internet Archive is a San Francisco-based nonprofit digital library, which was founded in 1996.
On the website, you get access to books, movies, and music, as well as 487 billion archived web pages.
Offering 10,000,000 fully accessible books and texts, you can find quite a versatile selection of books on Internet Archives, so it’s definitely worth checking out!
Simply visit this page and browse through the collections on offer.
3. Open Library
Open Library is a project from the Internet Archive, which was created by Aaron Swartz and Brewster Kahle, among others.
This site is more focused on collecting library records. Essentially, Open Library is like a library, which allows you to read books online. The website offers an eBook lending library, where you can find more than 1,000,000 free ebook titles.
So, visit the site and browse its collection. Once you’ve selected a title, look for the read icon next to the title, as this indicates that you can read it online. You’ll then be able to read the book online, in a full-screen online reader, or you can choose one of the options to download the book to your PC.
4. Google Books
Google Books offers a huge collection of books – essentially, Google scans books and magazines and turns them into viewable files online. You can read these books for free.
You can often find popular titles in the Google Books catalog.
When you visit the Google Books homepage, you’re presented with a search box – like you are when you use Google’s search engine to browse the web.
Simply search for the title that you’re looking for, and you’ll be presented with a list of documents.
Not all books can be read in full – some will only offer a preview. But, you can filter your search to only display books that can be read in full.
5. Scribd
Scribd is a digital library that offers paid and free audio books, e-books, and comic books.
The website offers a subscription service, but it also offers free books too.
On Scribd, you’ll find millions of brochures, comic books, and, of course, books on offer. When you open up a page of a digital book, its content is displayed immediately.
6. Questia
Questia is an online research library that writers and students can use as a resource. It offers articles, encyclopedias, journals and of course books.
But, the site also offers a free library of more than 5,000 titles.
You can read these titles in full online, for free.
Whether it’s a rare or a classic title, on Questia, you’ll find a good selection of books.
7. The Online Books Page
Another really great resource for free books is the Online Books Page.
This site, which is a resource from the University of Pennsylvania, offers lists over two million free books on the web.
All titles can be viewed on your PC too.
Final Thoughts
If you’re the type of person that reads a lot of books throughout the month, then the cost can really add up.
Consider getting your books for free instead.
Even if these sites don’t offer the particular title you’re looking for, you’ll probably discover some other great books.
So, check out these sites to get access to great books that you can read for free.
