Online Libraries - 25 Places to Read Free Books Online

Published Aug 21, 2008

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Think it's impossible to find free books online? Think again. There are tons of online libraries that provide fiction, nonfiction and reference books at no charge. Here is a list of the 25 best places to read free books online.

Free

1. The Online Books Page

The University of Pennsylvania's Online Books Page is a great place to read free online books. There are more than 30,000 English language works available. All of them are nicely formatted and can be read right on your computer.

2. Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg is the original free electronic book producer. There are currently over 25,000 books in its online catalog, with 100,000 more titles available from many partners and affiliates.

3. Questia

Questia is best known as a resource for writers and students, but the site also hosts a library featuring more than 5,000 free books that may be read online. Offerings include rare books as well as classics.

4. Free Classic Books

This free online library holds many of the world's most treasured classics. Books include the writings of authors such as L. Frank Baum, H.G. Wells and Jane Austen.

5. FullBooks.com

FullBooks.com offers thousands of books that can be read online for free. All of these books are sorted by title. FullBooks.com also has links to sites with free reference books, biographies and science books.

6. Internet Public Library

The Internet Public Library is a goodplace to access newspapers, magazines and reference works. Nearly 100 links that will take site visitors to websites offering free online books. Links are updated regularly and include descriptions to help you find what you're looking for.

7. Classic Reader

Classic Reader has nearly 4,000 free classic books, poems, plays and short stories. You may read the books for free online and even add your own annotations.

8. Authorama

Authorama features free books from a wide range of authors. All of the books on this site are public domain and are formatted in XHTML, which means that text style and illustrations have been preserved. Currently more than 100 free books are available, with new books added on a regular basis.

9. Bored.com

Bored.com is just what the name implies--a website for people who are bored. The site offers thousands of free books that can be stored on your computer and/or read online. Book offerings include British literature, American literature, cookbooks, children's books, textbooks and reference books.

10. Read Print

Read Print is a free online library that was designed for teachers, students and readers of classic books. This well-organized site has its thousands of free books sorted by author. Other features include literature articles and a section on Shakespeare.

11. The Literature Network

The Literature Network features thousands of free short stories, books and poems that you maybegin reading immediately. The site also includes quizzes, author biographies and user comments.

12. LibriVox

LibriVox is a unique online library catering to both listeners and readers. The site has free audio books and links to text versions to read online. Other site features include book summaries, author bios and links to further book-related content.

13. Bartleby

Bartleby is one of those sites you'll want to bookmark as soon as you discover it. This Internet publisher features a huge collection of free books to read on your computer. Offerings include fiction, nonfiction, poetry and reference works.

14. Classic Bookshelf

The Classic Bookshelf is a nice place to read classic books online because of its easy readability program. Users can open the free book of their choice and then decide how they'd like the screen to look. Things readers can customize include page color, text color, print size, margin size and font.

15. ReadBooksOnline.net

Although this website isn't that pretty, it's a good place to read books online for free. The site has over 1,000 books by different authors. Offerings include the best of British, Irish and American literature.

16 Chest of Books

If fiction isn't your favorite thing, Chest of Books is a good place for you. This free online library features nonfiction books on a wide range of topics, including business, art, computers, finance, health, history, gardening, home improvement, science, real estate, sports and travel.

17. PublicLiterature.org

PublicLiterature.org has a good selection of free classic books that may be read online in a free user-friendly interface. The site also features works by accomplished authors from around the world. Reading categories include classics, comedy, children's, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays and sci fi.

18. Biblomania

Biblomania has over 2,000 poems, short stories, novels and plays to read for free online. New books are added each month. Biblomania provides study guides, literature articles and a whole range of resources for students to go along with these works.

19. International Children's Digital Library

The International Children's Digital Library Foundation provides access to online free books for children around the world. Books are available in many different languages and most of them feature user-submitted activities and other content that can be used in conjunction with the books.

20. Public Bookshelf

Public Bookshelf will likely have something to suit you no matter your interests. This online library has classic books as well as new authors. Free book categories fantasy, history, mystery, romance, teen fiction and horror. Public Bookshelf also features a substantial collection of nonfiction.

21. Perseus Digital Library

Perseus Digital Library of Tufts University is an evolving digital library featuring a wide range of materials and constantly updated with new content. Current works include modern English Literature, classics and science papers.

22. DailyLit

DailyLit offers a unique service for reading free books online. This site lets readers choose classic and contemporary books, then the books will be sent out in installments via RSS feed or email.

23. Fiction.us

Fiction.us is a great place to find free online novels. Books are split into chapters, so it's easy to remember where you left off. The site also offers poetry, plays and picture books.

24. Page By Page Books

Page By Page Books has hundreds of classic books that may be read online for free . Books can be searched for by author and title.

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