The Online Books Page
A hand-maintained index of free books online, run out of Penn since before search engines were any good.
Opens in a new tab. We do not control this site and it may have changed since we catalogued it.
How to get the most from it
The Online Books Page sits in Free Libraries under Learn, filed as coffee break.
- Set aside five to fifteen minutes and give it your proper attention.
- It works on a phone or a desktop, so open it on whatever is nearest.
- It works with the sound off, so it is fine on a train or in a quiet office.
- No account needed — you can start without signing up.
- Go in expecting something useful and nostalgic.
About this category: Public-domain books, scanned art, academic archives and collections built by people who cared far too much about one subject. Bring time.
Good for
- Filling a coffee break properly
- Getting something practical done
- A trip back to the older internet
- A quiet break at your desk
- Killing time on your phone
- Trying it with zero commitment
The Online Books Page: quick answers
Is The Online Books Page free?
Yes. The Online Books Page is free to use and needs no account.
Do I need an account to use The Online Books Page?
No. You can use The Online Books Page without signing up for anything.
Does The Online Books Page work on a phone?
Yes. The Online Books Page works on phones as well as desktop browsers.
Is The Online Books Page safe for work?
Yes, we file it as safe for work. It also works muted.
How long does The Online Books Page take?
We file it as "Coffee break": Five to fifteen minutes of proper attention.
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