Our library district provides some excellent resources for patrons interested in eBooks, and using their eBook readers to enjoy everything from new and popular best sellers to timeless classics. However, patrons should also be aware of several websites that offer free and legal ebooks that are available in the public domain. Your chances of finding the new James Patterson novel on these sites are slim, but those patrons interested in classic pieces and authors would be well advised to check the following websites out:
Project Gutenberg: Project Gutenberg is the oldest of these sites, and by far the most established. Started in 1971, Project Gutenberg has dedicated itself to the digitization and distribution of texts out of copyright. The Gutenberg collection is quite large, and most of the ebooks available come in a variety for formats; this is useful for accommodating a wide breadth of eBook reader users and consumers. The ‘Top 100’ is a great place to start. Patrons will find digital versions of such monumental pieces as James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’ and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s ‘The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.’
ManyBooks: If Gutenberg doesn’t have what the patron is looking for, direct them to ManyBooks. This is a site with a considerably superior user interface, and may be the first site you want to introduce to patrons who may be uncomfortable with internet use. Officially ManyBooks' purpose is to convert books from Project Gutenberg into file formats friendly to eBook readers. Gutenberg provides many of these compatible formats now (EPUB, MOBI, PRC, etc.) While ManyBooks replicates much of Project Gutenberg’s library, in the past it has had books that Project Gutenberg lacks (and vice-versa.)
FeedBooks: FeedBooks is a strange hybrid. It provides users with access to public domain books as well as copyrighted works. This means patrons may purchase a copy of the popular ‘A Game of Thrines’ novel at the same time that they download a free copy of Homer’s ‘Iliad.’ Again, since out of print books occupy a relatively static list, FeedBooks’ database largely mirrors both ManyBooks’ and Project Gutenberg’s selection. Still, if you can’t find what you’re looking for on one site, it’s worth checking another.
Do be careful recommending other sites for free eBook downloads. Some sites found on a Google search are of dubious legality, and may be providing pirated copies of works that are still in copyright. Project Gutenberg is extraordinarily cautious about the legal status of the works it provides, and users can rest easy knowing they’re not infringing on any laws when they download a book from Project Gutenberg’s site. The same cannot be said for many websites out there that purport to offer free eBooks. Remember – free does not necessarily mean legal.
Happy eReading!
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