You can check out books for free from the library, so why not have an e-library?
Actually, I'm not 100% sure there are no online libraries. If you know of one, do tell.
Thanks for your time!
2006-07-19 03:51:05 · 18 answers · asked by Derek 4 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
There are quite a few e-libraries that feature out-of-copyright works. You can read Jane Austen, Shakespeare or Charles Dickens online because all their works are in the public domain.
Works where the author or author's heirs are still entitled to payment are a bit trickier to do online, though. Brick and mortar libraries are able to offer books to loan because they actually purchased a copy of that title and only allow one person at a time to check it out.
Some library systems are beginning to experiment with loaning out e-books and mp3 audio books. Generally, they use files that "self-destruct" in 30 days, so that whoever "checks" that book out, doesn't have unrestricted license to copy and post it all over the Net. It may be we'll see more of that in the future.
Authors work hard writing books. They deserve to get paid for them.
2006-07-19 04:52:57 · answer #1 · answered by poohba 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
A book is the product of an author, and that author is writing in the hopes of being paid. Writing is work, and a writer does deserve to make a living if his or her writing is worth reading. A library does pay for the book that you read for free, and usually, if a reader loves a book enough, he or she will buy the book even after he or she has read it. On line, however, there is no way an author can get paid if you read the book for free. Does that sound fair to the author?
2006-07-19 06:15:12 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
RE: WHere can I read books for free online??? Where can I read books for free online. I'm interested in relationship advice books (ex, the rules, etc). Self help books such as the nanny 911. I'm also into business books/marketing books. Software books would be great as well. Where can i find them online???
2016-03-26 23:49:48 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Copyright law prevents the copying of a book. If you put a book on-line everyone has the ability to copy it.
A library can only lend a book to one person at a time.
2006-07-19 03:55:01 · answer #4 · answered by cirestan 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You CAN read books on line! Art Bosman in Holland up until recently had such a site. You could also download lots of his books.
Right now you can read about a 900 page book online: Oahspe
at oahspe@yahoogroups.com
or you can download.
2006-07-19 04:00:08 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://print.google.com
You can read parts of books on the website above.
The main reason books aren't available online for free is because there are copyright laws restricting that and the author has to get some money from writing a book.
2006-07-19 03:55:30 · answer #6 · answered by justgenius12 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are quite a lot of online "libraries" available. Several people have already mentioned Project Gutenberg, and here are several more:
http://www.baen.com/library/
http://www.bibliomania.com/0/-/frameset.html
http://www.pupress.princeton.edu/ebooks.html
And there is also a collection of online library links at
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/archives.html
2006-07-19 08:20:44 · answer #7 · answered by sanacrow 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
netLibrary allows you to "check out" books online and read them for a certain period of time...I'm not sure how long...and you can renew them too. They also supposedly have audiobooks you can check out online too. These audiobooks will work on your computer for two weeks and then when your time expires, the downloads become useless. Again, they are renewable. I've not used either one of these sources myself. But I've read about them. I'm not sure if either one would carry "popular" titles.
2006-07-19 03:56:02 · answer #8 · answered by laney_po 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try google books - even better is project gutenberg - it's awesome - all the classics you didn't enjoy in high school because you were forced to read them. Reading them and following your own interest helps you realize those books actually didn't suck.
2006-07-19 04:02:56 · answer #9 · answered by Silent Kninja 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to www.readbookonline.net and you will be able to access a good number of books. The site contains fiction/novels, short stories, poems, essays, and plays. Includes greates novels of the 20th century, nobel prize winning authors, and pulitzer prize winning authors.
2006-07-19 04:10:23 · answer #10 · answered by Bob 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋