An e-book on an e-reader in front of books at a library.
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Your local public library likely offers many gratuitous online resource: eastward-books, audiobooks, movies, TV shows, digital newspapers, online courses, and more. Even if your local library is airtight, you may be able to sign up for a library card online.

How to Get a Library Carte Online

If y'all already have a library carte, you don't need to do this—just visit your local library'south website and check out the free resource they take bachelor. The aforementioned library card y'all use to infringe books in person volition give you online access. You can also use an app similar Libby to find and borrow due east-books with a library carte du jour.

If you don't yet take a library card, the verbal process for signing up online depends on your local library. Browse your local library's website and look at the instructions for applying for a library menu. You might see an "Utilize Online" button, an email accost, or other instructions. Be sure to check that the awarding procedure doesn't require yous to prove upward at the library in person. Some libraries even permit you sign up through the Libby app.

As long as you're inside your local public library's coverage area, you tin get a library card for free.

If you don't see any data almost applying online, you might want to give your local library a call or transport them an email. Look for the contact information on your library's website. If someone is working at the library (or fifty-fifty just working from habitation), they might exist able to help you lot become admission to your library. It's worth asking.

RELATED: Not Just Books: All the Free Digital Stuff Your Local Library Might Offer

How to Get Digital Access to Remote Libraries

Some libraries even offer "non-resident" borrowing privileges. They'll let y'all pay a fee for access to the library'south catalog. In addition to borrowing privileges at the library's physical location, this will as well give you digital, remote access to the library'south resources. Here's a list of libraries that offering non-resident access.

Be sure to bank check whether the resources y'all want are available before paying for library access. In that location are long waiting periods for many e-books, even during the best of times.

RELATED: Easily Borrow eBooks From Your Library on Your Phone or Tablet

How to Download Free Public Domain E-books

A free public domain ebook of Treasure Island on various tablet and e-readers.
Standard Ebooks

Even if you don't accept access to a library's resources—or if the e-books you lot desire to read take long hold periods because many people are waiting for them—you lot can access many free e-books online. Many classics have entered the public domain and are completely free to download.

Standard Ebooks offers beautifully formatted public domain e-books. It's one of many different websites where you tin notice free eastward-books. If you'd rather listen to books, you can observe free audiobooks online, too.

RELATED: How to Find Thousands of Free Ebooks Online