eBook Basics: Google Books

Google Books searches and preview millions of books from libraries and publishers worldwide. Book Search works just like web search. Try a search on Google Books or on Google.com. When a book with content matches your search terms, it is in your search results.

If the book is out of copyright, or the publisher has given Google permission, you'll be able to see a preview of the book, and in some cases the entire text. If it's in the public domain, you're free to download a PDF copy.

You also have links to "Buy this book" and "Borrow this book" to see where you can buy it or borrow the print book from a library.

Google obtains books in two ways: the Partner Program (publishers & authors) and the Library Project.

How Books Appear in Google Books:

• Full View: You can see books in Full View if the book is out of copyright, or if the publisher or author has asked to make the book fully viewable. The Full View allows you to view any page from the book, and if the book is in the public domain, you can download, save and print a PDF version to read at your own pace.
• Limited Preview: If the publisher or author has given us permission, you can see a limited number of pages from the book as a preview.
• Snippet View: The Snippet View, like a card catalog, shows information about the book plus a few snippets – a few sentences to display your search term in context.
• No Preview Available: Like a card catalog, you're able to see basic information about the book.