Project Gutenberg

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Project Gutenberg
Type of site
Digital library
Available inEnglish and various other languages
OwnerMichael S. Hart
Created byMichael S. Hart
URLwww.gutenberg.org
CommercialNo
RegistrationOptional
Launched1971
Current statusActive


Project Gutenberg is a digital library offering a vast collection of public domain books. It was founded by Michael S. Hart in 1971 and is considered one of the oldest digital libraries. The project aims to digitize and archive cultural works, and to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks."

History[edit | edit source]

Project Gutenberg was initiated by Michael S. Hart while he was a student at the University of Illinois. The first document to be digitized was the United States Declaration of Independence. Over the years, the project has grown significantly, with thousands of volunteers contributing to the digitization and proofreading of texts.

Collection[edit | edit source]

The collection of Project Gutenberg includes over 60,000 free eBooks. These books are available in various formats, including plain text, HTML, ePub, Kindle, and more. The library covers a wide range of genres, including literature, history, science, and philosophy.

Accessibility[edit | edit source]

Project Gutenberg aims to make literature accessible to everyone. The books are available for free and can be downloaded or read online. The project also provides audiobooks for the visually impaired.

Volunteers[edit | edit source]

The success of Project Gutenberg relies heavily on its volunteers. These volunteers are involved in various tasks such as digitizing, proofreading, and formatting texts. The Distributed Proofreaders project is a significant contributor to Project Gutenberg, helping to ensure the accuracy and quality of the texts.

Legal Status[edit | edit source]

All the books available on Project Gutenberg are in the public domain in the United States. This means that they are free to use without any restrictions. However, users outside the United States should verify the copyright status of these works in their own countries.

See Also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

External Links[edit | edit source]

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD