About the Library Project - Google Search Help (2024)

The Library Project makes it possible for users to search on Google through millions of books written in many different languages, including books that are rare, out of print, or generally unavailable outside of the library system.

View a book in the Library Project

If a book from the Library Project is determined to be in the public domain, Google will make it fully available to the public and you'll be able to read the book from start to finish. Learn how to view books in Google Books.

Otherwise, you'll still be able to search through the text of the book, but Google Books will only display a few snippets of text to show you where your search term appears within the text of the book. Sometimes rightsholders of in-copyright books give us permission to show more than snippets. In those cases, you might see a percentage of pages from the book, or even the entire book, depending on the wishes of the rightsholder.

If we know a book exists, but haven’t scanned it yet, you will only see basic bibliographic information about the book, similar to what you might find in a library catalog. If you want to find a print copy, use the retailer or library links provided.

How books are displayed in Google Books:

How libraries partner with Google

Google works with many libraries from around the world to include their collections in Google Books. The libraries receive a digital copy of every book scanned from their collections to preserve and make available to their patrons where copyright law allows.

Many of the libraries we work with have publicly displayed their contracts, which show the full scope of their work with Google. Some examples are the University of California, and the Big Ten Academic Alliance , which includes institutions such as the University of Illinois, the University of Minnesota, and The Ohio State University.