Project Gutenberg -

: Books are provided in simple formats (like plain text and HTML) that can be read, used, and searched by almost any computer or program.

is the world's first and largest provider of free electronic books (e-books), hosting a library of over 75,000 titles . Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it focuses on digitizing and distributing literature for which U.S. copyright has expired, making it a cornerstone of the public domain movement. Core Mission and Philosophy Project Gutenberg

: The initiative aims to break down barriers to education and personal betterment by enabling unlimited redistribution of classic works. Collection and Operations : Books are provided in simple formats (like

: Although heavily English-centric (over 21,000 books as of 2008), it hosts significant collections in French, German, Finnish, Dutch, and dozens of other languages. Hart, it focuses on digitizing and distributing literature

The project operates under the philosophy that literature and information should be accessible to everyone at little to no cost.

The library is built and maintained primarily by volunteers who digitize, proofread, and format the texts.