Over the next several days, I will share a few tips about research that I believe many people might find helpful. I am currently teaching this material in my college writing class, and I decided to make the info available to the general public.

Nonfiction writers will find these tips especially helpful.

Today, I’ll tell you how to Find Free Books to Read at Gutenberg.org

Here’s how to access the Free Gutenberg.org Library:

1. In Your Computer’s Search Window Type: gutenberg.org

2. Type your query into the search tab. Let’s try Mark Twain. Click Go!

Here’s the scoop on Gutenberg.org: It is a fabulous free library filled with many entire books that are out of copyright. No, you won’t find Nell Gaiman’s books there. You won’t find Dan Santat’s book there. But you will find the entire contents of the oldies and goldies.

Search the database. Click on the title and enjoy!

(Mark Twain)

(Mark Twain)

You will find the copyright data–if the book has that.

(Mark Twain)

You will find the illustrations–if the book has that.

(Mark Twain)

You will find the entire text. You can copy and paste most of the text.

But Be Sure to Cite Your Quotation.

Even though the books are out of copyright, you must still use quotes with quoted material, and you must cite your source, when you use the quote in your writing. Otherwise, you will be guilty of plagiarism, and plagiarism is a prosecutable offense.

Click on the following post. It is a detailed How-to-for using quotation marks in writing.

How to Use Quotation Marks Correctly

Work Cited:

Mark Twain. “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Gutenberg.org, 1885, gutenberg.org/ebooks/76.