8 Free Books
Dorthea Seate
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Our quarterly book preview is one of our favorite things to put together for the blog, because we get to be loud and enthusiastic about all of the great releases coming out over the next few months, and there are some really great releases.
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The Apple Books app is free and there is no subscription. Audiobooks and ebooks are priced individually, and thousands of free audiobooks and ebooks are available. You can also sample audiobooks and ebooks for free while you browse.
Yes. Apple Books makes it easy to find the most anticipated audiobooks and ebooks. Search for the title and select the Pre-Order button to confirm the purchase. The title will be added to your library automatically once it is available. To preview upcoming releases, look for the Coming Soon section in the app.
The American Library Association (ALA) documented efforts to censor 4,240 unique book titles in schools and libraries in 2023, a 65% increase from 2022 and the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago. ALA's data shows that censorship attempts are increasingly moving to public libraries. Most targeted books are for a teen audience and are by or about BIPOC or LGBTQIA+ persons.
BPL's podcast mini-series tells the story of America's ideological war with its bookshelves. Hear from students on the frontlines, librarians and teachers who risk their careers by speaking up, and writers whose books have become a political battleground.
Look for frequently challenged books at your local library, or check out our selection of eBook & audiobook titles, many of which are set to "Always Available" for BPL cardholders - no waiting for a copy!
"In Their Own Words: Youth Voices on Books Unbanned", published in April 2024, details the impact of censorship on young people across the United States, using the voices of teens and young readers. Drawing upon thousands of stories shared by Books Unbanned cardholders, the report documents the impacts of censorship and highlights the joy and escape found in the freedom to read.
Want to spread the word in your community about Books Unbanned? Download our media kit, which includes a flier, printable sticker sheet, the official Books Unbanned artwork, Brooklyn Public Library's logo and a QR code.
Books Unbanned is generously supported by Harold and Colene Brown Family Foundation, The Destina Foundation, Elizabeth Foundation, Stacee Halsenbalg, The Hilail Gildin Trust, Alan and Linda Kahn Foundation, Long Ridge Foundation, Donald A. Pels Charitable Trust, John Pritzker Family Fund, John Sperling Foundation, Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation, Reparations Commission of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, Shawn Carter Enterprises, Diane and Joseph Steinberg, Kerry Washington, Andrea Zaldivar and Michael Festa, and many generous individuals.
For more than 50 years, SIAM books have been a leading source of knowledge for the applied mathematics and computational science communities. Our textbooks and monographs are indispensable to researchers, faculty, and students around the world, and our highly experienced editorial staff works closely and collaboratively with authors to ensure every author is proud of their published SIAM book.
A book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images. Books are typically composed of many pages, bound together and protected by a cover.[1] Modern bound books were preceded by many other written mediums, such as the codex, the scroll and the tablet. The book publishing process is the series of steps involved in their creation and dissemination.
As a conceptual object, a book typically refers to a written work of substantial length, which may be distributed either physically or in digital forms like ebooks. These works are broadly classified into fiction (containing imaginary content) and non-fiction (containing content representing truths). Many smaller categories exist within these, such as children's literature meant to match the reading level and interests of children, or reference works that gather collections of non-fiction. Books are traded at both regular stores and specialized bookstores, and can be borrowed from libraries. The reception of books has led to a number of social consequences, including censorship.
A physical book may not contain a written work: for example, it may contain only drawings, engravings, photographs, puzzles, or removable content like paper dolls. Physical books may be left empty to be used for writing or drawing, as in the case of account books, appointment books, autograph books, notebooks, diaries and sketchbooks.
The contemporary book industry has seen several major changes due to new technologies. In some markets, the sale of printed books has decreased due to the increased use of ebooks.[2] However, printed books still largely outsell ebooks, and many people have a preference for print.[3][4][5][6] The 21st century has also seen a rapid rise in the popularity of audiobooks, which are recordings of books being read aloud.[7] Additionally, awareness of the needs of people who have difficulty accessing print media due to disabilities like visual impairment has led to a rise in formats designed for greater accessibility, such as braille printing or formats supporting text-to-voice. Google Books estimated that as of 2010, approximately 130,000,000 unique books had been published.[8]
In its modern incarnation, a physical book is typically a collection of pages (most commonly of paper, parchment, or vellum) that are bound together and protected by a cover. By extension, 'book' may refer to a physical book's written, printed, or graphic contents.[1]
It is difficult to create an exact definition of books that clearly delineates them from other kinds of written material across time and culture. Many physical mediums for communication have existed throughout history, and the question of whether a particular object is a book may be subjective and contentious (as in the case of ebooks). Historian of books James Raven has suggested that when studying how books have been used to communicate, they should be defined in a broadly inclusive way as "portable, durable, replicable and legible" means of recording and disseminating information, rather than by physical or contextual features. This would include, for example, ebooks, newspapers, and quipus (a form of knot-based recording historically used by cultures in Andean South America), but not objects fixed in place such as inscribed monuments.[14][15]
Stricter definitions appear in other specialized contexts. For the purpose of recording national statistics on book production, UNESCO recommended that a book be defined as "a non-periodical printed publication of at least 49 pages, exclusive of the cover pages, published in the country and made available to the public", distinguishing them from other written material such as pamphlets.[1][16]
Although in academic language a monograph is understood to be a specialist work on a single subject, in library and information science the term is sometimes used more broadly to mean any non-serial publication complete in one volume (a physical book) or a definite number of volumes (such as a multi-volume novel), in contrast to serial or periodical publications.[1][13]
The history of books became an acknowledged academic discipline in the 1980s. Contributions to the field have come from textual scholarship, codicology, bibliography, philology, palaeography, art history, social history and cultural history. Its key purpose is to demonstrate that the book as an object, not just the text contained within it, is a conduit of interaction between readers and words. Analysis of each component part of the book reveals its purpose, where and how it was kept, who read it, ideological and religious beliefs of the period, and whether readers interacted with the text within. Even a lack of evidence of this nature leaves valuable clues about the nature of that particular book.
The earliest forms of writing were etched on stone slabs, transitioning to palm leaves and papyrus in ancient times.[17] Parchment and paper later emerged as important substrates for bookmaking, introducing greater durability and accessibility.[18] Across regions like China, the Middle East, Europe, and South Asia, diverse methods of book production evolved. The Middle Ages saw the rise of illuminated manuscripts, intricately blending text and imagery, particularly during the Mughal era in South Asia under the patronage of rulers like Akbar and Shah Jahan.[19][20] Prior to the invention of the printing press, made famous by the Gutenberg Bible, each text was a unique handcrafted valuable article, personalized through the design features incorporated by the scribe, owner, bookbinder, and illustrator.[21]
The invention of the printing press in the 15th century marked a pivotal moment, revolutionizing book production.[22] Innovations like movable type and steam-powered presses accelerated manufacturing processes and contributed to increased literacy rates. Copyright protection also emerged, securing authors' rights and shaping the publishing landscape.[23] The Late Modern Period introduced chapbooks, catering to a wider range of readers, and mechanization of the printing process further enhanced efficiency.
The 20th century witnessed the advent of typewriters, computers, and desktop publishing, transforming document creation and printing. Digital advancements in the 21st century led to the rise of e-books, propelled by the popularity of e-readers and accessibility features. While discussions about the potential decline of physical books have surfaced, print media has proven remarkably resilient, continuing to thrive as a multi-billion dollar industry.[24] Additionally, efforts to make literature more inclusive emerged, with the development of Braille for the visually impaired and the creation of spoken books, providing alternative ways for individuals to access and enjoy literature.[25][26]