Century Past Free Online Library
Helping readers find books and media in the world’s largest free online library. Plus free magazines, newspapers, articles, and map collections. We comply with U.S. copyright laws.
Fiction – Books Archive
Dive into a massive library of novels from beloved authors across genres like Romance, Mystery, Suspense, Sci-fi, Historical, Inspirational, Action, Fantasy, and more. Also find World Literature, Poetry, Short Stories, and helpful reading guides.
Browse over 40 dedicated fiction pages featuring books for Adults, Young Adults, and Children. Nearly all of the ‘topics’ listed on these pages have links leading to book collections at Internet Archive.
At Internet Archive, you can see what books the collections hold, and read or download books published before 1928, without logging in. To ‘borrow’ more modern books online, simply create a free log-in at Internet Archive.
Begin with the Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Comics, Drama, or Poetry sections in our Book Subjects Directory.
Nonfiction – Internet Archive Books – Media
Century Past connects you to over 2 million nonfiction books available through Internet Archive, alongside an array of additional texts, videos, and audio resources. Explore over 100 subject-specific webpages, each featuring dozens of ‘topics’ with links to book collections and media.
At Internet Archive, you can see the books in collections, and read or download books published before 1928, without logging in. To ‘borrow’ more modern books online, create a free log-in at Internet Archive.
Use the Book Subjects Directory to navigate to the correct page and click the topics there. Or you can Search the site by clicking the magnifying glass at the top-right corner of any page.
For tips on navigating Internet Archive collection pages, visit our FAQ section: How Do I Manage Large Collections in the Internet Archive?
Magazine Archive
Explore a vast collection of magazines, including current issues and archives from the U.S. and around the world. Discover titles no longer in publication, as well as unique, smaller online-only magazines. Start your search at Magazines in the Main Menu.
Part of the magazines are located at Internet Archive, and you may need a free log-in to read them. Sign up here.
Current Newspapers – Old Newspapers
Access hundreds of current newspapers and news publications, along with archives of historical newspapers. Nearly all are free and in English, featuring coverage from the U.S. and countries around the globe.
Begin at Newspapers in the Century Past main menu.
Some of the newspapers are located at Internet Archive, and you may need a free log-in to read them. Sign up here.
Articles & Digital Collections
A library of more than 1,000 free online articles from magazines and newspapers, organized by subject. More than half the subjects are history-related.
Numerous collections of historical maps and vintage photos are also here. Start at Articles-Maps-Photos in the Main Menu.
The Great Lakes States Past & Present
Free books and articles for Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio & Wisconsin, from earliest times to the present. Each state, and the Great Lakes region, has pages for over a dozen subjects. Historical maps too.
Start at the Great Lakes States directory.
Most of the books are located at Internet Archive, and you may need a free log-in to read them. Sign up here.
Internet Archive Books – Millions of Titles
Most books published from 1928 until about 2017 are only available to you at Internet Archive. Using Century Past is the best way to find old publications and modern books in most subjects at Internet Archive‘s enormous library. Read them online with a free Internet Archive log-on.
If you prefer physical to digital books, find your titles on this site, then check these online book retailers.
For more information about this site, see About Century Past.