Google Books

A patron asked us about Google Books today and so we thought we would look into it a little more. We discovered that Google Books is an awesome resource for books available in the public domain, retail stores or libraries. Google works with libraries, publishers, and authors to gain necessary permission to publish abstracts or even the full text of books. Books available in the public domain may be downloaded in their entirety in a PDF format to be read on your own computer (you will need a program like Adobe Reader). Some books have an abstract with information on how to find a copy of the book through a retailer or library. You can use Google to search for specific keywords or utilize a book's reference page to link to maps, reviews, and other useful information. The latest feature is the ability to build your own library on your favorite topic.

Just to test things out, we did a search for books that mention Soda Springs, ID. We found 887 items that mention our town. You could read about The History of Idaho, Anatomy of the Western Phosphate Field, or the Ventures and Adventures of Ezra Meeker.

There is a wide variety of fiction and non fiction books available. The library has high speed internet access and Adobe Reader. Try your own search and let us know what you find! A librarian would be happy to assist if you need help.