I love reading books and honestly, I have a huge collection of hard and soft copies of books from different authors. Considering that I spend a reasonable amount of money every year on books, one of my friends suggested I try out z library. At first, I did find it a blessing to know that I could get free access, however, I soon realized that I was taking a risk. In this article, I’m going to share some of my experience and learnings along with some legal alternatives as well.
Working ways of z library
Since 2009, z library offers free e-books and is considered to have one of the largest collections. With more than 73,759,848 articles and 3,430,839 e-books, this online library has a lot to offer. The website is by far a reader’s paradise but it comes with its own set of challenges as well.
It offers an exclusive and simple interface for readers along with a search option if you are looking for something specific. It also offers a wide range of language options so that people from any part of the world. You will find almost every book written by any author in its collection. A person can even gain access to ISBN books.
Whenever you choose a particular book, you will get various details like the number of pages, language options, and a brief summary of the book. To read the book you can choose to provide your email address, download it on Kindle, or even in PDF format.
Can you download books for z library legally?
As much as z library offers a wide selection of books, however, the e-books in the library are pirated versions. You will find most books by different US-based authors although the website may be hosted in Russia and belongs to a Chinese domain seller. Many people tend to take advantage of the fact that they can get any book from the website for free.
Having said that, I would like to also inform you that since pirated versions are copyright violations, you can land up into trouble directly or indirectly. There are many writers who have been complaining about this website. The unauthorized publishing of the books can also result in legal action.
Personally, I would advise that you buy the book instead of downloading it from the website. This is one of the best ways to safeguard yourself. If you do not want to buy the book you can even rent them at pocket-friendly prices.
Competitors of z library
There are other competitors as well who operate on the same concept of the website. These websites also have a wide range of books for readers but the only drawback is that they are illegal and violate copyright laws. So, let us look at some of the competitors who have been ruling the virtual world
- Library Genesis
- The Imperial Library of Trantor
- Libgen
Although many people still visit these websites, what they do not realize is that they can end up in some legal issues. So, instead of being vulnerable and landing into trouble, let me take you through some legal alternatives that you can consider.
Legal z library Alternatives
In many countries, piracy is a punishable and criminal offense, and Copywrite owners can incur huge losses. The content curators and writers do not get their due rights with illegal websites. This is one of the reasons why it is always advisable to go ahead with legal alternatives. In this section, I have complied a list of legal alternatives that you can consider. Here are some of them
Centsless Books
Just like the name, this is one of the most preferred e-book websites for avid readers. Here you can access any book that is there in their library without having to pay for it. You will even find Kindle edition books for free. The website keeps a track of any free e-books on Amazon and provide the same for its readers. You would need to wait a bit just in case there is a particular book that you want which is not there on the website.
Overdrive
Overdrive is the next name in the list that gives you access to various e-books. The website has a huge collection including any mainstream title that is recently released. It is also one of the largest and cleanest picture libraries online. In order to access the e-books on this website, you would need to have an active library card or subscription. It is available in many countries including Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia, United Kingdom, the United States, etc.
Project Gutenberg
Another free alternative that you can try out is Gutenberg. The website follows the US Copywrite law when it comes to the distribution of its collection under a public domain. You will also get the best free e-books available online. Volunteers and fundraisers are some of the ways of how Gutenberg gets their funding. The e-books are available in MOBI and EPUB formats for downloading purposes as well as in HTML format for those who wish to read online.
