Rare Bodleian books made available online

335,000 rare books can now be read in full for free online, thanks to the Bodleian Libraries' collaboration with Google.

First editions of Jane Austen's Emma, Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species and the first English translation of Newton’s Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy are among the priceless books which can now be read here.

The Bodleian has worked with Google on this project since 2004 and until recently 'public domain' books had only been available as 'snippets'. But since March this year the Bodleian has trialled this free open access arrangement.

There have already been close to 60,000 downloads from users across the world, and the five most read so far include a book by Queen Victoria and a book about Prince Albert – perhaps inspired by the regal pomp of this summer’s Jubilee celebrations.

This is not the only way to view the Bodleian's collections can be viewed outside the library. Electronic Enlightenment, the John Johnson Collection, Shakespeare Quartos Archive, Digital Shikshapatri, Bodleian Broadside Ballads, and the Bodleian Collection of Genizah Fragments are all accessible online.