Full eBooks List
This page is a curated list of scholarly and academic eBooks and digital book collections selected, licensed, and made available through the Michael Schwartz Library. It is a reworked version of the library’s legacy eBooks page and is intended to support review of how this list relates to the eBooks from our A–Z Databases List.
Looking for textbooks?
- Check this semester's list of required textbooks: many are available as eBooks
- More about finding print and electronic textbooks
Major academic eBook platforms
These are the main starting points for most users looking for scholarly, reference, and course-related eBooks through the library.
| Collection | Formats | Software or account requirements | Restrictions or notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ProQuest Ebook Central | PDF, ePub, others | Adobe Digital Editions may be required for downloads. | Off-campus access requires CSU ID and password; some titles have download, printing, or simultaneous-user limitations. |
| EBSCO eBook Collection | PDF, EPUB | EBSCOhost account and Adobe Digital Editions may be required for checkout or download. | Off-campus access requires CSU ID and password; some titles cannot be checked out, downloaded, or printed. |
| OhioLINK Electronic Book Center | HTML, PDF | None | Off-campus access requires CSU ID and password; downloading and printing may be limited to one chapter at a time. |
| JSTOR | HTML viewer, PDF | JSTOR account, Adobe Reader, and FileOpen plugin may be required for some downloads. | Off-campus access requires CSU ID and password; downloading and printing may be limited to one chapter at a time. |
| MIT Press Direct | HTML | None | Off-campus access requires CSU ID and password. |
| O'Reilly | HTML | Choose “not listed?” and use your CSU email address if prompted. | Platform includes eBooks and videos in computing, business, and related fields. |
| SpringerLink | PDF, HTML | Some titles may require a Springer account. | Off-campus access requires CSU ID and password; some titles may have added access restrictions or fees. |
| Wiley Online Library | PDF, HTML | None | Off-campus access requires CSU ID and password. |
| Very Short Introductions | HTML | None | Off-campus access requires CSU ID and password; printing may be limited to one chapter at a time. |
| Greenleaf Online Library | None | Off-campus access requires CSU ID and password; viewing and printing may be limited to one chapter at a time. | |
| APA Books E-Collections | Varies | None listed | Off-campus access requires CSU ID and password. |
Open access and freely available scholarly collections
These collections provide open access or freely available academic, reference, government, and educational materials.
| Collection | Formats | Software or account requirements | Restrictions or notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB) | Varies | None | Open access discovery service for scholarly books. |
| OAPEN | PDF and others | May require cookie acceptance | Open access academic books, especially in humanities and social sciences. |
| OpenEdition Books | HTML, PDF, ePub | None | Includes humanities and social sciences titles; many are open access. |
| Open Textbook Library | HTML, PDF | None | Openly licensed textbooks. |
| OpenStax CNX | PDF, ePub, and others | None | Open educational materials in multiple disciplines. |
| National Academies Press | PNG, PDF | Email address or NAP account may be required for larger downloads or printing. | Books can be read freely; downloads may require sign-in. |
| NCBI Bookshelf | HTML, PDF | None | Free access to life science and healthcare books and documents. |
| GovInfo | HTML, PDF | None | Free public access to official federal information. |
| InTech Open Access Books | HTML, PDF | None | Open access books in sciences, engineering, health, and social sciences. |
| Getty Publications Virtual Library | HTML, PDF | None | Free digital backlist titles from Getty Publications. |
| OhioLINK ETD Center | None | Open access theses and dissertations from Ohio universities. | |
| Ohio Digital Bookshelf | None | Open access textbooks in the OhioLINK Digital Resource Commons. |
Local and MSL-published collections
These collections highlight Cleveland State University scholarship, affordable learning materials, and Cleveland and Northeast Ohio history.
| Collection | Formats | Software or account requirements | Restrictions or notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland State University Ebook Repository | Selected titles in PDF or HTML | None | Includes scholarship and library-published titles; some linked titles hosted elsewhere may have platform restrictions. |
| Cleveland Memory e-Book Collection | Varies by title | None | Focuses on Cleveland and regional history. |
| Pressbooks@MSL | HTML | None | Open textbooks and other works published through the Michael Schwartz Library. |
| Dissertations & Theses @ Cleveland State University | None | Off-campus access requires CSU ID and password. |
Additional academic and reference resources
The legacy page also included a wider range of digital book and text collections. The resources below are retained here for review as part of the reworked list.
| Collection | Formats | Software or account requirements | Restrictions or notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Catalogue of Electronic Texts | HTML | None | Open access texts, including links to Project Gutenberg and Internet Archive resources. |
| EServer Books Collection | HTML, PDF | None | Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. |
| FreeBooks4Doctors | HTML, PDF | None | Medical books and related resources. |
| Google Books | PDF, EPUB | Google account may be required for some downloads. | Many copyright-protected titles provide only previews. |
| The Great Books and Classics of Western Civilization | HTML, some PDF or EPUB | None | Freely available classic texts. |
| Gutenberg-E | HTML, PDF | None | Open access works from the American Historical Association and Columbia University Press. |
| HathiTrust Digital Library | PNG, PDF | None | Viewing and printing may be restricted; CSU is not currently a HathiTrust partner. |
| Internet Archive: Text Archive | Varies by title | Some items require an Open Library account or additional reading software. | Mix of public domain and restricted borrowed materials. |
| NBER Working Papers | HTML, PDF | None | Off-campus access requires CSU ID and password. |
| The Online Books Page | Varies by title | None | Directory to other freely readable online books. |
| Project Gutenberg | Varies by title | None | Broad range of public domain books. |
| Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) | HTML, PDF | None | Off-campus access requires CSU ID and password. |
Need help reviewing this list?
Compare this page with the eBooks from our A–Z Databases List and with the main Finding eBooks at the Michael Schwartz Library page.
For platform guidance and user-facing help, see the eBooks @ CSU Research Guide.