Library Genesis (LibGen) is a non-profit project aimed at providing free access to books and scientific and academic articles that may be copyright protected. It is widely used by researchers and students to access knowledge sources that may be expensive or unavailable in some countries.
How does it work?
It relies on a network of mirror sites that provide the ability to search and download books and articles.
It contains a massive database that includes eBooks, research papers, journals, novels, and scientific references.
Supports searching by book title, author name, or ISBN number.
Is it legal?
Library Genesis raises legal controversy, as it is considered a copyright infringement in some countries, while in others it is viewed as an educational tool that helps disseminate knowledge. Therefore, some of its links may be blocked in certain countries, and it is advisable to check local laws before use.
Legal alternatives
If you are looking for legal alternatives, you can try:
Google Scholar (for research and scholarly articles)
Open Library (for free books)
Sci-Hub (for access to scientific papers, but also controversial)