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Early Printed Books

A guide to help you locate and use books printed in the major languages of Western Europe between 1450 and 1700

Introduction

View of digital edition of the Third Part of the Plays by Pedro Calderon de la Barca, 1664

Many major libraries worldwide are actively working to produce digital copies of their early printed books. This is beneficial not only because it improves access to the texts from any location, but also because it helps to preserve these cultural treasures for future generations. Furthermore, it reduces the need for researchers to handle these fragile old books. New materials are regularly added to most of the collections below, so keep checking back.

This list is by no means exhaustive, and the focus is on photographic reproductions of the books, rather than transcriptions. Many of the websites include lists of links to other digital collections. Please contact your area librarian if you find a digital collection you think should be added to the list.

Major Collections

Other General Collections

Literature and the Arts

Science and Medicine

History

Religion