Books: Finding Free & Cheap Chinese Learning Books
Chinese learning books can be expensive or difficult to find, but there are often cheaper ways to get them. Learn how to use libraries, interlibrary loan, secondhand sellers, and other sources to find books for free or at a lower cost.
Library Apps & Book-Finding Tools
★ A free library app for borrowing ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and other digital resources with a participating library card. Libby lets you borrow and place holds on digital materials, then read or listen in the app.
One of its most useful features is the ability to add multiple library cards and library systems to the same account. If you legitimately qualify for more than one card—through your city or county, reciprocal borrowing agreements, nonresident programs, or other eligibility—you can add them all to Libby. Since each library has its own collection and wait lists, a book unavailable at one library may be available sooner at another. Libby can compare borrowing options across your saved libraries, and Deep Search can search across their collections. Loans and holds from different libraries appear together on your Shelf, while borrowing and hold limits are set separately by each library.
When a hold becomes available, you normally have 72 hours to borrow it, suspend it, or cancel it. Suspending a hold is especially useful if several books become available at once because you can keep your place in line without borrowing immediately.
Mobile users can download ebooks and audiobooks for offline use, and U.S. library users may also be able to send eligible ebooks to Kindle. Some libraries also offer Libby Extras, and magazines and Extras do not count against standard book and audiobook borrowing limits.
Library-card eligibility, collections, loan periods, and borrowing limits vary by library. Available on: Web, Android and iOS.
★ A free browser extension that helps you see whether a book you are considering buying is available from your library instead. Library Extension works in the background while you browse supported book websites such as Amazon, Goodreads, ThriftBooks and The StoryGraph. You use those sites normally; when you open a book page, the extension automatically checks the libraries you have added and shows whether that title is available to borrow.
Instead of searching each library catalog separately—or buying a book you could borrow for free—you can follow the library result to check availability or place a hold. It supports multiple library systems and digital collections such as Libby/OverDrive and Hoopla, making it especially useful if you have several library cards.
The extension is free, requires no account, supports thousands of libraries, and is available for Chrome, Firefox and Microsoft Edge. The service reports more than 130,000 users.
★ A useful directory for finding public libraries that may provide free access to print books, eBooks, audiobooks, and other borrowing services. Libraries.org lists more than 16,000 public libraries across the United States and lets you browse by state or search by library name, city, or county. It can be especially helpful for finding nearby library systems you may not know about, including neighboring counties or cities where you can check card eligibility, reciprocal borrowing privileges, nonresident cards, digital collections, and interlibrary loan options. The directory itself does not determine who qualifies for a library card, so always check the individual library’s website for current residency requirements and fees.
Free Web-based
★ A free tool that helps Libby users find additional library cards they may qualify for. ReciproCard lets you search by your home library to find reciprocal agreements, partner libraries, online card applications, and paid nonresident options that may give you access to additional Libby collections. It also filters out libraries that share the same digital catalog, helping you focus on cards that can actually expand your borrowing options and potentially shorten wait times for ebooks and audiobooks. Because library eligibility and borrowing policies can change, verify the requirements directly with the library before applying.
Free Web-Based
★ A free worldwide library catalog that can help you find books that are unavailable or expensive to buy. WorldCat searches the collections of thousands of libraries, making it especially useful for tracking down Chinese textbooks, graded readers, dictionaries, children’s books, and other harder-to-find materials. Search for a title to see which libraries report owning it, including libraries near you. If the book is held farther away, save the listing and ask your local library whether they can obtain it through interlibrary loan. WorldCat itself does not lend or sell the books; it helps you locate libraries that have them. Free to search.
Free Web-BasedFree Digital Library Access
★ Free digital library cards that give eligible teens and young adults access to major public-library ebook and audiobook collections, even when they live outside the library’s normal service area. Books Unbanned is a national initiative started by Brooklyn Public Library to help young people who face book bans, censorship, or other barriers to accessing books.
Participating libraries offer free digital cards to qualifying U.S. residents, with eligibility varying by library. For example, Brooklyn Public Library currently offers its Books Unbanned eCard to ages 13–21, providing access to its full ebook and audiobook collection plus learning databases, while The Seattle Public Library offers access to ages 13–26 nationwide.
Many of these digital collections can be borrowed through Libby, making Books Unbanned especially useful for young people whose local library has a smaller digital collection or does not carry the books they want. Cards are free, but age requirements, available resources, and other eligibility rules vary by participating library.
★ Search thousands of digitized pre-modern Chinese books and classical texts for free. The Chinese Text Project provides a large open-access collection of Chinese works, including scanned historical editions and searchable text for many titles. Search by title or author, view original page scans when available, and access an English-language interface that is especially useful for advanced learners, researchers, and readers interested in classical Chinese.
Free Web-Based
★ A massive free library of Chinese classics, literature and historical texts. Chinese Wikisource (維基文庫) is a free, volunteer-maintained digital library containing millions of Chinese-language documents, including classical literature, poetry, historical writings, philosophical works and other public-domain or freely licensed texts. Readers can switch between Simplified and Traditional Chinese, and many works can also be downloaded in formats such as EPUB, MOBI or PDF. It is best suited to intermediate and advanced readers since the texts are presented as original works rather than graded learning material. The website is in Chinese, but most modern browsers can translate it to English if necessary.
Free Web-Based
★ Read and listen to Chinese classics for free. Loyal Books offers free public-domain audiobooks and ebooks, including Chinese literature, philosophy, poetry and other classic works. Many titles can be read online or downloaded in formats suitable for e-readers, while audiobooks can be streamed or downloaded for offline listening. To find Chinese ebooks, scroll down to Languages in the left-hand menu and select Chinese, then choose eBooks from the book-type drop-down menu at the top of the results. Available on the web, Android and iOS.
Free Web-Based / App
★ Free worldwide digital library with borrowable ebooks, including Chinese-language books and Chinese learning materials. Open Library is a nonprofit project of the Internet Archive that lets anyone create a free digital library card—no local library membership is required. After creating a free account, search for a book and look for the Read or Borrow option; available books can be read directly in your web browser, and many borrowed titles are also offered in PDF or EPUB format.
Chinese learners can search for Chinese-language books, literature, translations, textbooks, and reference materials, although not every catalog listing is available to read or borrow. For the most useful results, search Open Library and use its ebook filters to narrow the results to titles that are actually available digitally. You can also browse its Chinese language collection.
Because availability varies by edition, check the individual book page to see whether it can be read immediately, borrowed, or is only listed in the catalog.
★ Free Chinese classics and public-domain ebooks for readers looking for authentic, full-length texts. Project Gutenberg’s Chinese collection includes novels, poetry, historical works, philosophy and other older Chinese texts, with many titles written in Traditional Chinese. Everything from Project Gutenberg is free, with no account or subscription required. Books can be read directly in a browser or downloaded in formats such as EPUB for use with compatible ebook readers and apps. Because the collection focuses largely on older and public-domain works rather than material created for language learners, some texts may contain classical, literary or dated Chinese.
Free Web-BasedFree International Digital Library Access
★ A free source of Korean novels, short stories, poetry, and other literature translated into Chinese, with ebooks that can be borrowed through OverDrive and Libby.
The Digital Library of Korean Literature, operated by the Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea), is designed to make Korean literature available to readers around the world in many languages. For Chinese learners, the useful part is its collection of Chinese translations of Korean books. This is not a Chinese-learning course or a collection of books originally written in Chinese; instead, it provides authentic Chinese reading material through professionally published translations. The Chinese collection is relatively small—currently several dozen titles—but includes fiction and other literary works that can be especially useful for intermediate and advanced readers.
To borrow ebooks, first create a free Digital Library account and select an individual membership. You can then visit the library's OverDrive collection, sign in with that account, and use the Language filter to select Chinese. Books are generally borrowed for two weeks, and unavailable titles can be placed on hold.
You can also use the collection in Libby: add Literature Translation Institute of Korea as a library and sign in with your Digital Library account. Available through OverDrive on the web and Libby on Android and iOS.
★ Free, instantly accessible Chinese ebooks from Hong Kong Public Libraries—no library card, account, or login required. Pop-up eBooks is a rotating collection of locally published ebooks made available by Hong Kong Public Libraries for anyone to read online. The selection includes literature and fiction, books for children and young adults, social science, lifestyle, leisure reading and other subjects.
Unlike most of the library’s ebook collections, you do not need to live in Hong Kong or have a Hong Kong Public Libraries card to use this collection. Simply open the Pop-up eBook page, choose a title, and read it online in your browser. There are no borrowing limits or reservations for these books. Titles are offered for a limited period—at least three months—and the selection is replaced quarterly, so books available now may disappear when the collection changes. Additional materials can also be browsed through the library’s Digital Collection.
★ A particularly useful source of Traditional Chinese books and digital materials that people outside Taiwan can access without living there. National Central Library, Taiwan 國家圖書館 (NCL) is Taiwan’s national library, with extensive Chinese-language holdings including books, periodicals, theses, historical materials, reference works, and digitized collections.
Foreign users can apply for a reader account online; after submitting the form, activate the account through the email link within 24 hours and create a password. You can then sign in to the library’s collection and electronic-resource search system to look for books, journals, ebooks, and other digital materials.
Some NCL resources are freely readable online, while others require an NCL login or are restricted to use inside the library because of publisher licensing. NCL credentials can also be used with certain services such as HyRead where applicable. This is not a Libby library, so materials are accessed through the NCL’s own platforms and participating electronic-resource services.
Important for overseas users: if you register online but do not visit the library in Taiwan to verify your identification, the online account is valid for six months; after that, you would need to register again. Many portions of the website are in Chinese, but most modern browsers can translate it to English if necessary.
★ Free access to a large digital collection that includes more than 1,000 Chinese-language titles. The National Library of Malaysia offers ebooks, audiobooks, magazines and other digital materials through OverDrive. It can also be added directly to the Libby app, making it easy to browse and borrow alongside your other libraries. An official Malaysian public-library access guide provides a sign-in method for general or anonymous users: In Libby, search for National Library of Malaysia, choose to sign in with a library card, and enter a card number from the ranges eb001–eb999 or pnm001–pnm999. See the official access instructions for the current login information.
Free Web-BasedBook Price Comparison Tools
★ A free book price-comparison tool that searches listings from more than 100,000 booksellers, helping you find cheaper new, used, rare, and out-of-print books. BookFinder is especially useful when you already know the title, author, or ISBN of a Chinese textbook, dictionary, graded reader or other book you want. Instead of checking individual bookstores one at a time, you can search once and compare copies, prices, conditions, and sellers from many different sources. When you choose a copy, BookFinder sends you to the original bookseller to complete the purchase; BookFinder does not sell the book itself. Search options can also help narrow results by new or used condition, binding, publication year, price and other details.
FreeUsed Book Resellers
AwesomeBooks is a UK-based online retailer of used and new books, worth checking for Chinese textbooks, graded readers, dictionaries and harder-to-find titles. Although based overseas, it ships directly to the United States. Check its current shipping details and return policy before ordering.
Used-Book Reseller
BooksRun is a hybrid book service that sells books directly, hosts third-party marketplace sellers and offers book and textbook rentals, making it worth checking who is fulfilling a particular listing. See its current shipping policy and return policy; marketplace shipping and returns may vary by seller. BooksRun's marketplace seller rules require refunds when problems such as incorrect, damaged or misdescribed items are the seller’s fault. BooksRun also has Android and iOS apps, which are primarily geared toward its book-buyback service.
Hybrid Reseller & Marketplace
ThriftBooks offers free standard shipping on eligible U.S. orders and accepts authorized returns, generally within 30 days. See its current shipping and return policies for details. Available on the web, Android and iOS.
Used-Books Reseller
World of Books is a large online bookseller specializing in used books, making it useful for finding discounted Chinese textbooks, dictionaries, graded readers, children’s books and older editions. Check its current shipping policy and return and refund policy before ordering. Available on the web, Android and iOS.
Used-Books ResellerUsed Book Marketplaces
AbeBooks is an online marketplace for new, used, rare and out-of-print books from independent booksellers worldwide, making it useful for finding older Chinese textbooks, dictionaries, graded readers and hard-to-find editions. Purchases are covered by AbeBooks’ money-back guarantee for certain order problems. Shipping costs, delivery times and return terms can vary, so check the current shipping information and return policy before ordering.
Online Marketplace
Alibris is an online marketplace for new, used, rare and out-of-print books sold by Alibris and independent booksellers, making it useful for comparing prices on harder-to-find Chinese textbooks, dictionaries and readers. Shipping costs and return terms can vary by seller and item, so check the current shipping and return policies before buying.
Online Marketplace
Biblio is a marketplace for new, used, rare and out-of-print books from independent booksellers worldwide, making it useful for harder-to-find Chinese textbooks, dictionaries, graded readers and older editions. Shipping varies by bookseller and destination, so check Biblio’s current shipping information before ordering. Purchases are backed by the BIBLIO Guarantee and return policy if an order is lost, incorrect, damaged or not as described.
Online Marketplace
eBay can be especially helpful for textbooks, graded readers, dictionaries, children's books and out-of-print editions. Shipping costs and return policies vary by seller, but most purchases are covered by the eBay Money Back Guarantee if an item arrives damaged, doesn't arrive or doesn't match the listing. Available on the web, Android and iOS.
Online Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace lets buyers shop from individual sellers locally or, on eligible listings, have items shipped. Check Facebook’s current shipping information and returns and refunds information before buying. Eligible purchases completed through Facebook checkout may be covered by Purchase Protection, but local pickup and person-to-person payments are not covered. Available on the web, Android and iOS.
Meeting a seller in person? Choose a busy, well-lit public place, preferably during the day. Some local police departments offer designated safe-exchange areas for online purchases, so check whether yours does. Tell someone where you are going and inspect the books before paying.
Mercari is an online marketplace where individual sellers list new and used items, making it worth checking for Chinese textbooks, dictionaries, graded readers, children's books and harder-to-find editions. Shipping varies by listing, so check Mercari’s current shipping policy and return policy before buying. Eligible purchases are covered by Mercari Buyer Protection if there is a problem with the order. Available on the web, Android and iOS.
Online Marketplace