Terms of Service

Last updated: 2026-03-15

BookLantern is a distraction-free way to discover and read books from public-domain and open-access sources. By using our site, you agree to these Terms.

1) Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using BookLantern (the “Service”), you agree to be bound by these Terms and by our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.

2) What We Provide

We index free, legally available books from trusted libraries and archives and offer a clean reading interface. Some items link out to their original providers. Availability can change based on the source.

3) Accounts

You cannot browse without an account. Certain features require one.
You are responsible for your account credentials and any activity under your account.
We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms.

4) Acceptable Use

Use the Service only for lawful purposes and in a way that does not infringe on others’ rights.
Do not scrape, bulk-download, disrupt, reverse-engineer, or misuse the Service.
Respect the terms of our content providers; some items may have specific usage notes in their source pages.

5) Content & Intellectual Property

Many books are in the public domain or released for open access by rights holders. We do not claim ownership over such content.
Site design, logos, UI elements, and our own text are © BookLantern and may not be copied without permission.
If you believe material is used improperly, contact us (see “Contact” below). We honor legitimate takedown requests.

6) Your Submissions

If you send us feedback or suggestions, you grant BookLantern a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use that feedback to improve the Service. Notes and bookmarks you create in the reader are stored locally on your device unless we explicitly add a sync feature in the future.

7) Third-Party Links

Links to libraries/archives are provided for convenience. We are not responsible for third-party sites, policies, or content.

8) Disclaimers

The Service is provided “as is” and “as available.” We make no warranties regarding accuracy, availability, or fitness for a particular purpose.
We do not provide legal advice about copyright status; always check the source’s license terms for your jurisdiction.

9) Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, BookLantern and its contributors shall not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or exemplary damages, or for lost profits or data, arising from your use of the Service.

10) Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless BookLantern from claims arising out of your misuse of the Service or violation of these Terms.

11) Changes & Termination

We may modify or discontinue the Service or these Terms at any time. We will post updates on this page. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.

12) Governing Law

Unless your local law requires otherwise, these Terms are governed by the laws of the United States and the State of California, without regard to conflict-of-law rules, and the venue for disputes will be San Francisco, California.

13) Contact

Questions or takedown notices: please contact us.