The Internet Archive Open Library may be what you're looking for:

https://openlibrary.org/help/faq/reading

Or perhaps the Digital Public Library of America:

https://freebooks.dp.la/collection/groups

Most libraries have a way to request items for purchase and usually have budget to buy things that are requested, within reason and depending on their policies.

Austin TX has an eCard program, you can access their Overdrive for $22 https://library.austintexas.gov/mylibrarycard

As well, you may want to look to see if you can get access through other librarires in Texas via the TexShare Card program. https://www.tsl.texas.gov/texshare/card

This is a great page, although all of them are also non-free (for non-residents).

Separately, I wonder if there are any university libraries that offer memberships for non-affiliated people. For instance I wonder if I could get library access at CUNY or NYU (or Columbia, etc.) since I live in NYC. In general it feels like there's more of a hassle than there should be for city residents to benefit from city universities even if you aren't a student/faculty.

My alma mater has special library privileges for alumni, but when I've looked into it it's missing some of the most important resources, so it's not worth it. Our local regional public library system also has access to materials but they're also pretty spotty.

I think the OP's question is a good one. It's unusual in some ways, in that even if you are willing to pay for library access you often can't obtain it.

The problem related to access to academic resources in this way isn't just an issue of "open versus closed" in the sense of intellectual property, or even a problem of financial barriers to access, but also a gatekeeping problem.

Someone who is willing to pay, say, an amount equal to student services fees should probably be able to access the equivalent of a university library. It feels like, say, a US citizen should be able to access journal articles through the library of congress, maybe through a nominal yearly fee. You could even limit access like ebooks etc and it would still be better than the current system.

There's so many things like this in contemporary society that shouldn't be this way.

THIS>

and we should be able to utilize the USPS for interlibrary loan. But lately that would seem like a terribly risky proposition. We'd be on the hook for any books that were lost, stolen etc. Maybe we could get the Japanese in to run the postal system for us under a yearly license and them do something like this???

Each school/university will have its own policies, some allow the general public access but no borrowing, others have borrow policies usually under a "Friend of the Library" membership. For example:

- https://library.ccny.cuny.edu/about/friends

- https://library.cooper.edu/friends/

- https://library.nyu.edu/about/general/fob/

Between NYPL, QPL, BPL, and these I think living in NYC gives you access to a pretty great selection of materials. Navigating the policies can be a bit like juggling streaming services but is completely worth it in my opinion.

Thank you!

GP's link includes:

  * Brooklyn Public Library
  * Monroe County Library System
  * Queens Public Library
  * Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
  * Chapel Hill Public Library
  * Houston Public Library
  * Fairfax County Public Library

Here are some more [0, 1]:

  * Free Library of Philadelphia
  * Los Angeles Public Library
  * Atlanta-Fulton Library
  * Austin Public Library
  * Enoch Pratt Free Library
  * New Orleans Public Library
  * Orange County Library System
  * Westchester Library System
  * Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

[0] https://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2011/09/22/library-ebooks-...

[1] https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/EBook_Lending_Libraries#Wid...

Related. Do any of these libraries give a “read” API? Not just for metadata but also the main text itself. I have some apps planned around it but data has been gating factor for me.

most of the online library apps used by public libraries (like Overdrive/Libby) are built entirely around enforcing DRM so I think it's unlikely they'd allow easy access to the raw text

Houston Public Library membership is open to all Texas residents. Their web site is currently not working for me, but I would assume it will be back up and running shortly.

From what I can recall, the Brooklyn Public Library allows for non-local sign ups for a fee.

try looking at major local libraries, like the new york public library, I think many of them are open to non locals, you just pay a small fee.

$50 a year but you can read banned books for free now https://www.nypl.org/spotlight/books-for-all

libgen.rs

i love library genesis.