Welcome to the Ultimate Textbook Megathread.

This thread is designed to help students find almost any textbook — free, cheap, rare, old, international, or hard to find.

Instead of wasting hours jumping between sites, this megathread compiles the best resources in one place.

What you’ll find here:

• Free textbook sources
• Rare book databases
• Cheap alternatives if free copies aren’t available
• ISBN lookup tools
• Research paper resources
• Backup methods for hard-to-find books

This thread is updated regularly to remove dead links and improve sources.

STEP 1: CHECK FREE SOURCES FIRST

1. Anna’s Archive

Best overall source for textbooks, rare editions, and academic books. Check wiki of r/Annas_Archive for the currently working domains.

2. Library Genesis (LibGen)

Great for STEM, engineering, medicine, business, and law. Check wiki of r/libgen for the currently active domains.

3. OpenStax

Free legal textbooks for core undergraduate subjects.

4. LibreTexts

Excellent for science and math resources.

5. Internet Archive / Open Library

Useful for borrowing older editions.

STEP 2: USE ISBN TO VERIFY THE EXACT EDITION

Before buying or downloading, verify your book here:

• Google Books
• WorldCat
• Google Scholar

Pro tip: Searching by ISBN usually gets better results than title.

STEP 3: IF YOU STILL CAN’T FIND IT

If you’ve checked the sources above and still can’t find your book:

Send me a DM or comment below with:
• Book title
• Author name
• Edition
• ISBN (if possible)

I may be able to help you locate a cheap copy, rare edition, international version, or alternative source.

A lot of books that seem impossible to find can still be sourced.

BONUS: RESEARCH PAPERS

For journals, papers, and supplementary material:

• Sci-Hub
• ResearchGate
• arXiv

Bookmark this thread. It’s built to save students time, money, and stress.

If you know another useful source, comment below and help improve the megathread.

🚨 Welcome to the Scammer Warning List

This page is maintained to help students avoid scams while buying textbooks, notes, PDFs, and other educational resources.

Our goal is simple: protect students by documenting verified scam reports and sharing safe buying practices.

⚠️ Before You Buy Anything

Please follow these basic safety rules:

• Never pay through irreversible methods (crypto, gift cards, etc.) unless you completely trust the seller.

• Ask for proof that the seller actually owns the book or material.

• Check the seller's Reddit account age and activity.

• Be cautious of prices that seem unrealistically cheap.

• Don't let anyone pressure you into making a quick payment.

• Keep screenshots of your conversations and payment receipts.

A few minutes of verification can save you from losing your money.

🚫 Verified Scammer List

The following users have been added after moderators reviewed sufficient evidence.

(This table will be updated regularly.)

📋 How Someone Gets Added to This List

A seller may be listed if moderators verify one or more of the following:

• Multiple independent scam reports

• Payment received but no delivery

• Fake tracking numbers or fake proofs

• Stolen screenshots or forged vouches

• Impersonating trusted sellers

• Ban evasion using alternate accounts

• Other clear evidence of fraudulent activity

Reports without supporting evidence will not be added.

📨 Report a Scammer

If you've been scammed, please send the moderators:

• Reddit username (or Discord/Telegram username)

• Platform where the transaction happened

• Screenshots of the conversation

• Payment proof

• Description of what happened

• Any additional evidence that supports your claim

Please remove or blur any sensitive personal information before submitting screenshots.

❗ False Reports

Knowingly submitting false or misleading reports wastes moderator time and may result in a permanent ban from the subreddit.

📢 Appeals

If you believe you've been listed by mistake, contact the moderators with evidence. Every appeal will be reviewed fairly.

🛡️ Our Goal

This page exists to help students make informed decisions and reduce fraud within our community.

If you've had a positive experience with a seller, feel free to share it in the subreddit. If you've encountered a scam, report it so others don't become victims.

Together, we can build a safer community for everyone.