Open Textbooks
FREE and OPEN
Find OPEN and free textbooks that may be suitable for use in community college courses from the list of Subjects below. For descriptions of these open textbooks, see listings in MERLOT and OER Commons. Most of the textbooks on this list have Creative Commons (CC) open licenses or GNU-Free Document License. Others are U.S. government documents in the public domain (PD).
Many other textbooks are free to view online but are NOT OPEN for reuse and customization. See Copyrighted Digital Textbooks for a list of learning content without open licenses.
Learn more about open textbooks:
Disclaimer: CCCOER has not yet vetted all of the open textbooks on this list for quality or accuracy of the content. See Peer Reviews of Open Textbooks. NR indicates a textbook that is not recommended at this time based on peer review.
Subjects
- Anthropology
- Art
- Biology
- Business
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Education
- Engineering
- English and Composition
- Health and Nursing
- History
- Languages and Communications
- Literature
- Math
- Music
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Science
- Sociology
- Statistics and Probability
Additional Sources
- Audio Books
- Free Books for Doctors
- Global Text Project
- OER Commons
- Open Knowledge Foundation
- Orange Grove
- Public Literature
- Questia
- Textbook Revolution
- The Assayer
- USG Share
- Wikibooks
- WikiEducator – Economics
Anthropology
- Cultural Anthropology/Health, Healing and Human Rights (CC-BY-SA)
- Folklife and Fieldwork A Layman’s Introduction to Field Techniques (PD)
- Introduction to Paleoanthropology (CC-BY-SA)
- Life in the Palaeozoic (CC-BY-SA)
Art
- Art History (CC-BY-SA)
- Digital Foundations (CC-BY-NC)
- Digital Foundations: Introduction to Media Design with the Adobe Creative Suite (CC-BY-NC)
- History of New Media (CC-BY-SA)
- Open Content Photography Program NR
- Remix Making art and commerce thrive in the hybrid economy (CC-BY-NC)
- Visual Communication Design (CC-NC-BY-SA)
Biology and Genetics
- Biology I (CC-BY-SA)
- Molecular Biology Lab Manual (CC-BY)
- CK-12 Biology (BY-SA)
- Computing Life (PD)
- Genes and Disease (PD)
- Human Physiology (CC-BY-SA)
- Help Me Understand Genetics Handbook (PD)
- Introduction to Modern Biology (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Inside the Cell – Biology (PD)
- Life (CC-BY-SA)
- Nucleic Acids and Chromatin (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- The New Genetics (PD)
- Structures of Life (PD)
- What Do Genes Do? (CC-BY-NC)
- What is the Genome Made of? (CC-BY-NC)
Business
- Accounting I (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Accounting II (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Business Fundamentals (CC-BY)
- Core Concepts of Marketing (CC-BY)
- Electronic Commerce: The Strategic Perspective (2nd ed.) (CC-BY)
- eMarketing: The Essential Guide to Online Marketing (peer reviews at MERLOT) (CC-BY-SA)
- Entrepreneurial Behavior (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Exploring Business (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Fundamentals of Income Tax Theory and Practice (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Green IS: Building Sustainable Business Practices (CC-BY)
- Innovation Happens Elsewhere (CC-NC–BY-SA)
- Launch! Advertising and Promotion in Real Time (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- The Market-Led Organisation (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Organizational Behavior (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Preparing a Project (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Principles of Entrepreneurship (PD)
- The Principles of Management (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Risk Management for Enterprises and Individuals (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Basic Skills (CC-BY-NC-ND)
- Social Marketing (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Sustainability (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Tourism The International Business (CC-BY)
- Using Excel 2002 (CC-BY-NC-ND)
- Unleashing the Ideavirus (Assayer review) (custom copyright)
Chemistry
- Chem I Virtual Textbook (CC-BY-NC)
- Chemistry (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Chemistry (The Free High School Science Texts) (GFDL)
- Chemistry (CC-BY)
- The Chemistry of Health
- ChemWiki (CC-BY-SA-NC)
- Concept Development Studies in Chemistry (CC-BY)
- Getting Started (CC-BY-NC)
- An Introduction to Organic Chemistry (CC-BY-NC-ND)
- NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (PD)
- Open Source Chemistry Course (CA Textbook) (CC-BY)
Computer Science
- Accessibility in Interaction Design (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- A Conceptual Guide to OpenOffice.org 3 (CC-BY-SA)
- AJAX Programming (CC-BY)
- Applescript for Absolute Beginners (CC-BY)
- Basic Computing Using Windows (CC-BY-SA)
- Basic Linux Commands (CC-BY)
- BecomeAnXcoder (CC-BY)
- Blown to Bits: Your Life, Liberty, and Happiness After the Digital Explosion (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Cascading Style Sheets (CC-BY-SA)
- The Cathedral and the Bazaar (Open Publication License)
- CGI Programming on the World Wide Web (Assayer review) (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- A Conceptual Guide to NeoOffice 2 for Mac OS X (CC-BY-SA)
- Database Development Lifecycle (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- A Designer’s Log: Case Studies in Instructional Design (CC-BY-NC-ND) click on ebook
- Digital Darkroom Fundamentals for Mac OS X (CC-BY-SA)
- Designing the User Interface CC- (BY-NC-SA)
- Distributed Systems (CC-BY)
- Dive into Python (GFDL)
- Electronic Commerce: The Strategic Perspective (CC-BY)
- Finding Information in Information Technology and Computing (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Firefox Manual (CC-BY-SA)
- Flash Tutorials (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- FLOSS Manuals (GNU-GPL)
- Free as in Freedom (GFDL)
- The Future of the Internet and How to Stop It (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- GNU/Linux Advanced Administration (GFDL)
- Grokking the Gimp (Assayer review) (Open Publication License)
- How to Think Like a Computer Scientist with Python (Assayer review) (GFDL)
- HyperText Markup Language (CC)
- Information on the Web (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Interpreting Information Systems in Organizations (CC-BY)
- Introducing ICT Systems (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Introduction to Computer Science (CC-BY-SA)
- An introduction to Data and Information (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Introduction to Databases and MySQL (CC-BY)
- Introduction to Digital Logic with Laboratory Exercises (CC-BY)
- Introduction to Free Software (GFDL)
- Introduction to SCORM (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- LaTeX (CC-BY-SA)
- Learning 2.0 for Associations (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Lessons in Electric Circuits (Assayer review) (Design Science License)
- Linux 101 (Assayer review) (PD)
- Linux for IT Managers (CC-BY-SA)
- Nework Security (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- OpenOffice.org Manual( GNU-GPL)
- Operating Systems for Single-Threaded Computers (CC-BY-SA)
- Programming from the Ground Up (GFDL)
- Programming Fundamentals – A Modular Structured Approach (CC-BY)
- Programming in C (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Programming Languages (CC-BY)
- Programming Languages: Application and Interpretation (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Programming Using Java (CC-BY-SA)
- Representing and Manipulating Data in Computers (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (CC-BY-NC)
- Stanford Engineering Everywhere – Introduction to Computer Science (CC-BY)
- Student Tools (videos) (CC-BY-ND)
- Successful Project Management (CCBY-SA-NC)-
- Think Python: An Introduction to Software Design (GFDL)
- Understanding Open Source and Free Software Licensing (CC-BY-ND)
- Video Translation (GNU-GFL)
- Web Security (CC-BY)
- What is a Wiki? (CC-BY-SA)
- Wireless Networking in the Developing World (CC-BY-SA)
- XML – Managing Data Exchange (CC-BY-SA)
Economics
- Econometrics (custom copyright)
- Economics (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Financial Analysis (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Historical Beginnings The Federal Reserve (PD)
- Living Economics (CC-BY-SA)
- Introduction to Economic Analysis (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- The Joy of Economics (custom copyright)
- Macroeconomics (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Microeconomics (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Money and Banking (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Outline of the U.S. Economy (PD)
- Political Economy (CC-BY-SA)
- Principles of Economics (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Principles of Macroeconomics (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Principles of Microeconomics (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Project Based Economics (CC-BY-SA)
- Quantum Microeconomics (CC-BY-NC)
- U.S. Economy in Brief (PD)
- U.S. Monetary Policy (PD)
- The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom (CC-BY-NC-SA)
Education
- Cognition, Affect, and Learning (CC-BY)
- Common Wisdom: Peer Production of Educational Materials (CC-BY-NC)
- Creating Open Educational Resources (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Dance Skills (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Education for a Digital World (CC-BY-SA)
- Educational Psychology (CC-BY)
- Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching, and Technology (CC-BY-SA)
- Facilitating Online (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Green Teacher
- Handbook of Emerging Technologies for Learning (CC-BY-NC)
- Instructional Design Models (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- The Instructional Use of Learning Objects (OPL)
- The Learning Marketplace: Meaning, Metadata and Content Syndication in the Learning Object Economy (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Media Education: Creativity (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Media Education: Assessment (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Media Education: Metacognition (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Media Education: Integration (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Media Education Kit (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Mobile Learning: Transforming the Delivery of Education and Training (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Open Educational Content – Introduction and Tutorials (CC-BY-SA)
- Open Educational Resources Conversations in Cyberspace (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- The Public Domain Enclosing the Commons of the Mind (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Social and Cultural Foundations of American Education (CC-BY-SA)
- Study and Learning Skills (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Technical and Vocational Teacher Training
- The Theory and Practice of Online Learning, 2nd ed. (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Training Educators to Design and Develop Open and Distance Learning Materials (CC-BY-SA)
- Viral Spiral (CC-BY-NC)
Engineering and Electronics
- Basics of Fluid Mechanics (GDFL)
- Chemical Engineering Process Dynamics and Controls (CC-BY)
- Engineering Statics (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- A First Course in Electrical and Computer Engineering (CC-BY)
- Fundamentals of Die Casting Design (GDFL)
- Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering I (CC-BY)
- Fundamentals of Compressible Flow Mechanics (GDFL)
- Introduction to Physical Electronics (CC-BY)
- Lessons in Electric Circuits (custom copyright)
- Socratic Electronics A Resource for Inquiry-Based Electronics Instruction (CC-BY)
English and Composition
- A Celebration of Women Writers A Celebration of Women Writers (PD)
- Clear Simple: Developing Effective Print Materials for Low-Literate Readers (PD)
- Electronic Literature Collection (CC-BY-NC-ND)
- Journalism 2.0 (CC-BY-NC-ND)
- Methods of Discovery: A Guide to Research Writing (CC-BY-NC-SA)
-
Rhetoric and Composition (CC-BY-SA)
- Start Writing Fiction (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Style for Students Online: Effective Technical Writing in the Information Age (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- The Process of Research Writing (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Three Modules on Clear Writing Style: An Introduction to The Craft of Argument (CC-BY)
- Writing Skills for Business English
Health and Nursing
- Active Healthy Lifestyles (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- The Chemistry of Health (PD)
- Child Health (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Communicable Diseases (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Developing Anaesthesia (CC-BY)
- Disaster Management (CC-BY-NC)
- Diversity and Difference in Communication (CC-BY-SA)
- Drugs, Brains, and Behavior – The Science of Addiction (PD)
- Emergency and Risk Management Case Studies (PD)
- Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine Preventable Disease 10th ed. (PD)
- Finding Information in Health and Lifestyle (CC-BY-SA)
- First Aid (CC-BY-SA)
- Fundamentals of Emergency Management (PD)
- Health Education (CC-BY)
- Health is Everywhere: Unraveling the Mystery of Health (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- History of Medicine (PD)
- HIV and AIDS (custom copyright)
- Human Nutrition (CC-BY-NC-SA)
-
Infection Prevention (custom copyright)
- Integrated Safety, Health and Environmental Management: An Introduction (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Issues in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Medical Knowledge Base (BY-NC-SA)
- Medicines by Design (PD)
- Medicine Transformed: On Access to Health Care (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- MedlinePlus (PD)
- Moral and Ethical Principles in End of Life Care (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- NIH Curriculum Supplement Series (PD)
- Nutrition: Proteins (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Obesity: Balanced Diets and Treatment (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Occupational Health (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Sexuality and Sexual Health (custom copyright)
- Sexually Transmitted Infections (custom copyright)
- Understanding Cardiovascular Diseases (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Vaccination (CC-BY-NC-SA)
History
- The French Revolution (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- History of Western Art and Civilization (CC-BY)
- The Holocaust (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Stories of the Underground Railroad (PD)
- United States History (CC-BY-SA)
Languages and Communications
- Communication Skills
- French (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- From Sound to Meaning: Hearing, Speech and Language
- Giving Presentations (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Hearing (CC-BY-SA)
- How to Communicate as a Health Volunteer (CC-BY)
- How Language Works (GFDL)
- Liberte (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Mandarin Chinese (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Open Translations (GNU-GPL)
- Oral Communications (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Spanish (CC-BY-SA)
- Spanish I (CC-BY-SA)
- We Are the Media (CC)
Literature
- Bulfinch’s Mythology (PD)
- Literature Catalog (PD)
- Open Milton (CC-BY)
- Open Shakespeare (CC-BY)
- Outline of American Literature (PD)
- Studies in Classic American Literature by D.H. Lawrence (PD)
Math
- Advanced Algebra II: Conceptual Explanations (CC-BY)
- Advanced Algebra II: Activities and Homework (CC-BY)
- A First Course in Linear Algebra (Assayer review) (GFDL)
- Algebra 1 (CC-BY-SA)
- Algebra in Simple English (CC-BY-SA)
- Algebra Review (CC-NC)
- Applied Finite Mathematics (CC-BY)
- Calculus (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Calculus by Benjamin Crowell (CC-BY-SA)
- CK-12 Calculus (CC-BY-SA)
- CK-12 Geometry (CC-BY-SA)
- CK-12 Trigonometry (CC-BY-SA)
- College Algebra (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- A Course in Linear Algebra (GFDL)
- Diagrams, Charts and Graphs (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Dimensions (geometry) (CC-BY-NC-ND)
- Elementary Algebra (CC-BY)
- Elementary Calculus An Approach Using Infinitesimals (Assayer review) (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Elements of Abstract and Linear Algebra
- Free College Algebra Textbook (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Fundamentals of Mathematics (CC-BY)
- Geometry (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Intermediate Algebra by Department of Mathematics, College of the Redwoods (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Intermediate Algebra (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- An Introduction to Complex Numbers (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Introduction to Matrix Algebra (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Linear Algebra (Assayer review) (CC-BY-SA)
- Linear Methods of Applied Mathematics
- Math in Society (CC-BY-SA)
- Mathematics (The Free High School Science Texts)
- Numbers, Units, and Arithmetic (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Numerical Methods with Applications (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Ratios, Proportion and Percentages (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Real Functions and Graphs (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Rounding and Estimation (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Squares, Roots and Powers (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Open Trigonometry (CC-BY-SA)
- PreAlgebra
- Trigonometry (GFDL)
- Understanding Algebra (CC-BY-NC)
- Vector Calculus (GFDL)
Music
- The Basic Elements of Music (CC-BY)
- Understanding Basic Music Theory (CC-BY)
Philosophy
- Consciousness Studies (Assayer review) (CC-BY-SA)
- David Hume (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Formal Logic (CC-BY-SA)
- Introducing Philosophy (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Introduction to Formal Logic (CC-BY-SA)
- Introduction to Logic (CC-BY)
- Logic and Proofs (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Walden by H.D. Thoreau (PD)
Physics
- The Age of Einstein
- 21st Century Physics (CC-BY-SA)
- All About Circuits (DSL)
- A Radically Modern Approach to Physics (GFDL)
- Basic Physics (CC-BY-SA)
- Calculus-Based Physics (CC-BY-SA)
- Chaos: Classical and Quantum
- Conceptual Physics (CC-BY-SA)
- Essential Physics (Assayer review)
- General Relativity (CC-BY-SA)
- Mathematical Tools for Physics (Assayer review)
- Motion Mountain – The Adventure of Physics (CC-BY-NC-ND)
- Open Text Project — Physics
- People’s Physics Book (CC-BY-SA)
- Physics OLI (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Physics (GFDL)
- Physics (Free High School Science Texts, Grade 12)
- Physics Light and Matter Series (CC-BY-SA)
- Simple Nature (Assayer review) (CC-BY-SA)
- The Restless Universe (CC-BY-NC-SA)
Political Science
- The 9/11 Commission Report
- Basic Political Concepts (CC-BY)
- The CIA World Factbook
- Legal Education Commons
- Nationalism, Self-determination and Succession
- Outline of American Geography
- Outline of the U.S. Legal System
Psychology
- The Body: A Phenomenological Psychological Perspective (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Behavioral Science Supercourse
- Challenging Ideas in Mental Health (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Cognitive Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience (CC-BY-SA)
- Groups and Teamwork (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Introduction to Psychology Wikibook (CC-BY-SA)
- The Making of Individual Differences (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Mental Health, NIMH, NIH (PD)
- Mental Health Practice (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Psychology A Student Friendly Approach (custom copyright)
- The Psychology Of Emotions, Feelings and Thoughts (CC-BY)
- Psychology in the 21st Century (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Social Psychology Wikibook (CC-BY-SA)
- Starting with Psychology (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Systems Thinking and Practice (CC-BY-NC-SA)
Science
- Anatomy and Physiology of Animals (CC-BY-SA)
- AP Environmental Science (CC-BY)
- Carbon Management
- CK-12 Earth Science (CC-BY-SA)
-
CK-12 Life Science (CC-BY-SA)
-
Comparing Stars (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Deserts: Geology and Resources
- Earth’s Physical Resources: Petroleum (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Earth Science (CC-BY)
- Earth Systems, an Earth Science Course (CC-BY)
- Earthquakes (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Empirical Research Design (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Environmental Engineering Modules
- Environmental Science in the 21st Century
- Evolution through Natural Selection (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Food Safety
- Genes and Disease
- Gene Manipulation in Plants (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Genes, Technology and Policy/The Science
- Geology of the National Parks
- Geothermal Energy—Clean Power From the Earth’s Heat
- The Habitable Planet
- Interactive Science Simulations
- Introduction to Climate Dynamics and Climate Modelling
- An Introduction to Sustainable Energy (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Intro to Physical Oceanography (Custom Copyright)
- Nanotechnology
- Nature of Geographic Information (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- The Opensource Handbook of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
- Our Ocean Planet – Environmental Geoscience in the 21st Century
- Physical Geography
- Physical Geography (CC)
- The Physical Environment Introduction to Physical Geography
- Plate Tectonics (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Rediscovering Biology
- The Science of Healthy Behaviors
- This Dynamic Earth: The Story of Plate Tectonics
Sociology
- Babbit
- Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville (PD)
- Introduction to Social Network Methods
- Introducing Social Work Practice (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Introduction to Sociology (CC-BY-SA)
- Living in a Globalised World (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- The Meaning of Crime (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- The Social in Social Science
- Social Problems: Who Makes Them? (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- The Theory of the Leisure Class by Thorstein Theblen (PD)
Statistics and Probability
- Causal and Statistical Reasoning (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Collaborative Statistics (CC-BY)
- From Algorithms to Z-Scores: Probabilistic and Statistical Modeling in Computer Science (CC-BY-ND)
- Getting Started with SPSS (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Introduction to Probability (GFDL)
- Introduction to Statistical Thought (CC-BY-NC-SA)
- Online Statistics: An Interactive Multimedia Course of Study (PD)
- Probability and Statistics
- Research Methods
- Statistics (CC-NC-BY-SA)
- Statistics Wikibook (CC-BY-SA)
[...] Baker has a new post indicating a list of open textbooks has been updated to reflect new projects. Full list available here. From the post: ven if you have already visited the OER Consortium list of open textbooks before, [...]
[...] Judy Baker ha preparado una valiosa lista de libros de texto abiertos y gratuitos organizados por [...]
[...] (CCCOER) is a combined effort to develop and use open educational resources (OER) and in particular open textbooks in community college courses. An open textbook is defined as: a body of educational content that is [...]