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About Library Across™

Library Across lets you read the classic books (novels, poetry, drama, children’s books, Freethought and Psychology) with read-aloud, word help and notes. It is the sister site of Verses Across, which keeps the world’s scriptures. It is free, and always will be: no ads, no purchases, no account.

The texts and recordings

The books are public domain in the United States, almost all from Project Gutenberg; each one is credited, with a link to its source, at the bottom of every chapter. The texts are shown as published: we change formatting only, never wording.

Audio. Recorded voices are computer voices (Kokoro, an open text-to-speech model). Where there is no recording, your phone or computer’s own built-in voice reads the text aloud.

Terms of use

  • You are welcome to use Library Across for reading, study, teaching and sharing.
  • It is provided “as is”, without warranty of any kind. We work hard to keep texts, verse numbers and audio accurate, but mistakes can happen. Check an authoritative printed edition for anything important.
  • AI translations and computer-voice audio are made by a computer and can contain mistakes. Compare with the original-language text or a human translation for anything important.
  • Answers from the AI companion are generated by a computer and can be wrong. They are not religious, legal, medical or professional advice.
  • Please don’t misuse the service, for example by flooding it with automated requests.
  • We may change or improve the app, and these terms, at any time.

Privacy

  • There are no accounts, ads, cookies or tracking.
  • We count, anonymously, how often chapters are read, read-along audio is played and versions are downloaded: only daily totals per work, version and language. Nothing about you is stored with them (no IP address, no ID, no cookie), so the totals can’t be linked to anyone.
  • Your notes, highlights, bookmarks, plans and settings are stored only on your device. We never see them. Clearing your browser data deletes them.
  • Offline downloads (versions and read-along audio you save to read or listen without a signal) are stored only on your device. Downloading them sends nothing about you; you can delete them at any time.
  • Progress, goals and badges (reading and listening time, verses and chapters read, streaks) are worked out and stored on your device too.
  • Sync (optional). If you turn on sync, your study data, progress, goals, plans and some settings are locked (encrypted) on your device with your private sync code before they are uploaded. We store only that locked copy and can’t read it; without the code it’s meaningless. You can delete it from the server at any time (My Study → Sync).
  • Study groups (optional). In a group you join, the other members see the name you choose and, unless you turn it off, your streak, reading time and chapters this week and your progress in the group’s book; if you turn it on, also the chapter you’re reading. This is encrypted with the group’s code, so only people with the code can see it. Leaving a group removes your card.
  • When you ask the AI companion a question, the question and the passage you’re reading are sent to the AI service you picked to get an answer: Google Gemini, or OpenAI’s open model (GPT-OSS) run by Cloudflare. Don’t include personal information you want to keep private.
  • Cross references (“similar verses”) are worked out in advance and stored with the app; looking them up sends nothing about you anywhere.
  • If you send feedback, we receive what you write (anonymously: no name or email is asked for) and (unless you untick it) the page you were on, the verse and versions on screen, your device and browser type, your reading settings and any recent error messages. You can see all of it before sending. We store reports privately and email a copy to the maintainer’s inbox, use them only to fix and improve Library Across, and never share or sell them. Ask us and we’ll delete yours: privacy@versesacross.com.
  • Like every website, our host (Cloudflare) briefly handles standard technical data such as your IP address, to deliver pages and to limit abuse.

Contact

Found a mistake in a text, a problem with the audio, or a bug? Or have an idea? Tell us, no account needed:

The quickest way to report a problem with one verse: tap or click the verse, then “Report it” at the bottom of its menu. The verse and versions are filled in for you. You can also open an issue on GitHub, or email feedback@versesacross.com.

Follow Verses Across (Library Across's sister site) for new features and a verse of the day: