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About the National Academies Press

The National Academies Press (NAP) publishes the reports of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The NAP publishes more than 200 books a year on a wide range of topics in science, engineering, and medicine, providing authoritative, independently-researched information on important matters in science and health policy.

About the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are private, nonprofit institutions that provide expert advice on some of the most pressing challenges facing the nation and the world. Our work helps shape sound policies, inform public opinion, and advance the pursuit of science, engineering, and medicine. Over many decades we have earned a solid reputation as the nation's premier source of independent, expert advice on scientific, engineering, and medical issues.

Digital (PDF) Content and eBooks

We offer more than 8,500 titles in PDF format. Almost all of these PDFs can be downloaded for free by the chapter or the entire book.* See About PDFs for more information on accessing our digital content.

There are a small number of reports that never had PDF files and therefore, those reports are not available for download. In addition, the series Nutrient Requirements of Animals and the majority of Joseph Henry Press books are not available in PDF.

In 2017, we began selling eBooks, which are specially formatted for e-reader applications such as Kindle. eBooks are for sale, while the PDFs are free downloads. For more information about ebooks, see Downloading and Using eBooks from NAP

Transportation Research Board (TRB) Books

Many of the books published by the Transportation Research Board are available as free PDFs through NAP. Most of TRB's publications are only available for purchase on the TRB website. Please check the TRB website or call (202) 334-3213.

Joseph Henry Press

Under the Joseph Henry Press (JHP) imprint, the National Academies Press offers books for the science-interested general public. The majority of these books are not available for free PDF download.

Contact NAP

Contact our Customer Service Department for assistance.