Now THAT'S what I'm talking about...

http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/ttp/ttpbooks.html

I remember first seeing a phrase in Wired in 1994, that struck a chord with me - but even after thirteen years we still don't really have "Libraries Without Walls for Books Without Pages." However, I think the British Library's "Turning the Pages" project is an exciting step in the right direction. It needs more books, the user interface is dire (but that can change) - but I had one of my happiest hours on the internet so far leafing through that gorgeous copy of Alice's Adventures Underground.

... plus the plain text of a couple of million books available freely online wouldn't go amiss.