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Mechanical Engineering
A focused group of public-domain works connected by subject, historical context and recurring questions across the collection.
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Explore Public-Domain Works in History, Law and Social Inquiry
This historical engineering library gathers 91 public-domain works published from the 18th to the mid-20th century, spanning mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering, plus inventions and industry. The collection covers a broad range of applied science, from aeronautics and shipbuilding to lighthouses, farm buildings, fireworks, automobiles, and steam navigation. Readers can explore by category, search by title or author, or follow one of three suggested reading paths, such as tracing the history of invention through specific works. Each record provides bibliographic details, keywords, and a catalogue note to aid discovery, while linking to the full text on Project Gutenberg.
91 public-domain works108 represented authorsSource-attributed catalogue records
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Move through the collection by subject, historical setting and type of source.
02
Electrical Technology
A focused group of public-domain works connected by subject, historical context and recurring questions across the collection.
03
Civil Engineering
A focused group of public-domain works connected by subject, historical context and recurring questions across the collection.
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Inventions Industry
A focused group of public-domain works connected by subject, historical context and recurring questions across the collection.
Engineering — Editor’s Selection
A concise group of works selected to introduce the subjects, source types and historical questions represented in this catalogue.
A closer look
Collection Spotlight
One work and three nearby readings from the current catalogue.
Inventions Industry
The New Guide to Knitting & Croc...
This work is presented within Inventions Industry, where it can be read alongside related sources and historical perspectives.
View catalogue recordNewly Catalogued by OFUFA
Recently added catalogue records, listed with author information, thematic placement and links to the available work pages.
The watchmakers' hand book — Rea...
In Electri...
The evolution of the oil industr...
In Inventi...
An ice cream laboratory guide — ...
In Civil E...
Pyrotechny — Edition Insights
In Inventi...
The story of John Smeaton and th...
In Mechani...
The magic lantern and its manage...
In Mechani...
Pegasus — Edition Insights
In Civil E...
Oxy-acetylene welding manual — A...
In Inventi...
Where to begin
Reading Paths
Four simple routes into the collection for readers approaching the catalogue with different questions.
Start with legal historyFollow works on law, courts, constitutions and changing public institutions.Explore crime and investigationRead historical cases, prison accounts, forensic sources and investigative writing.Discover social historyLook at everyday life, customs, biographies and the institutions shaping communities.Browse military and political sourcesMove through battles, military organization, naval affairs and political conflict.
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A short explanation of how records are presented and connected without altering the original texts.
Source record
The catalogue connects each work with its available source or edition record.
Author and edition details
Author names, dates and available edition information are organized for browsing.
Theme assignment
Works are grouped by recurring subjects, historical settings and types of source.
Editorial context
Original notes explain catalogue placement and relationships between nearby works.
Catalogue questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How the collection is organized, presented and corrected.
Public-domain status generally means that a source text is no longer protected by copyright in the relevant jurisdiction or has been released for public use. Rights status can vary by country and edition.
Catalogue records organize the author, title, edition and source information available for each work. Source links are provided where they are available.
Works are grouped according to their main subjects, historical setting, source type and their relationship to other records in the collection.
The catalogue provides organization and editorial context. Original source texts retain their own wording, edition details and rights status.
Use the contact page to report an attribution, metadata, category or source-link issue. Include the title and the specific detail that may require correction.
Editorial responsibility
OFUFA Catalogue
Catalogue information
This catalogue is organized using source attribution, bibliographic metadata, subject-based categories, and supplementary contextual notes. Submitted corrections may be used to update catalogue records.