Biritish Library’s Turning the pages is best place if you are looking to read some of the most rare books availble on earth. It’s more than just reading experience, the application actually allows you to turn pages by using your mouse and you can read the original text written on it.

1. You can zoom and read
2. Special notes or the alternative text.
3. You can hear the audio too.

Here is a small video I made to give you a clear idea on how it feels like

Some of the books which I found interesting were

• Diamond Sutra – Hidden for centuries in a sealed-up cave in north-west China, this copy of the ‘Diamond Sutra’ is the world’s earliest complete survival of a dated printed scroll. It was made in AD 868.
• Sforza Hours is one of the most beautifully decorated Renaissance books of hours in the Library’s collection.

In my opinion this is the best way to preserve the old books. This is the first time I am seeing an online library which allows you to see books in 3d. I am sure there would be many other which you might know. Can you share ?