The FBI seized the Z-Library database

Z-Library is popular in developing countries and among academics, who often can’t afford the books or paywalled papers they need.

On Friday, the FBI took over the internet domains of the digital database Z-Library. Z-Library is a shadow library or a database where users around the world could freely access books of all kinds, from the latest bestselling novels to advance reader copies that had not been released to the public yet.Non-paying users could download up to five books a day on the website which claimed it had been providing free e-books since 2009.

This weekend, users who tried to access the site met with a blocker that said the FBI had taken the website domain.

This domain has been seized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Z-Library had a collection of around 11,087,784 books and 84,837,645 articles.

Z-Library users blamed the FBI for the seizure of the domain on TikTok users who popularized the shadow library through their videos. However, the site was reportedly still accessible via other web browsers.