I've always found Google Books to be a useful resource for online students lacking access to an academic library. Now, Google Books has added new features to make their site even more helpful. Additions include the ability to create and share a personal library, to find shared quotes in multiple books, and to copy sections of public domain books to quote on other websites.

If you're still not sure how Google Books can help you research for papers and projects, take a look at my About.com article: How to Use Google to Find Research Paper Material. Happy studying!