Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, "Cockaigne" to "Columbus, Christopher"Author: Various,Language: English, Class: AE: General Works: Encyclopedias, Release Date: Apr 1, 2010