For engineers, students, and tech enthusiasts, is the ultimate gold mine of information. It houses millions of documents, including some of the most influential journals, conference proceedings, and standards in electrical engineering, computer science, and electronics.

Most researchers are thrilled that someone is interested in their work. Since they don't receive royalties from IEEE for paper sales, they are usually happy to send you a PDF copy for personal use. You can find their contact email on the abstract page or via a quick Google search. 5. Check Local Public Libraries

This is a gold-standard, multidisciplinary open-access journal where every single paper is free to download.