Key Takeaways
- The LinkedIn Ad Library is a free goldmine for B2B marketers to analyze competitor strategies, messaging, and creative approaches without spending a dollar on testing.
- Systematic competitor monitoring beats random browsing – set up weekly check-ins with key competitors and monthly industry sweeps to stay ahead of trends.
- LinkedIn ads require serious budget commitment – expect to spend $30k+ monthly and pay $500-$750 per booked call, making organic strategies more cost-effective for most companies.
- Build a strategic swipe file using tools like Notion or Trello to capture competitor ads, analyze messaging patterns, and inform your own campaign development.
- Organic LinkedIn lead generation typically delivers qualified leads at 60-80% lower cost than paid advertising while building stronger long-term relationships.
- Ad intelligence works for any strategy – whether you choose paid ads or organic outreach, competitor insights from the Ad Library inform better messaging and positioning decisions.
LinkedIn has quietly become the powerhouse of B2B lead generation, and honestly, it's about time more marketers started paying attention.
With 1B+ professionals actively networking, sharing insights, and making business decisions on the platform, LinkedIn isn't just another social media channel, it's where your next biggest client is probably scrolling right now.
What makes LinkedIn so special for B2B companies?
Unlike other platforms where you're shooting in the dark, LinkedIn gives you access to decision-makers with their job titles, company sizes, and industries right there in their profiles.
The targeting capabilities are insane – you can literally reach the VP of Sales at companies with 500+ employees in the software industry. Try doing that on Facebook.
But here's where it gets really interesting. LinkedIn recently introduced the LinkedIn Ad Library, and this tool is changing the game for LinkedIn B2B lead gen completely.
Think of it as your backstage pass to see what everyone else is doing with their ad campaigns. No more guessing what your competitors are up to or wondering why their ads seem to be everywhere.
The LinkedIn Ad Library is essentially a searchable database of all active ads running on the platform. It's LinkedIn's way of bringing transparency to advertising, similar to what Facebook did with their ad library.
We're going to walk through everything you need to know about leveraging the LinkedIn Ad Library for your business growth
The best part? You don't need to be spending thousands on LinkedIn ads to benefit from this.
Even if you're focused on organic LinkedIn B2B lead gen, understanding what's working in paid campaigns can inform your organic content strategy, help you identify trending topics in your industry, and give you a competitive edge that most marketers are still sleeping on.
Ready to dive in? Let's start with the LinkedIn Ad Library basics and work our way up to the advanced LinkedIn strategies for B2B lead generation.
What is LinkedIn Ad Library?
The LinkedIn Ad Library is basically LinkedIn's version of "showing your work" – it's a publicly accessible database where you can see ads that companies are currently running or have run recently on the platform.
Unlike the old days when you had to guess what your competitors were doing or hope to stumble across their ads in your feed, the LinkedIn public ad library puts everything out in the open.
LinkedIn launched this feature to increase transparency around advertising, similar to what other major platforms have done.
The main purpose is pretty straightforward: LinkedIn wants to build trust by showing users exactly what kind of LinkedIn advertising is happening on their platform. But the real value comes from what you can learn about your industry, competitors, and potential opportunities that you might be missing.

How to Access and Navigate the LinkedIn Ad Library
Getting into the LinkedIn Ad Library is surprisingly simple, though LinkedIn doesn't exactly advertise where to find it.
Here's how to use LinkedIn Ad Library effectively:
Direct Access: The easiest way is to go directly to linkedin.com/ad-library. You don't even need to be logged into LinkedIn to use it, which is pretty convenient.
Through Company Pages: You can also access it by visiting any company's LinkedIn page and looking for the "Ad Library" tab. This gives you a direct view of all ads that specific company is running.
Search Functions: Once you're in, you have several ways to search:
- By Company Name: Type in your competitor's name to see all their active campaigns.
- By Keywords: Search for industry terms, product names, or job titles to see who's targeting similar audiences.
- By Ad Type: Filter by specific ad formats if you're looking for inspiration for a particular campaign type.
The interface is clean and straightforward.
You'll see a grid of ads with preview images, and you can click on any ad to get more details.
The search bar at the top is your best friend – it's pretty smart about understanding variations in company names and keywords.

What Types of Ads Appear in the Library?
The LinkedIn Ad Library covers pretty much every ad format LinkedIn offers, which gives you a comprehensive view of what's happening across the platform:
Sponsored Content makes up the majority of what you'll see:
- Single image ads (the classic LinkedIn ad format)
- Carousel ads (multiple images or videos in one ad)
- Video ads (both short-form and longer educational content)
- Document ads (yes, people actually click on these)
Message Ads are the direct inbox messages that appear in LinkedIn messaging. These are goldmines for understanding how companies approach cold outreach at scale.
Conversation Ads are the interactive message ads that guide users through a conversation flow. These are particularly useful for understanding how companies qualify leads.
Text Ads are the smaller sidebar ads that many people forget about but can be incredibly effective for certain campaigns.
Dynamic Ads personalize content based on the viewer's profile information. These are less common but worth studying when you find them.

What You Can Actually See: For each ad, the library typically shows you the creative (images, videos, or text), the ad copy, the advertiser's name, and approximate run dates.
You won't see performance metrics like click-through rates or spend amounts, but you can get a sense of how long campaigns have been running, which often indicates whether they're working.
👀 One thing to keep in mind: The library shows active ads and recent campaigns, but it's not a complete historical archive. Ads that stopped running a while ago might not appear, so it's worth checking regularly if you're monitoring specific competitors.
Why Marketers Should Leverage the LinkedIn Ad Library for B2B Lead Gen
If you're serious about LinkedIn B2B lead gen, the Ad Library isn't just a nice-to-have tool – it's basically like having a crystal ball for your industry. Smart marketers are using this free resource to build data-driven strategies that actually work.
Think about it: You're essentially getting access to millions of dollars worth of testing and optimization that other companies have already done.
Instead of starting from scratch and burning through your budget figuring out what works, you can learn from what's already proven to be effective in your space.
Gaining Competitor Insights
The competitor analysis LinkedIn possibilities here are honestly mind-blowing. You can literally watch your competitors' entire LinkedIn ad strategy unfold in real-time.
Ad Creative Analysis: When you're looking at competitor ads, pay attention to the visual elements they're using.
- Are they going with clean, professional imagery or more casual, behind-the-scenes content?
- Are they using team photos, product screenshots, or abstract graphics?
If a competitor keeps using the same style of creative for months, it's probably working for them.

Messaging Patterns: This is where you can really get inside your competitors' heads. Look at their headlines, body copy, and CTAs.
- Are they leading with pain points, benefits, or social proof?
- Are they using urgency, exclusivity, or education as their main hook?
You'll start to notice patterns in successful messaging that you can adapt for your own campaigns.
Target Audience Clues: Even though you can't see the exact targeting parameters, you can infer a lot about who they're going after.
- If they're consistently talking about "scaling teams" and "enterprise solutions," they're probably targeting larger companies.
- If they're mentioning "startup founders" and "bootstrapped growth," they're going after smaller businesses.
Strategic Shifts: This is where it gets really interesting. You can actually watch companies pivot their positioning in real-time. Maybe they started with product-focused messaging and shifted to outcome-focused.
Or they moved from targeting individual contributors to decision-makers. These shifts often signal broader strategic changes.
Optimizing Your Own Ad Campaigns

Here's where the LinkedIn Ad Library becomes your secret weapon for improving your own LinkedIn B2B lead gen efforts.
Format Intelligence: Look at what ad formats are most common in your industry. If everyone's using single image ads but you notice video ads getting longer run times, that might be an opportunity. Or if carousel ads seem to be trending in your space, it's worth testing.
Copy That Converts: Start a swipe file of headlines and descriptions that you see repeatedly. If multiple companies in your industry are using similar phrasing, there's probably a reason. But don't just copy – understand why certain phrases work and adapt them to your unique value proposition.
CTA Optimization: Pay close attention to calls-to-action. Are most companies using "Learn More," "Get Started," or "Book a Demo"? Are they directing people to landing pages, scheduling tools, or gated content? This can inform your entire B2B funnel strategy.

A/B Testing Ideas: Instead of guessing what to test, use the Ad Library to identify elements that are working for others. You can test different emotional appeals, value propositions, or creative styles based on what you're seeing succeed in your industry.
Offer Strategy: Look at what competitors are using to capture leads. Are they offering free trials, demos, consultations, or downloadable resources? If you notice a particular type of offer appearing frequently, it might be worth testing.
Tracking Industry Trends & Innovation
The LinkedIn Ad Library is like having a pulse on your entire industry's marketing evolution.
Creative Evolution: You can actually watch creative trends develop over time. Maybe six months ago, everyone was using stock photos, but now authentic team photos are becoming more common. Or perhaps animated graphics are starting to replace static images in your industry.
Messaging Shifts: Industries go through phases in their messaging. Sometimes it's all about efficiency, other times it's about growth, and sometimes it's about security or compliance. By monitoring the Ad Library, you can spot these shifts early and adjust your messaging accordingly.
New Player Identification: You'll often discover new competitors or companies entering your space before they become major threats. If you see a new company running significant ad campaigns with messaging similar to yours, it's worth investigating.
Innovation Spotting: Some companies are naturally more innovative with their ad approaches. By following these early adopters, you can spot trends before they become mainstream. Maybe they're using a new ad format, a unique visual style, or a fresh messaging approach that you can adapt.
Market Timing: You can also use the library to understand seasonal patterns in your industry. When do most companies ramp up their advertising? Are there particular times of year when certain types of offers become more common?
The bottom line is this -
Your competitors are essentially doing free market research for you. They're testing messaging, creative, and offers with real budgets and real audiences.
The LinkedIn Ad Library gives you access to all that intelligence without having to spend a dime on testing yourself.
Even if you're not running LinkedIn ads yet, understanding what's working in paid can make your organic LinkedIn B2B lead gen efforts significantly more effective.
Practical Use Cases for the LinkedIn Ad Library
Now that we've covered the what and why, let's talk about the how.
The LinkedIn Ad Library isn't just a cool tool to browse – it's a strategic weapon that can transform your LinkedIn lead generation strategies and give you a serious edge in LinkedIn competitor research.
Here are four real-world ways to put this tool to work for your business.
Use Case 1: Competitive Benchmarking

For Agencies: This is where the Ad Library becomes absolutely invaluable for client pitches and ongoing strategy development. When a potential client asks what their competitors are doing, you can pull up concrete examples instead of making educated guesses.
If you see that all competitors are using product-focused messaging, you can recommend a more outcome-focused approach for our client. Or if everyone's using formal, corporate creative, we might suggest a more personal, behind-the-scenes approach.
For In-House Marketers: You can use competitive benchmarking to assess where you stand in your industry and identify gaps in your current approach. Are your competitors running campaigns that you're not? Are they using messaging that resonates better than yours?
Here's a practical exercise:
Pick your top 3 competitors and analyze their ads from the past 30 days. Look for patterns in:
- What problems they're highlighting?
- What solutions they're promoting?
- What creative styles they're using?
- What CTAs they're testing
Then compare this to your own recent campaigns. Are you missing opportunities that competitors are capitalizing on? Are you using messaging that sounds too similar to everyone else?
Use Case 2: Content & Offer Validation

This is where the Ad Library becomes your market research department. Instead of guessing what your audience wants, you can see what's actually working for similar companies.
Content Strategy Gaps: Look at what types of content your competitors are promoting in their ads. Are they pushing webinars, whitepapers, case studies, or free tools? If you see consistent patterns around certain content types, it's probably because they're effective at generating leads.
Offer Testing: This is gold for LinkedIn lead generation strategies. If you see competitors consistently promoting free trials, consultations, or specific lead magnets, it's worth testing similar offers for your audience.
But here's the key: Don't just copy what competitors are doing. Use their offers as inspiration to create something better.
- If they're offering a "30-minute consultation," maybe you offer a "comprehensive strategy session."
- If they're promoting a generic whitepaper, maybe you create an interactive tool that provides personalized results.
Timing and Seasonality: You can also use the Ad Library to understand when competitors ramp up certain types of offers.
- Are they pushing end-of-quarter deals?
- Are they promoting specific content types during industry events?
This can inform your own content calendar and promotional timing.
Use Case 3: Audience Understanding & Persona Development

Even though you can't see the exact targeting parameters, you can infer a lot about who competitors are trying to reach based on their messaging and creative choices.
Inferring Target Audiences: Look at the language competitors use in their ads.
- Are they speaking to individual contributors or decision-makers?
- Are they using technical jargon or keeping it simple?
- Are they focusing on pain points specific to certain industries or job functions?
For instance, if you see ads talking about "boardroom presentations" and "executive buy-in," they're clearly targeting senior-level decision-makers.
If they're discussing "daily workflows" and "time-saving features," they're probably going after end-users.
Persona Refinement: Use this intelligence to refine your own buyer personas. Maybe you've been targeting HR directors, but you notice successful competitors are focusing on CHROs.
Or perhaps you've been speaking to technical features when the market is responding better to business outcomes.
Market Needs Discovery: Pay attention to the problems competitors are highlighting in their ads.
- Are there pain points you haven't considered?
- Are there needs in the market that you're not addressing?
This can inform not just your messaging but your entire product development strategy.
📌 Here's a practical tip: Create a spreadsheet with competitor ads and note the implied audience for each one.
Look for patterns in job titles, company sizes, industries, and pain points. This will give you a data-driven view of who's actually responding to B2B messaging in your space.
Use Case 4: Brainstorming & Creative Inspiration

The Ad Library is basically an endless source of creative inspiration, but the key is using it strategically rather than just randomly browsing.
Building Your Swipe File: Start collecting ads that catch your attention, but be systematic about it. Don't just save ads you like – save ads that are getting long run times, which suggests they're working.
Organize them by:
- Creative style (professional photos, illustrations, screenshots)
- Messaging approach (problem-focused, solution-focused, outcome-focused)
- Offer type (demos, trials, consultations, content)
- CTA style (direct, curiosity-driven, urgency-based)
Headline and Copy Inspiration: Look for patterns in successful headlines.
- Are they using questions, statements, or numbers?
- Are they leading with benefits, features, or social proof?
- Are they creating urgency or focusing on transformation?
Don't just copy what you see – understand why certain approaches work and adapt them to your unique value proposition.
If you see "Double your sales in 90 days" working for a sales tool, maybe you test "Cut your hiring time in half" for an HR solution.
Creative Concepts: Use the Ad Library to spark new creative ideas. Maybe you see a competitor using behind-the-scenes team photos effectively, or perhaps someone's using customer testimonials in a creative way. These can inspire new directions for your own creative.
Testing Ideas: The Ad Library is perfect for A/B testing inspiration. Instead of guessing what to test, you can see what variations are working for others. Maybe you test formal vs. casual imagery, long vs. short copy, or different emotional appeals.
Industry-Specific Inspiration: Don't just look at direct competitors. Browse ads from companies in adjacent industries or those targeting similar audiences. Sometimes the best creative inspiration comes from outside your immediate competitive set.
The key to using the Ad Library effectively is consistency. Make it part of your regular research routine. Spend 20-30 minutes each week browsing through competitor ads and industry trends.
Over time, you'll develop an intuitive sense of what works in your market and what opportunities might be emerging.
Building Your LinkedIn Ad Intelligence Workflow
Having access to the LinkedIn Ad Library is one thing, but turning that access into consistent competitive intelligence requires a system.
Most marketers browse the library once, get excited about what they find, then never look at it again. The real value comes from LinkedIn ad monitoring that's systematic, regular, and organized.
The same principle applies to competitive intelligence. Markets move fast, especially in B2B, and the companies that stay ahead are the ones with their finger on the pulse of what's happening in their industry.
Setting Up Regular Monitoring
The key to effective LinkedIn ad monitoring is making it routine rather than reactive.
You don't want to be scrambling to check what competitors are doing right before a campaign launch – you want to have ongoing intelligence that informs your strategy continuously.
Weekly Competitor Check-ins: Set up a recurring calendar reminder to spend 30-45 minutes each week reviewing your key competitors. Focus on 5-7 companies that are most relevant to your business.
Look for:
- New campaigns that have launched
- Ads that have been running for several weeks (these are likely working)
- Changes in messaging or positioning
- New offers or content being promoted
Monthly Industry Sweeps: Once a month, do a broader search using industry keywords rather than specific company names. This helps you discover new players, identify emerging trends, and spot opportunities that your direct competitors might be missing.
Quarterly Deep Dives: Every quarter, do a comprehensive analysis of your competitive landscape. Look at longer-term trends, messaging evolution, and strategic shifts. This is also a good time to identify new competitors to add to your regular monitoring list.
Event-Triggered Research: Set up alerts for industry events, product launches, or major news in your space. These are often followed by increased advertising activity and can provide insights into how companies are positioning themselves around key moments.
Using Built-in Features: While the LinkedIn Ad Library doesn't have robust saving or tracking features built-in, you can use some workarounds:
- Bookmark specific company pages in the Ad Library for quick access.
- Use your browser's bookmark folders to organize different competitor categories.
- Set up Google Alerts for your competitors' names to catch when they're mentioned in marketing publications
📌 Pro Tip: Create a simple spreadsheet to track when you last checked each competitor and what you found. This prevents you from missing important changes and helps you spot patterns over time.
Creating an Internal Swipe File
An ad swipe file LinkedIn isn't just a collection of ads you like – it's a strategic resource that can inform everything from creative development to messaging strategy.
The key is being systematic about what you capture and how you organize it.
Essential Tools for Your Swipe File
Notion is probably the most versatile option for building your swipe file. You can create a database with different views for ad type, industry, campaign objective, and more. The ability to add tags, notes, and collaborate with team members makes it ideal for agencies or larger marketing teams.
Trello works well if you prefer a more visual approach. Create boards for different competitors or ad types, and use cards to capture individual ads. The commenting feature is great for team collaboration and analysis.
Google Drive is the simplest option. Create folders for different categories and use Google Docs or Sheets to add context and analysis. This works particularly well if your team is already living in Google Workspace.
Screenshot Tools: For capturing ads, use tools like:
- CleanShot X (Mac) or Snagit for high-quality screenshots
- Loom for capturing video ads
- Browser extensions like Awesome Screenshot for quick captures
What to Capture in Your Swipe File
Don't just screenshot ads randomly. Be strategic about what you're collecting and why. Here's what should be included for each ad:
Visual Elements:
- Full screenshot of the ad as it appears in the library.
- Close-up of any important visual elements.
- Note the creative style (professional photo, illustration, screenshot, etc.)
Copy Analysis:
- Complete headline and body copy
- Call-to-action text
- Any social proof or credibility indicators
- Emotional tone and messaging approach
Strategic Context:
- Company name and industry
- Inferred target audience (job titles, company size, industry)
- Perceived campaign objective (awareness, lead gen, conversion)
- Offer type and funnel stage
- Date captured and how long the ad has been running
Your Analysis:
- Why this ad caught your attention
- What you think is working about it
- How it compares to your current approach
- Ideas for testing similar concepts
Some Categorization Tips:
By Ad Format:
- Single image ads
- Carousel ads
- Video ads
- Text ads
- Message ads
By Campaign Objective:
- Brand awareness
- Lead generation
- Demo requests
- Content promotion
- Event promotion
By Messaging Theme:
- Problem-focused
- Solution-focused
- Outcome-focused
- Social proof-heavy
- Urgency-driven
By Creative Style:
- Professional photography
- Behind-the-scenes content
- Product screenshots
- Illustrated graphics
- User-generated content
By Industry/Competitor:
- Direct competitors
- Adjacent industries
- Aspirational companies
- Disruptive newcomers
Remember, the goal isn't to copy what competitors are doing – it's to understand what's working so you can do it better. Your swipe file should inspire innovation, not imitation.
LinkedIn Ads vs. Organic LinkedIn Lead Generation: Which Strategy Fits Your Budget?
After diving deep into the LinkedIn Ad Library and understanding what your competitors are doing, you're probably wondering: "Should I jump into LinkedIn ads or is there a better approach?"
It's a fair question, and honestly, the answer depends entirely on your budget and risk tolerance.
Here's the reality that most LinkedIn lead generation agency partners won't tell you upfront: LinkedIn ads can be incredibly effective, but they're also incredibly expensive.
We've seen this firsthand working with over 10,000 B2B companies at Cleverly, and there's a clear dividing line between who should be running ads and who should focus on organic strategies.
When LinkedIn Ads Make Sense (And When They Don't)

The LinkedIn Ads Sweet Spot: If you're consistently spending $30,000+ per month on marketing and can stomach paying $500-$750 per booked call, LinkedIn ads can be a powerful addition to your strategy.
At this budget level, you have enough runway to test, optimize, and scale campaigns without panicking about every dollar spent.
Companies in this category typically have:
- Proven product-market fit
- Clear understanding of their customer lifetime value
- Established sales processes
- Multiple marketing channels already working
- Budget for 3-6 months of testing and optimization
When LinkedIn Ads Become Risky: But if you're working with a smaller marketing budget or you're not sure about those cost-per-lead numbers, LinkedIn ads can quickly become a budget-draining gamble.
We've seen too many companies blow through their entire quarterly marketing budget in 30 days because they underestimated how expensive LinkedIn advertising really is.
The math is pretty simple: If you're spending $30k/month and getting 40-60 booked calls, you're paying $500-$750 per call. If your average deal size is $5,000, you need a 15-20% close rate just to break even.
That's before considering the time investment in campaign management, creative development, and landing page optimization.
The Organic LinkedIn Alternative That Actually Works

This is where organic LinkedIn lead generation becomes the smarter play for most B2B companies.
Instead of paying LinkedIn for ad placement, you're investing in a systematic approach to building relationships and generating leads through content, networking, and personalized outreach.
Why Organic LinkedIn Lead Generation Works:
Cost Predictability: Instead of uncertain ad costs that can spike without warning, you know exactly what you're paying each month. No surprises, no budget overruns, no emergency meetings about campaign performance.
Relationship Building: LinkedIn ads are interruption marketing – you're paying to interrupt someone's feed. Organic strategies focus on building genuine relationships and providing value before asking for anything in return.
Compound Results: With ads, you stop getting leads the moment you stop spending. With organic strategies, the content you create, relationships you build, and brand awareness you develop continues working long after you've published that post or sent that message.
Better Targeting: When you're doing organic outreach, you can research each prospect individually and personalize your approach. You can't get that level of customization with ads, no matter how sophisticated LinkedIn's targeting becomes.
The ROI Reality Check
Let's be honest about the numbers. At Cleverly, organic LinkedIn lead generation starts at $397 per month. Compare that to $30,000+ for effective LinkedIn ads.
With organic strategies, you're typically looking at:
- 50-150 qualified conversations per month
- 10-30 booked calls per month
- Higher close rates because prospects are more engaged
The lower cost per lead means you can afford to be more selective about prospects, nurture relationships longer, and build a more sustainable lead generation system.
Making the Right Choice for Your Business
Here's how to decide between LinkedIn ads and organic strategies:
Choose LinkedIn Ads If:
- You have $30k+ monthly marketing budget
- You need immediate results and can pay premium prices
- You have proven funnels and sales processes
- You're comfortable with high-risk, high-reward investments
- You have dedicated team members to manage campaigns
Choose Organic LinkedIn Lead Generation If:
- You want predictable, cost-effective lead generation
- You prefer building relationships over interrupting prospects
- You're looking for long-term, sustainable growth
- You want to establish thought leadership in your industry
- You need better ROI on your marketing investment
The Bottom Line: Most B2B companies we work with get better results from organic LinkedIn strategies than they would from ads. The exception is companies with large budgets who can afford the testing time and higher cost per lead that comes with LinkedIn advertising.
The insights you gain from the LinkedIn Ad Library are incredibly valuable regardless of which approach you choose. If you go the organic route, that competitive intelligence informs your content strategy, messaging approach, and understanding of what resonates with your target audience.
Ready to roll the leads in?
At Cleverly, we've helped 10,000+ clients generate leads with companies like Amazon, Google, UBER, PayPal, Slack, Spotify & more. That resulted in $312 Million in Pipeline Revenue, $51.2 Million in Closed Revenue through organic LinkedIn Outreach.

Instead of burning through your budget on expensive LinkedIn ads, we help you build sustainable, cost-effective lead generation systems that actually work.
Sounds good? Let’s talk!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the LinkedIn Ad Library?
The LinkedIn Ad Library is LinkedIn's official, public database that shows ads currently running on the platform. It's designed to promote advertising transparency and gives marketers insights into competitor campaigns.
2. How can I access the LinkedIn Ad Library?
You can access it directly at linkedin.com/ad-library or through the "Ad Library" tab on any company's LinkedIn page. No login required.
3. What information can I find in the LinkedIn Ad Library?
You'll find ad creatives (images, videos), complete ad copy, headlines, CTAs, advertiser names, and approximate run dates. You won't see performance metrics or targeting details.
4. Is the LinkedIn Ad Library free to use?
Yes, it's completely free and publicly accessible. Anyone can browse and search the library without any cost or special permissions.