Dismantling the Library

​The internet archive, founded in 1996, is a nonprofit organization intending to be a universally accessible internet based library where one can access a variety of cultural, scientific, and historical materials. One of their most well known projects is the Wayback  Machine, an archive of web pages currently numbering at 835 billion pages. The internet archive itself also boasts impressive collections, such as 44 million books, 4.8 million images, and 1 million software programs.(1)
            Unfortunately, the archive is currently facing significant legal threat. A number of book publishers have filed a lawsuit against the Internet archive, specifically in regards to their open library program. In this program, the archive uses a process known as controlled digital lending, or CDL. With CDL libraries, such as the archive, lend out a limited number of (2)  The library has lost the initial trial in this case, resulting in the removal of half a million books from their collection.(3) The archive is currently filing an appeal. If you wish to help them in their efforts to protect against the continued attack against libraries in America, they ask that you sign this open letter and to watch their arguments tomorrow at 10 am. You can also donate to them here.

​1. About the Internet Archive. Internet Archive: About IA. (n.d.). https://archive.org/about/ 


2.

McSherry, C. (2024, April 17). Hachette v. internet archive. Electronic Frontier Foundation. https://www.eff.org/cases/hachette-v-internet-archive 


3.

Meyer, D. (n.d.). The internet’s memory is under threat. MSN. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/the-internet-s-memory-is-under-threat/ar-BB1oRToN