Follow up to previous posting – Publishers file suit against Internet Archive for systematic mass scanning and distribution of literary works – via Decrypt: “…In March, as the COVID-19 pandemic led to the shutdown of public libraries, the Internet Archive created the National Emergency Library and temporarily suspended book waitlists—the kind that make you cool your jets for 12 weeks to download “A Game of Thrones” onto your Kindle—through the end of June. In doing so, it essentially allowed for a single copy of a book to be downloaded an infinite number of times. Book publishers weren’t happy. Last Monday, Hachette, HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, and Wiley—four publishing behemoths—sued the organization. The lawsuit argues that “IA’s actions grossly exceed legitimate library services, do violence to the Copyright Act, and constitute willful digital piracy on an industrial scale.” Perhaps in response, today the Internet Archive announced it was closing the National Emergency Library two weeks early. Founder Brewster Kahle wrote that he hoped the plaintiffs would “call off their costly assault.” If the court finds that Internet Archive “willfully” infringed copyright, the library could be on the hook for up to $150,000 in damages—per each of the 1.4 million titles. (You do the math.)…”

See also Internet Archives Blogs – Temporary National Emergency Library to close 2 weeks early, returning to traditional controlled digital lending

and ars technica – Internet Archive ends “emergency library” early to appease publishers – Online library asks publishers to “call off their costly assault.”