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Category Archives: Libraries

There’s More to Copyright Than Financial Incentives

ToreentFreak: “The Internet Archive is doubling down on its position that its digital lending library service operates under the bounds of fair use. Major publishers assert that digitizing books without appropriate licensing amounts to infringement but IA counters that the practice is in the public interest. It also fits copyright’s ultimate purpose; to promote the broad public availability of literature and other arts. The non-profit Internet Archive (IA) aims to preserve digital history for generations to come. The organization literally archives key parts of the Internet, copying older versions of websites to preserve them for future generations. This information becomes more and more valuable as time passes by. IA has plenty of other archive projects too. For example, it operates a library that offers a broad collection of digital media, including books, which patrons can borrow upon request. Thousands of libraries have digital lending services but IA’s approach is different. The organization doesn’t license authorized digital copies from publishers; instead, its books are scanned and digitized in-house. Each copy can only be loaned to one person at a time, to mimic the lending attributes of physical books…Both sides were supported by amicus briefs from interested parties, a clear indication of what’s at stake in this dispute. Before the court case moves forward, however, IA replied to the publishers’ Napster comments and other critiques…”

Emily Dickinson’s Botanical Inspiration

The Marginalian – Stunning 19th-Century Flower Paintings by the Forgotten Artist and Poet Clarissa Munger Badger “To be a flower,” Emily Dickinson wrote in her prescient ode to the interconnectedness of nature, “is profound responsibility.” A passionate lifelong gardener, the poet had fallen under the spell of wildflowers while composing her astonishing herbarium as a… Continue Reading

It’s the End of the Web as We Know It

The Atlantic [unpaywalled] – A great public resource is at risk of being destroyed. By Judith Donath and Bruce Schneier: “The web has become so interwoven with everyday life that it is easy to forget what an extraordinary accomplishment and treasure it is. In just a few decades, much of human knowledge has been collectively written… Continue Reading

Red states threaten librarians with prison as blue states work to protect them

Washington Post [read free]: “…library-friendly measures are being outpaced by bills in mostly red states that aim to restrict which books libraries can offer and threaten librarians with prison or thousands in fines for handing out “obscene” or “harmful” titles. At least 27 states are considering 100 such bills this year, three of which have… Continue Reading

How Copyright May Destroy Our Access To The World’s Academic Knowledge

TechDirt – Glyn Moody: “The shift from analogue to digital has had a massive impact on most aspects of life. One area where that shift has the potential for huge benefits is in the world of academic publishing. Academic papers are costly to publish and distribute on paper, but in a digital format they can… Continue Reading

Librarians fear new penalties, even prison, as activists challenge books

AP: “…Across the country, book challenges and bans have soared to the highest levels in decades. Public and school-based libraries have been inundated with complaints from community members and conservative organizations such as as Moms for Liberty. Increasingly, lawmakers are considering new punishments — crippling lawsuits, hefty fines, and even imprisonment — for distributing books… Continue Reading

Louisiana Bill Would Criminalize Librarians, Libraries Who Join American Library Association

Bookriot: “Despite the fact that librarians are among the most trusted professionals, per data acquired in several studies of parents on the perceptions of the profession, lawmakers across the country continue to infantilize and criminalize library workers. The 2024 legislative session has been particularly eager to capitalize on the rhetoric from the far right on… Continue Reading

Google Books Is Indexing AI-Generated Garbage

404 Media: “Google Books is indexing low quality, AI-generated books that will turn up in search results, and could possibly impact Google Ngram viewer, an important tool used by researchers to track language use throughout history.  I was able to find the AI-generated books with the same method we’ve previously used to find AI-generated Amazon… Continue Reading

Watch a 100-year-old book deconstructed and restored

BoingBoing: “Sophia Bogel is an author, teacher, and book restorer. Watch her take us through the fascinating process of deconstructing and restoring a 100-year-old book.Bogel shows us how restoring an old, fragile book is an incredibly delicate undertaking, and one wrong move can result in the entire book being ruined. Restoring a 100-year-old book can often… Continue Reading

Law Archive Open Scholarship Platform Launches at Yale Law School

“Yale Law Library in collaboration with the Center for Open Science has announced the launch of Law Archive, the only free open-access platform of its kind that integrates collaboration tools, data storage, and sharing of legal scholarship. Accessible to everyone, regardless of organizational affiliation or ability to pay, Law Archive contributes to the movement to… Continue Reading