National Emergency Library - an announcement from Archive

Post by **annise** » March 25th, 2020, 7:51 pm

During this unprecedented time in history, access to printed books is becoming difficult or impossible. COVID-19 is forcing students, educators, and everyday readers to rely on digital books more than ever before. That’s why the Internet Archive has temporarily suspended all waitlists, allowing you to immediately check out any of the 1.4 million books currently in our lending library. Until June 30th or the end of the US national emergency (whichever comes later), every borrowable book will be immediately accessible by anyone—creating, in effect, a National Emergency Library.

http://blog.archive.org/2020/03/24/announcing-a-national-emergency-library-to-provide-digitized-books-to-students-and-the-public/?iax=ntlemrlib%7cctalnk

So when your voices tire from reading for LV and your figures cramp from editing and your ears from listening you can borrow books from their library without any restrictions.

Anne

Post by **Availle** » March 25th, 2020, 8:03 pm

Don't get excited just yet:

The archive "lending library" has mostly books that are not PD for LibriVox.

So, this is more for pleasure reading (lots of interesting books for free!) than for recording here.
Enjoy anyway!

KevinS · Post by **KevinS** » March 30th, 2020, 4:34 pm

I never expected this!

https://www.npr.org/2020/03/30/823797545/authors-publishers-condemn-the-national-emergency-library-as-piracy

I just assume that if someone is going to buy a book, they will buy it. If they are going to borrow it, they will borrow it.

JayKitty76 · Post by **JayKitty76** » March 30th, 2020, 4:39 pm

I made an account on Archive so I could check out Harry Potter books

Post by **philchenevert** » March 30th, 2020, 5:00 pm

A side note. If you use Amazon, please use Amazon Smile to buy stuff and note the Internet Archive as the non profit. Amazon gives them a little percent of whatever you buy. I made a video but lost it. tsk, tsk.

KevinS · Post by **KevinS** » March 30th, 2020, 5:33 pm

philchenevert wrote: ↑March 30th, 2020, 5:00 pm A side note. If you use Amazon, please use Amazon Smile to buy stuff and note the Internet Archive as the non profit. Amazon gives them a little percent of whatever you buy. I made a video but lost it. tsk, tsk.

Good idea, Phil!

Post by **annise** » March 30th, 2020, 6:34 pm

IA 's answer to the objections listed above
https://blog.archive.org/2020/03/30/internet-archive-responds-why-we-released-the-national-emergency-library/

Anne

KevinS · Post by **KevinS** » March 30th, 2020, 7:14 pm

annise wrote: ↑March 30th, 2020, 6:34 pm IA 's answer to the objections listed above
https://blog.archive.org/2020/03/30/internet-archive-responds-why-we-released-the-national-emergency-library/

Anne

Thank you, Anne. Glad to see this!