400+ Authors Sign Letter In Support of Libraries

Plus: How to build a more democratic internet, and a women's automobile guide from 1909.

Archive    Donate     Blog     Jobs     Volunteer     September 2022 Browsing the Archive Fighting for the Right to Lend More than 465 authors and counting have come together to sign an open letter with a simple goal: Publishers and trade associations must stop attacking libraries. Fight for the Future–a nonprofit advocacy group promoting digital rights–organized the letter, which states in part: "The interests of libraries are the interests of the public, and of any author concerned with equity and longevity for themselves and their fellow writers." Read the whole thing here!  READ THE LETTER Dismantling Data Cartels How can we create digital infrastructure that supports our democratic ideals? This month Sarah Lamdan (Professor of Law at CUNY School of Law) met with Brewster Kahle (Founder of the Internet Archive) and Emily Drabinski (President-Elect of the American Library Association) to discuss how we can build a more democratic internet and treat information like a public good. Check out the recording of their discussion to hear their ideas! WATCH NOW Gone Camping The Internet Archive has long been an advocate for the Decentralized Web, and at this year's DWeb Camp, dozens of thought leaders came together to discuss how we can build a better internet for everybody. We also announced the 2022 DWeb Fellows, who are hard at work creating and employing digital tools to uplift individuals and communities around the world! LEARN MORE From Our Collections Mall Music and More Music aficionado and former GAP employee Michael Bise is a man with a mission: to recreate and preserve the playlists of background music that were played in stores from 1996 to 2006. These playlists included a huge variety of musical genres, from House to Acid Jazz, from Techno to Alternative Rock, from Classic to Modern R&B and beyond. The soundscapes preserved here showcase a unique slice of culture, from the height of American mall mania to the beginning of its decline–so if you want to experience the ambience of a GAP store right at the turn of the millennium, check out the collection here! "For All Women Who Motor" Dorothy Levitt was an early racecar driver, writer, and landspeed world record holder (a whopping 79 mph). In her 1909 book The Woman And The Car, she encouraged women everywhere to learn to drive, offering advice on everything from choosing a vehicle ("the single-cylinder car is the most economical") to driving fashion (if wearing a hat, "pin it securely"). Levitt is even credited with pioneering the rearview mirror, suggesting that women bring makeup mirrors on the road to "occasionally hold up to see what is behind you". Read the book here and get a fascinating look at the early days of automobiles! What We're Reading PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY: In Defense of Library Lending NEW YORKER: The Collectors Who Save Video-Game History from Oblivion WIRED: What Modern Humans Can Learn From Ancient Software COLGATE MAROON-NEWS: University Donates Collection to Internet Archive GOOD TIMES: Recording the Grateful Dead: The Culture of Tapers If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the Internet Archive, we would greatly appreciate your support. You can help out by visiting archive.org/donate or by texting ARCHIVE to 44321. Thank you for helping us provide Universal Access To All Knowledge. DONATE TO THE INTERNET ARCHIVE Share Tweet Forward You are receiving this newsletter because of your relationship with the Internet Archive. Review our Privacy Policy Our mailing address is: Internet Archive 300 Funston Avenue San Francisco, CA 94118 Want to change how you receive these emails?  You can update your preferences to change what types of notifications you receive, or switch from HTML format to plain text. You can also unsubscribe from this list if you don't want to hear from us again.