By Digital Preservation Desk
The most significant "drought" stems from a 2020 lawsuit filed by four major publishers. The legal challenge targeted the IA's "Controlled Digital Lending" program, specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic when it launched the "National Emergency Library." In 2023, a court ruled against the IA, leading to the forced removal of approximately 500,000 books from its digital shelves. This legal precedent has raised fears that the Archive's ability to lend digitised versions of physical books may be permanently restricted. 2. International Access Restrictions parched internet archive
The Internet Archive, a venerable digital library that has been a cornerstone of online preservation since 1996, is facing an unprecedented crisis. Dubbed the "parched Internet Archive," the institution is struggling to stay afloat amidst a perfect storm of challenges that threaten the very fabric of the internet's collective memory. The Parched Internet Archive: When the Well of
The blog post emphasizes that much of the information regarding water rights and environmental changes is "born-digital." Without intentional effort by organizations like the Internet Archive, this critical data could be lost due to link rot or website updates. The Parched project actively works to: The blog post emphasizes that much of the