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Tech NewsNews
Internet Archive Ends Free Ebook Program Early in Bid to Stave Off Dangerous Lawsuit
Back in March, the Internet Archive launched its National Emergency Library, a program that made roughly 1.4 million books available to the public without the usual waitlists. But on Wednesday, the organization announced it was ending the program two weeks early after four major publishers decided to sue Internet Archive for copyright infringement. Internet Archive … Continued
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Tech NewsBest of the Week
Stressed Pooches, Global Outbreak, and Immortality: Best Gizmodo Stories of the Week
With all this talk about the spread of COVID-19, I would blame you if you’re considering staying inside and away from people (more than usual, at least) until all this blows over. I know I am. Thankfully, if voluntary house arrest is in your future, the good folks at Gizmodo have plenty of amazing coverage … Continued
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ScienceForever Week
Libraries Could Preserve Ebooks Forever, But Greedy Publishers Won’t Let Them
There are currently 342 potential borrowers waiting for 197 digital copies of Ronan Farrow’s investigative thriller Catch and Kill at the Los Angeles Public Library. “It’ll take months for that ebook to become available,” I mutter to myself as I do my usual dance: searching the LAPL’s ebook shelves for titles on my reading list. … Continued
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Tech News
New Yorkers Are About to Lose the Best Kept Secret in Movie Streaming
The New York library system is one of the largest and best-stocked in the country. Among the many perks for members (spot-on recommendations, more books than you can read in several lifetimes, someplace where the air conditioning actually works) is access to free movie streaming service Kanopy—at least for the next week before the service’s … Continued
By Avery Ellis -
Tech News
When the Internet Archive Forgets
On the internet, there are certain institutions we have come to rely on daily to keep truth from becoming nebulous or elastic. Not necessarily in the way that something stupid like Verrit aspired to, but at least in confirming that you aren’t losing your mind, that an old post or article you remember reading did, … Continued
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io9BooksScience Fiction
Tor Publishing Issues a 4-Month E-Book Embargo on Libraries, Cites Retail Sale Concerns
If you’ve been to the library recently, you might have noticed something strange. New e-books from Tor Publishing are nowhere to be found. Ball Lightning by Cixin Liu. Cathy Clamp’s newest novel in the Luna Lake series. The Black God’s Drums by P. Djèlí Clark. All missing. That’s because Tor is refusing to let libraries … Continued
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Tech NewsFacebook
The New York Public Library is Turning Classics Into Instagram Stories
Gizmodo has advocated for libraries as an excellent means of logging off, because a library is a service that lets you “stream” films, music, magazines, books, and all other kinds of media for free. But now one of the world’s greatest libraries is trying to enrich the social media experience. The New York Public Library … Continued
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Tech NewsAmazon
Behold This Disastrously Bad Op-Ed Calling for Amazon to Replace Libraries
For those who have remained blissfully off of Twitter, a site that remains uncomfortably popular with sociopaths and morons like me, the “ratio” is when a tweet is so bad that the number of retweets and favorites it accrues becomes greatly outnumbered by hostile replies. It is one of the few beautiful things about the … Continued
By Tom McKay -
Tech News
The Best ‘Streaming’ Service of All Is Your Local Library
Faced with a seemingly infinite number of media subscription services, it is sometimes necessary for the modern content consumer to ask which ones are actually worth it and which ones are basically a scam monetizing our collective need for distraction and stimulation. “Do I really need Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, Amazon Video and the Basque-language animated … Continued
By Hudson Hongo -
Tech News
Librarian Wins $600 in Symbolic Lawsuit Against Those Equifax Asshats
If your personal data gets hacked, then why not file a lawsuit? That’s what Vermont librarian Jessamyn West did by successfully suing Equifax over its 2017 hack, which exposed the personal data over 140 million people. A Vermont judge awarded West $690 for her claim—$90 of which covered the court papers she submitted. West’s lawsuit … Continued
By David Turner -
Tech News
You Can Stream Thousands of Movies for Free With a New York Public Library Card
Starting Friday, anyone with a New York Public Library or Brooklyn Public Library will be able to stream thousands of awesome movies, including the entire Criterion Collection. Why? Because libraries are awesome, that’s why. Truth be told, New York is playing a bit of catch up, after Los Angeles offered its public library card holders … Continued
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Tech NewsDesign
These Minimalist Posters of Famous Libraries Want to Hang on Your Wall Just Beside the Bookshelf
Libraries are magical places, and even the smallest local branch over the corner deserves your attention, and you should pay a visit regularly. Artist André Chiote believes in the power of libraries, and has put together an astounding set of posters to celebrate their importance. These minimalist posters below, created by Chiote, an architect and … Continued
By Attila Nagy -
Tech News
Sydney is Getting the Library of the Future
The city of Sydney is setting up a new library inside a building that looks, depending on who you ask, like a stack of plates, a spaceship taking off, or a cyborg hairdo. The library will occupy two floors, and will house a lot more than just books. There are a lot of gorgeous libraries … Continued
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Tech News
The New York Public Library Just Uploaded Over 187,000 Free Images For All To Use
While it’s easy to forget just how many things are actually in the public domain, the New York Public Library is very much into making sure that its collection is as available as possible. Which is why over 187,000 public domain images were put online today. All of the public domain works—that is, ones no … Continued
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io9Books
Why Don’t Libraries Have Dungeons & Dragons Gamebooks?
Dungeons & Dragons and libraries should be a natural fit. Both attract people who love books, storytelling, and lore. Early D&D gamebooks even point readers towards their local libraries for research, and many libraries host comic book-themed events or have D&D clubs. This is why I was so surprised to learn how rare it is … Continued
Edward Schneider -
io9Books
I’m a Librarian Who Banned a Book. Here’s Why.
In the library world, access to information is a human right, not to be tampered with or controlled in any way. The books that line the shelves have been carefully selected by a trained librarian to offer the reader a balanced approach to all topics – that is, we try to provide all points of … Continued
Scott DiMarco -
Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
First Library to Offer Anonymous Web Browsing Stops Under DHS Pressure
A library in a small New Hampshire town started to help Internet users around the world surf anonymously using Tor. Until the Department of Homeland Security raised a red flag. Since Edward Snowden exposed the extent of online surveillance by the U.S. government, there has been a surge of initiatives to protect users’ privacy. But … Continued
Julia Angwin - ProPublica -
io9Books
Local Governments Crack Down On The Monstrous Evil of Tiny Free Lending Libraries
It’s good to know that people are focusing on what’s really important. Local governments in a few different U.S. cities and towns have looked past the problems of homelessness, crumbling city services and displacement, to tackle the real crisis: people are putting up tiny “take a book, leave a book” libraries. This is clearly a … Continued