Internet Archive Announces National Emergency Library

ReadersFirst has received the following announcement from the Internet Archive [full disclosure: somm members of our Working Group have endorsed the project]. RF hopes that the Open Library can expand access to titles in a difficult time for library readers, who may often find waiting lists for our content longer:

From Tuesday, March 24, 2020:

With your support, we launched a National Emergency Library this morning, backed by more than 200 endorsements from individuals & institutions (and the list is still growing!).  Thank you for standing with us as we made this bold move.  You can read more about our efforts in the official announcement and in our FAQs.

 What now?

Our work is far from over! While we continue to build our library and raise awareness about our collection, we welcome you to follow along or participate in any way you can, including:

1.    Read books! With suspended waitlists you can dive into some really interesting research, or even rediscover a classic you might not have read (or even seen on a shelf) in years.  Browse the collection now.

2.    Spread the word!  Please share information about the National Emergency Library with your colleagues, your students, and your followers on social media.  A point on this - there are already critics of what we’re doing who are tweeting and spreading disinformation about our efforts. Please counter them if you find what we’re doing valuable. A chorus of support would be incredibly helpful.

3.    Learn more! We’ve scheduled a series of webinars over the next 3 weeks to help people learn more about Open Libraries and the National Emergency Library. Sign up today! If you’re interested in having a discussion tailored to your local needs, please contact me directly.

4.    Join Open Libraries (if you’re a library) or ask your local library to do so! We are able to meet our community’s needs during this crisis by suspending waitlists.  Your library’s participation in Open Libraries will help us keep up with demand once the suspension is over and we return to normal lending capacities.  Learn more at Open Libraries. 

Thank you again for helping us make books more available while our schools and libraries are closed.  Onward, together!