Digitally Divided: The Brewster Kahle Saga and the Battle for Book Access
The clash between the Internet Archive and major book publishers has brought to light a contentious debate over the intersection of copyright law, digital preservation, and the role of libraries in the digital age. At the center of this controversy is Brewster Kahle, the founder of the Internet Archive, whose vision and mission have sparked both admiration and criticism.
The conflict stems from the Internet Archive’s practice of lending out scanned traditional books through its Controlled Digital Lending (CDL) program. Despite facing repeated requests and demands to cease this practice, Kahle persisted, leading to legal action and court battles that ultimately ruled against the Internet Archive.