More than ever, the world needs libraries: safe spaces, supportive community, reliable information, basic resources. Meanwhile, the world's libraries are increasingly under threat by lawsuits, exploitative leasing models, funding cuts, and never-ending copyright. www.linkedin.com/pulse/uncert... - ThreadSky

mek.fyi • 53 days ago

More than ever, the world needs libraries: safe spaces, supportive community, reliable information, basic resources.

Meanwhile, the world's libraries are increasingly under threat by lawsuits, exploitative leasing models, funding cuts, and never-ending copyright.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/uncertain-future-american-libraries-mek-karpeles

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mek.fyi•53 days ago

@openlibrary.org remains home to thousands of challenged books:
https://openlibrary.org/collections/banned-books

Do I agree with all of them? No.

But I believe in the value of protecting authors' free speech. I trust in my neighbors to reach healthy conclusions. And I believe in the power of books to get us there.

mek.fyi•53 days ago

While library systems in many nations are paddling upstream, against predatory corporate leasing schemes, to continue serving patrons, many nations have yet to establish libraries. @openlibrary.org ensures all nations have basic access to a Public Domain.

https://mekarpeles.medium.com/content-landlords-and-the-eviction-of-american-libraries-18461f9d819a

mek.fyi•53 days ago

Thousands of readers with qualifying print disabilities rely on platforms like @openlibrary.org because digital access is literally the only way they can read print books. These audiences shouldn't have to worry about a sudden change in policy potentially leaving them behind.

mek.fyi•53 days ago

The library ethos is to support humans and create opportunity. As a community, @openlibrary.org has mentored and graduated more than 30 engineering & design fellows internationally, helping many make impact, enter graduate programs, and jumpstart their careers.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mekarpeles_folks-often-tell-me-theyre-surprised-to-activity-7036568638350348288-HKYQ

mek.fyi•53 days ago

The world deserves more reader privacy and open metadata, not vendor lock-in. @openlibrary.org is one open source alternative to amazon's goodreads that makes all its book data publicly available for free each month:

https://openlibrary.org/developers/dumps

mek.fyi•53 days ago

"Information is power. But like all power, there are those who want to keep it for themselves. The world’s entire scientific and cultural heritage, published over centuries in books and journals, is increasingly being digitized and locked up by a handful of private corporations."

- Aaron Swartz

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