Sunday, January 13, 2013

Librarians rock!



The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) has been working for the past two years with researchers, librarians, foundations and other public cultural institutions to offer the world’s largest and most comprehensive online digital library. Readers would be able to access the digital library from anywhere for no charge. Not since the invention of the printing press, which revolutionized the distribution and sharing of books to the masses, has a project been so exciting to readers (well, me, anyway, and as a reader, you should be excited, too!).

The project began with university librarians responding to Google’s efforts to digitize every book in public domain, and offering them to readers along with advertisements. (Gee, where have we seen business model before?) When the company expanded its plan to include books under current copyright, the Authors Guild responded by filing a class-action lawsuit.

The DPLA will offer the books free of advertising. To show your support, go to the link to add your name. 

http://dp.la/get-involved/pledge/

Write soon,
Mary

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