Browsing the Archive

--------------------------------------------------------------- [ARCHIVE] [DONATE] [JOBS] [BLOG] [VOLUNTEER]--------------------------------------------------------------- Browsing the Archive December 14, 2016 [FEATURE IMAGE] BUILD [HELP US KEEP THE ARCHIVE FREE, ACCESSIBLE, AND READER PRIVATE] We awoke on November 9th to find ourselves in a different landscape, one in which open access to our vast libraries and the privacy of those who use it could no longer be taken for granted. As proactive librarians, we think it’s wise to live by the maxim, “Lots of copies keep stuff safe.” And as a result, we’ve accelerated our plans to create [a mirror of the Internet Archive across the border in Canada], so no single government has control over the information we provide. Our ambitious program struck a chord among our stellar supporters, who are helping us reach our goal of $5 million. To those of you who’ve already contributed, thank you for your steadfast support. And for those of you who’d like to join in, [please make a tax-deductible donation today]! [READ MORE] --------------------------------------------------------------- [Internet Archive newsletter image] WATCH [ALWAYS THE FIRST PLACE YOU GO] It’s always nice to hear from someone who appreciates your work, especially when they say it on a national television broadcast. That’s what happened on November 29, when Rachel Maddow explained why the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine is such a valuable tool for researchers and journalists. “It is a national treasure—It’s an international treasure! We’ve used it hundreds, probably thousands of times in the preparation of this show.” She cited examples of how the resource made it much harder for individuals and organizations to erase the past. “Anytime somebody tries to make something go away, that’s the first place you look to see if you can find it, despite the efforts of the person who tried to disappear that information. It’s always the first place you go.” [WATCH] --------------------------------------------------------------- [FEATURE IMAG] DEFEND [NSL: RETURN TO SENDER] These days, being a librarian involves more than just disseminating information. At the Internet Archive, it also means standing up for the rights of our patrons. In August, the FBI delivered a National Security Letter demanding information about a private individual, presumed to be a user of our service. (An NSL is a subpoena that comes with an unusual—many would say unconstitutional—provision: the recipient isn't allowed to tell anyone that s/he received it.) Together with the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the American Civil Liberties Union, we fought it ... and won. As [Kim Zetter noted in The Intercept], "The number of known challenges to NSLs in the last decade can be counted on two hands." One of those occasions was in 2007, when we also successfully challenged an NSL. [READ MORE] --------------------------------------------------------------- [Internet Archive newsletter image] PRESERVE [I CAN HAZ MEME HISTORY??] A meme is said to be the smallest unit of transferable thought—a gene of an idea. Like animated GIFs, they’re not going away. Memes are ubiquitous on social media, in email from your friends, and even on news sites as examples of public reaction to news events. Jason Scott, the Internet Archive’s free-range archivist, dove deep into our vast trove of data and came up smiling. He distilled the history of memes into an amusing talk and accompanying essay. His presentations are timely reminders that the internet can be, and is, endlessly entertaining. [Read More] --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- [Internet Archive newsletter image] PRESERVE [SEEDS OF TIMES PAST] Once upon a time, people grew much of food they ate, but that was a long time ago. The Internet Archive’s Library Seed & Nursery Catalogs provides a glimpse into that world of New Peerless tomatoes, Giant Red Rocco onions, Wurzburg Giant radishes, and Simson’s Early Curled lettuce. Now that’s a summer salad! It’s not hard to imagine drinking tea by a roaring fire on a snowy winter evening planning next year’s garden. Grab a cup of hot cocoa, nestle up to a glowing computer monitor, and enjoy the view of an all but lost world. [READ MORE] [Internet Archive newsletter image] READ [A CHRISTMAS CAROL] When most people think of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the first thing that comes to mind is the 1938 film. The novella, however, was first published 173 years ago, long before the first movie camera was invented. A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost-Story of Christmas (to give the work its full title) has been in print ever since. This volume in the Internet Archive’s online edition features lovely illustrations by Arthur Rackham. Like the original, it was printed in Great Britain. There’s no indication of when it was published, but it really doesn’t matter: it’s timeless. [READ] --------------------------------------------------------------- Internet Archive in the News [Motherboard: The Entire Internet Will Be Archived In Canada to Protect It From Trump [Techcrunch: Backing Up the History of the Internet In Canada to Save It From Trump [FiveThirtyEight: An FBI Error Opens A Window Into Government Demands For Private Info [Mcclatchydc: Forget Hackers. Libraries Fear That It’s the Feds Who’ll Go After Your Data. [The Current (CBC Radio): Fear of Trump has the Internet Archive moving to Canada]]]]] --------------------------------------------------------------- [Support the Internet Archive] --------------------------------------------------------------- [Facebook] [Twitter] [Mail] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the Internet Archive newsletter Internet Archive, 300 Funston St. San Francisco, CA [unsubscribe from this list] [RelevantBlue Privacy Policy]