The Internet Archive, a digital library offering free access to collections of digitized materials, has reportedly become the official custodian of an entire nation’s history for the first time.
According to an investigation by WIRED, the Internet Archive’s Aruba Collection hosts digitized versions of Aruba’s National Library, National Archives, and other institutions including an archaeology museum and the University of Aruba. So far, the collection contains 101,376 items, around one for every island resident. This includes 40,000 documents, 60,000 images, and seven 3D objects.
The Internet Archive website states the importance of collecting artifacts to preserve culture and heritage. “Without such artifacts, civilization has no memory and no mechanism to learn from its successes and failures,” it continues. With more artifacts in digital form, the Archive believes its mission is to help safeguard them and create an Internet library for researchers, historians, and scholars.
Aruba leads the way as the FIRST nation to sign a statement safeguarding the digital rights of memory organizations online. This historic move sets a powerful precedent for protecting our digital heritage. Read more: https://t.co/zOqCIJWkxQ #LibraryDigitalRights #Aruba pic.twitter.com/vWOs0qMS43
— Internet Archive (@internetarchive) April 9, 2024
Peter Scholing, information scientist and researcher at the country’s national library, Biblioteca Nacional Aruba (BNA), spearheaded support for the statement protecting memory organisations online. “Over the last few months we’ve brainstormed about these digital rights and how to broaden the statement to make it relevant to not only libraries, but also for memory institutions and GLAMs in general,” said Scholing, using the acronym for galleries, libraries, archives & museums.
Scholing stated that the preservation aligns with goal 16 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which advocates for open access to documentary, cultural, or digital heritage. The ‘Four Digital Rights for Protecting Memory Institutions Online’ statement, therefore, “aligns almost perfectly with what we aim to achieve here in Aruba—universal access to ‘our’ information,” he added.
“What makes Aruba unique is they have cooperation from all the leading cultural heritage players in the country,” Chris Freeland, the Internet Archive’s director of library services told WIRED.
Internet Archive faces legal issues
The Archive is currently grappling with several significant legal challenges, among them a lawsuit from leading record labels such as Universal Music Group, Capitol, and Sony. The labels are seeking damages potentially exceeding $400 million.
In addition, there is an ongoing dispute with publishing companies over a digital lending library it established during the pandemic. Hence the Archive remains vulnerable and its future is precarious.
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