What just happened? Non-profit organization Internet Archive was founded by Brewster Kahle in 1996, as a digital library conceived to provide free access to digital knowledge via the internet. Now, the IA is getting yet another noteworthy "upgrade" thanks to an official federal designation promoted by a US Senator.
The Internet Archive was recently designated as an official "federal depository" library for the state of California. Senator Alex Padilla made the designation in a letter sent to Scott Matheson, Superintendent of Documents at the US Government Publishing Office (GPO). The US GPO oversees the Federal Depository Library (FDL) program, a network of over 1,100 libraries tasked with preserving documents and other valuable content from the US government.
The FDL program dates back to 1813, when Congress decided to establish the library network so US citizens could easily access government records. The organization doesn't stop at archiving government activities, though – other archived content includes maps, environmental reports, health studies, congressional records, and more.
Congress members can designate up to two libraries for acquiring official FDL status, and Padilla chose the Internet Archive. The senator sent the designation letter, which is publicly available on the IA website – after receiving a plea from IA founder Kahle. The San Francisco-based organization was born to provide "universal access to all knowledge," the letter states, and has always been focused on a digital-first approach.
"Due to its digital focus, the Internet Archive can reach people around the world, providing free, online access to the library's collections, including digitized physical media, such as books, documents, and films, and archived web pages," Padilla said.
After being confirmed as part of the FDL network, the IA will be tasked with ensuring that valuable US federal documents can be accessed by anyone with an open internet connection. The IA is already working towards this goal through its Democracy's Library collection, and is further advancing this mission within the FDL.
Kahle said that the IA has always been both a library and a digital platform, and will now have an easier time working with other US libraries. The IA will help the GPO by enhancing digital preservation, thanks to its significant expertise in digitizing documents, books, and other content.
Despite being a digital preservation staple in today's all-digital world, the IA has to face a growing pressure from commercial entities. The non-profit was recently targeted by major US publishers for its Controlled Digital Lending system during the pandemic, ultimately losing the case. The Archive is also being accused by music labels for digitalizing out-of-print 78 RPM records, a case which could result in a $700 million fine and pose an existential threat to the organization.
Internet Archive joins federal library system as official repository for government documents
