They may even use technical and legal measures to prevent libraries from doing so. For example, while a library could always simply buy a physical book on the open market in order to preserve it on their shelves, many publishers and platforms try to stop libraries from preserving information digitally. But in the digital world, law and technology make their job increasingly difficult. Traditionally, libraries and archives filled this gap. But companies close, and change hands, and their commercial interests can cut against preservation and other important public benefits. Don’t get me wrong: Publishers and platforms continue to play an important role in bringing the work of creators to market, and sometimes assist in the preservation task. Platforms, too, tend to put their commercial interests first. Like record labels, many book publishers didn’t know what to make of the internet at first, but now they see new opportunities for financial gain. While we have had many successes, it has not been easy. I started the Internet Archive because I strongly believed that this work needed to continue in digital form and into the digital age. For thousands of years, libraries and archives have provided this important public service. The scale and scope of the Internet Archive can give it the appearance of something unique, but we are simply doing the work that libraries and archives have always done: Preserving and providing access to knowledge and cultural heritage.
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