Problematizing the Universal Library: Copyright, Exclusion and Public Space.

Awhile back Kevin Kelly wrote on article for the New York Times Magazine on a universal digital library for search engines. The project involves scanning the collection from five research libraries into a database, which will then be accessible to the public. BoingBoing has a permalink on the story.

When I read this article I initially had some negative responses to this project. Please excuse my sloppy rhetoric; I'm still shaping a strong argument.

When the entire collection from five research libraries is scanned, what happens to those five libraries? I doubt they will be shut down, but how will the libraries be situated in the community when their collections are made publicly available? The inherent beauty of the library (and I'm talking public libraries, not of the research variety) is that they are public spaces centered on literacy. I wonder if the issue of space will be addressed, or is it inconsequential?

The article mentions the Alexandria library constructed around 300 BC. The goal then was to collect the entire sum of the world's knowledge (read: the known, colonized and "civilized" world) into one massive building. What happened? The sucker burned down. Over 500,000 scrolls vanished, and hence the history and culture of the past also vanished. Computer networks are not entirely safe. Hackers, viruses, power outages / surges; I just don't have the faith in digital technology other people have.

Don't think I'm an overly paranoid Luddite. I understand that the internet is stable and reliable, excluding the whole Net Neutrality situation going on. But no structure is immune to entropy.

Lisa brought up copyright issues. When Google wanted to scan and post books online, authors had to speak up. Having five research libraries post their collections online could compromise the already fragile economic balance in the publishing industry. Libraries loan out books to the public because they have paid the publisher, ergo the author gets paid. So, at what point during this Universal Library scheme do authors get paid? Is literary work considered work, or is an author's efforts not given the same value as other types of work? When texts are scanned and distributed freely, the author's legitimate claim of ownership (if the work is copyrighted to the author) loses its integrity.

Another angle one must consider is computer availability. Obviously, high-speed internet access and computers with up-to-date hardware are not accessible to all members of society, all over the world. The Digital Utopia is a middle-class fantasy, and folks who are trying to cover their basic needs (and the number seems to be growing each year, particularly in developing countries that are quickly urbanizing) may not have the same priorities as those who have access to "digital resources."