Internet Archive Copyright Loss Hits Library Digital Lending (1)

Four major book publishers’ copyright win over the Internet Archive and its digital lending system sends a warning shot to any libraries following their footsteps, attorneys say.

A Manhattan judge ruled late that the Internet Archive’s “controlled digital lending” (CDL) practice—which many brick and mortar libraries have also adopted—infringes the publishers’ copyrights and isn’t protected by fair use. The nonprofit had argued its system of scanning millions of books and temporarily lending each out to one borrower merely mimicked what libraries already do, didn’t hurt the market for the 127 books in suit, and constituted fair use.

Judge John G. ...