Literal free press: the National Emergency Library sparks fury | The Economist | Espresso

"At a time when an overwhelming swathe of humanity remains stuck at home, cultural institutions from symphonies to national theatres have begun to offer free concerts, plays and lectures online. America’s Internet Archive may have taken such largesse too far. On March 24th, in response to the covid-19 pandemic, the digital library opened its 1.4m-strong book collection to unlimited free borrowing, creating what it calls a “National Emergency Library”. Teachers and bookworms applauded. Authors are furious...."