Discussion
We've been getting a lot of questions about how the Internet Archive digitizes books.
The short answer: page by page, by hand.
You may remember our viral 2021 video of Eliza Zhang scanning a book. That's still how we do it.
Meet Eliza, and learn how we scan books: https://blog.archive.org/2021/02/09/meet-eliza-zhang-book-scanner-and-viral-video-star/
@internetarchive
And this is how the bad guys do it: https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2026/08/17/ai-companies-are-buying-and-destroying-antique-books-heres-why/
@internetarchive gods bless all of you for the work you do
Because guillotines weren’t meant for books!
@internetarchive
Seriously, fuck the muskrat for this and cease-and-desist-ing nitter.
@internetarchive I stumbled upon the fort wayne, indiana, digitzation center at the allen county library a few weeks ago thanks to the manager wearing an IA shirt. very cool digitization operation!
@internetarchive and not destroying them in the process for shady legal reasons... amazing.
Thanks for your work !! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
The difference between the Internet Archive and the AI jack offs, is that Brewster loves books.
@internetarchive I absolutely love that scanning rig. I want one now. Do you have a design or specs available?
@internetarchive is this the rig described in “The ‘Why’ in DIY Book Scanning”?
@internetarchive That's fantastic! What do you do with the books after you've scanned them?
@internetarchive real archives do not destroy books.
In a world where billionaires promote illiteracy, preservation of books is essential.
@internetarchive Oh my goodness. The patience of a tree. I am very good at repetitive tasks, but 25% of that book would be completed, and I'd be shaking.
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