What is good for New Zealand?

Dr Christine Dann on why the disruption of Wellington means New Zealand needs the knowledge in books rather than the ‘information’ on screens more than ever. Book Guardians Aotearoa has expressed its concern and support to the staff of the National Library who have been effectively locked out of their work place for the past … Continue reading What is good for New Zealand?

A tohu of the times?

Part 1 of The unbearable costs to Aotearoa’s culture and heritage of leaving the National Library and Archives in the Department of Internal Affairs This morning, on Waitangi Day 2022, the Waitangi National Trust Board Chairman, Pita Tipene, said to the RNZ interviewer: “It is strange, also, that certainly in my memory I have never … Continue reading A tohu of the times?

National Library ‘reconsiders’ Internet Archive deal – what next?

On November 29 the National Library (NL) announced in a media release that it was “reconsidering its plans for the Overseas Published Collections in light of concerns raised by interested parties, including issues associated with copyright.” It said it would not export any of the Overseas Published Collections until it had considered its next steps. … Continue reading National Library ‘reconsiders’ Internet Archive deal – what next?

A second chance for New Zealand’s books?

Book Guardians Aotearoa (BGA) was delighted to hear on November 29 that the National Library (NL) is pressing pause on its deeply controversial deal with the Internet Archive to take over 400,000 books out of New Zealand – never to return. You can read the NL’s explanation of this action in its media release, most … Continue reading A second chance for New Zealand’s books?

How Internet pirates do it

“The lobbyists on the other side”, said Internet Archive (IA) owner Brewster Kahle in 2020, “are paid a lot of money by some people to go and spread misinformation.” So not only a pirate, then, but also a purveyor of porkies. This porkie was easily rebutted by Edward Hasbrouk, co-chair of the Book Division of … Continue reading How Internet pirates do it

The easy life of an internet pirate

Yo ho ho, and a bottle of rum! The easy life of an internet pirate. Brewster Kahle, the owner of the Internet Archive (IA) and its ‘Open Library’ will tell you he is not a pirate. The New Zealand government (in the form of the Department of Internal Affairs, the National Library, the Ministry of … Continue reading The easy life of an internet pirate

Sign the petition!

Join us in this petition to Parliament to urgently stop the National Library book vandalism The link to this petition is here Please also write to your local MP, the Minister of Internal Affairs j.tinetti@ministers.govt.nz and the Prime Minister j.ardern@ministers.govt.nz as well as the National Librarian: rachel.esson@dia.govt.nz Join the Facebook groups: Book Guardians Aotearoa and … Continue reading Sign the petition!

International calls to stop New Zealand breaching copyright law

Last week the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) issued a media release (Are your books being donated to Internet Archive?) saying: “The ASA is dismayed to learn that the National Library of New Zealand’s (NLNZ) donation of over 400,000 books to Internet Archive includes a number of Australian books, many of which are still in … Continue reading International calls to stop New Zealand breaching copyright law

Letter to the Attorney General, and his response

In August this year Book Guardians Aotearoa wrote to the Attorney General, David Parker, with these points: requesting that he cancel the Library's contract with the Internet Archivethere is a considerable risk that the books cannot legally be scanned and put online, thus denying access to the books by New Zealanders. The Tohatoha lawyer upon … Continue reading Letter to the Attorney General, and his response