Internet Archive’s ‘national emergency library’ has over a million books to read right now

The Internet Archive will suspend its waiting lists for digital copies of book as part of its National Emergency Library, the organization said Tuesday. 

 “Users will be able to borrow books from the National Emergency Library without joining a waitlist, ensuring that students will have access to assigned readings and library materials that the Internet Archive has digitized,” according to a blog post. 

The move comes as schools around the country are shut down in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and as it’s become more difficult to get goods of all kinds. The post noted that many people can’t physically go to their local libraries these days.

The waiting lists apply to more than 1.4 million books. The Internet Archive said it would keep the waiting list suspended until June 30, 2020, or “the end of the US national emergency, whichever is later.”

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