Internet Archive: Digital Library of a New Type

Abstract

The article examines the activities of the Internet Archive (USA), popular e-library with open access priority, a pioneer in the field of humanitarian applications of the advanced information and communication technologies. Internet Archive - is a part of broader democratic movement for the freedom of information on the Internet, coupled with the initiatives of the use of open access license to the software, as well as the transfer to the society of the copyright for creative product with the possibility of its further development. There is analyzed the social and cultural importance of systematic archiving of the Web (copies of web pages, video and audio recording, TV news, etc.) in the context of formation of the global electronic civilization, focused on the promotion of transient data with a high citation rating. There is considered the new format of providing information services to the global audience in the field of digital archeology (Archive-It service), as well as in the field of library services (Open Library service, an electronic catalog-pointer to 23 million books from over 150 repositories). The development of the Internet Archive is considered as the original strategy of informatization of know-ledge; there is described the operation of its core projects and services (digital book repository, electronic pointer catalog, media collection, etc.) in the context of infrastructure development of the Information Society.