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How to run a shadow library: operations at Anna’s Archive
(annas-blog.org)
" I run Anna’s Archive, the world’s largest open-source non-profit search engine for shadow libraries, like Sci-Hub, Library Genesis, and Z-Library. Our goal is to make knowledge and culture readily accessible, and ultimately to build a community of people who together archive and preserve all the books in the world ... In this article I’ll show how we run this website, and the unique challenges that come with operating a website with questionable legal status, since there is no “AWS for shadow charities”."
Historically, copyright laws were created as means to protect publishers, and not authors. There was a shift towards protecting the authors, but the entire structure is still biased.
In other words, we never really had a system that protects author's interests and incentives them to create more.
Having more people access content IS in the best interest of authors, because it makes them more renowned. So, if a system is based on restricting reproduction, it's protecting publishers.
But what alternative dobwe have? We never actually developed a consistent alternative, and, in a way, people are still experimenting. It's not likely that we will find a solution that fits all forms of creative works.