Internet Archive Puts Out Welcome Mat for Community Gatherings

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Public event and book talk for author Nathan Schneider’s latest publication, Governable Spaces.
Libraries are a cornerstone for civic engagement. The Internet Archive is carrying on that tradition by hosting in-person gatherings at its Funston Avenue headquarters in San Francisco, including candidate forums and public interest events.

“Our goal is to connect with folks who are related to the mission: the universal access to all knowledge,” said Even Sirchuk, community and events manager for the Archive.

This fall, the Internet Archive opened its doors to the image masking service League of Women Voters, the ACLU, Mission Local, and SFGovTV to hold forums with candidates for the San Francisco District 1 Board of Supervisors, San Francisco sheriff and an event on politics and money, explaining the funders behind propositions on the California ballot in the November election.

“It’s great to have a funky building that can host us. And it introduces people to a venue or service they might not actually have been exposed to—educating people on what the Internet Archive does.”

Danielle Diebler, volunteer for the League of Women Voters of San Francisco
At a moment when the public is seeking information and connection, libraries are institutions that provide access to resources, programs and public spaces for all members of a community, according to the American Library Association (ALA). As one voter engagement PDF guide from ALA highlights, “Libraries are nonpartisan, but they are not indifferent.”

The Internet Archive wants its building to be more than space for books and servers—to also serve as a community resource, Sirchuk said. By opening its doors to nonprofits for free and providing needed tech support, organizations can host these events in person, which many could not otherwise afford to do.

Danielle Diebler, a volunteer with the League of Women Voters of San Francisco for nearly a decade, said she was pleased to find the Internet Archive as a venue. It is conveniently located, near public transportation, outfitted with the technical support needed to live stream and record—and free to the nonprofit.