Shadow Libraries by Joe Karaganis

Description

Shadow Libraries: Access to Knowledge in Global Higher Education, edited by Joe Karaganis, is an in-depth exploration of the informal and often illicit networks through which students, scholars, and institutions in the Global South access academic knowledge and research materials. The book highlights the growing reliance on "shadow libraries"—unauthorized digital repositories like Sci-Hub and Library Genesis (LibGen)—which have emerged as critical tools for circumventing the prohibitive costs and restrictive licensing models of academic publishing. Karaganis and contributing authors investigate how these shadow systems operate in regions where legitimate access to scholarly literature is limited due to economic disparities and inadequate institutional support. Through case studies and interviews from countries such as India, Argentina, Russia, and South Africa, the book reveals the practical realities and ethical complexities faced by those who rely on these networks to participate in global scholarly conversations. It sheds light on how access to knowledge has become a deeply uneven and contested terrain in the digital age. At its core, Shadow Libraries critiques the dominant structures of intellectual property and the commodification of knowledge in higher education. It challenges readers to rethink debates about copyright, open access, and the future of scholarly communication, offering an urgent call to address global inequities in education and information access. This book is a vital resource for understanding the dynamics of knowledge circulation in a world where legal access remains a privilege rather than a universal right.