Gregory B. Newby

Gregory B. Newby was an influential American and Canadian information scientist renowned for his contributions to the field of digital information access. He played a pivotal role in advancing supercomputing projects and championed the democratization of knowledge through the Internet. As the volunteer CEO of the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, Newby was instrumental in supporting the expansion of one of the largest digital libraries, which provides free access to a vast collection of ebooks. His leadership helped to ensure that literary works remained accessible to a global audience, fostering a culture of reading and learning in the digital age. In addition to his work with Project Gutenberg, Newby was an active participant in the Hackers on Planet Earth (HOPE) conference, where he engaged with the tech community on issues of information sharing and digital rights. His academic career included teaching positions at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he inspired a new generation of library and information science professionals. Newby's legacy lies in his commitment to making knowledge universally accessible, reflecting his belief in the transformative power of information technology.