Zakayo’s lecture draws upon findings from his PhD project, which aimed at understanding, mapping and analysing shadow library websites. During the lecture, an exploration of the ecosystem of shadow libraries is given. The talk will provide a brief overview of major platforms, including LibGen, Sci-Hub, Anna’s Archive, Z-library, AAAARG, UBU, and MOTW, to provide a basis for understanding the constituent parts of the shadow library community. Using the “Commons” as a primary theoretical lens, the presentation analyses how these platforms operate to create and sustain novel digital commons. The presentation’s primary purpose is to explore how dissemination and preservation function as the two core, inseparable activities within the shadow library. The lecture concludes by examining two specific case studies: Z-library and Anna’s Archive. These two cases illustrate how shadow libraries are not only symptoms of a broken system, but innovative platforms for exploring new ways to organise, disseminate and preserve digital text.