My First Open-Source Contribution to the Internet Archive
Last January I attended my first hackathon, with only a foundational understanding of HTML, CSS and Javascript. If you had told me a year ago that I’d be contributing code to a non-profit as historic and vital as the Internet Archive, I would’ve laughed so hard I’d probably have ended up with the hiccups. Yet here I am, celebrating my very first open-source contribution to the Open Library project!
Even though it was a small “good first issue,” it felt incredibly exciting to play a part in making books and knowledge more accessible to everyone. There’s something very special about knowing that your tiny fix or feature could improve someone’s user experience around the world. I’m still buzzing with excitement and can’t wait to see what I can tackle next in this wonderful open-source community!
Wait, what’s Open Library?
Open Library is an initiative by the Internet Archive that aims to provide a web page for every book ever published. That’s right — every single book! It’s a massive undertaking powered by community contributions, volunteer developers, and a whole lot of passion for democratizing knowledge.
Spotting the Issue
My contribution was pretty straightforward: unifying whitespace on search results pages when there are no search results. Yup, we’re talking about the magical world of CSS and HTML templates — less flashy than some AI-driven wizardry, but crucial to keep the user experience consistent.
Why does whitespace matter? Well, imagine visiting a website that has misaligned sections, inconsistent spacing, or awkward blank spots in some places and not in others. It can make the site feel broken or incomplete. By tidying up these details, we’re helping the Open Library feel more polished, accessible, and welcoming to its users.
That “Contributions Welcome” Moment
I’d been lurking around the project’s GitHub issues for a while, eyeing potential tasks like a kid in a candy store. Some were too big, some were out of my comfort zone, and then I stumbled across one labeled “Good First Issue.” Bingo!
I hopped in, introduced myself, and asked if I could help. The community was incredibly friendly — no stuffy gatekeeping here. It felt like the perfect combination of exciting and doable, so I rolled up my sleeves and dove right in.
I’ve messed around with Git and GitHub before, but working on an open-source project that real people rely on feels different, when there's no actual interaction with folks reviewing your PR. I followed the project’s contribution guidelines — pulling the code, creating a feature branch, and making sure to run the tests and lint checks. I kept notes on everything, in case I wanted to help onboard someone else in the future.
Pro tip: Communication is key in open source. Don’t be shy about asking questions or clarifying details in the GitHub issue or on Slack/Discord if the project has one.
The Pull Request (and Minor Anxiety)
Ah, the moment of truth: the Pull Request (PR). I’ll admit I was a little nervous when I clicked the “Create Pull Request” button. I had a bunch of “what ifs” swirling in my head: What if I break something? What if the maintainers think my code is sloppy? What if I spelled everything wrong?
But guess what? The maintainers were supportive, gave me a bit of constructive feedback, and asked a few clarifying questions (which is normal). After applying their suggestions, the code was good to go!
Merged into master.
Soon enough, I got the green light — my changes were merged! Cue the confetti! I might have done a little happy dance in my chair. No regrets.
Wrapping up
- A Small Fix Goes a Long Way: Even if you’re not rewriting the entire codebase, your contribution still matters. Smaller tasks help keep the project running smoothly.
- Confidence Booster: This experience taught me not to underestimate myself. If you see an issue labelled “Good First Issue,” go for it!
- Community & Collaboration: The best part of open source is the people. Everyone’s there to learn and improve together.
Now that I’ve gotten my feet wet, I’m looking forward to more open-source adventures, exploring new tasks, and maybe tackling something bigger next time.
If you’re on the fence about contributing, let me say this: take that leap. Whether it’s fixing a tiny style bug or improving documentation, every bit counts. Plus, you get that warm, fuzzy feeling knowing you’re helping make knowledge more accessible to everyone.
