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Presentation for ARL Directors on the Survey of ARL Depository Libraries: The Likert Scale

This survey was sent to all ARL Selective Depository Libraries and to all Regional Depository Libraries (the majority of which are also ARL Libraries). It was designed to enable ARL to study the current problems, successes, and future of the Federal Depository Library Program with a total concentration on research libraries. The Likert scale discussed here provides us with a current snapshot of both types of Depository Libraries.

pdf speckit-fdlpsurvey-likert.pdf

 
     

Campus Copyright Rights and Responsibilities: A Basic Guide to Policy Considerations

This document, prepared by the Association of American Publishers, the Association of American Universities, the Association of American University Presses, and the Association of Research Libraries, is intended to present a basic explanation of copyright law with an emphasis on its application to colleges and universities.

pdf campus-copyright-dec05.pdf

 
 

The Google Print Library Project: A Copyright Analysis

On August 11, 2005, Google announced that it would not scan copyrighted books under its Print Library Project until November, so that publishers could decide whether they want to opt their in-copyright books out of the project. Given the confusion in press reports describing the project, publishers should carefully study exactly what Google intends to do and understand the relevant copyright issues. This understanding should significantly diminish any anxiety publishers possess about the project.

pdf band-gbs-copyright-analysis-11aug05.pdf

 
 

Detailed Responses to Section 108 Working Group Questions

The Section 108 Study Group released a Background Paper and requested comments on issues relating to library and archival exceptions under Section 108. The library community provided written and oral statements to the Study Group. Based on the additional input from the library community, the responses in this document provide greater detail and in some instances, clarify the earlier statements filed in conjunction with the March Roundtables and the request for comment by the Study Group.

pdf section108-working-group-2006.pdf

 
 

Part II: Detailed Responses to Section 108 Working Group Questions

The American Library Association and the Association of Research Libraries convened a workshop to consider and receive additional input from members of the library and archival communities regarding the deliberations of the Section 108 Study Group. The Section 108 Study Group is examining the exceptions and limitations available to libraries and archives under Section 108 of the Copyright Act and considering changes to better meet the needs of libraries and archives in the digital environment.

pdf part-ii-detailed-responses-to-section-108-working-group-questions.pdf

 
 

The ALA and ARL Position on Access and Digital Preservation: A Response to the Section 108 Study Group

In response to issues raised by initiatives such as the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP), in spring 2005 the U.S. Copyright Office and the Library of Congress convened the Section 108 Study Group. The Study Group is charged to investigate whether Section 108 of the Copyright Act, which grants exceptions to libraries and archives, should be updated to better address the use of digital technologies and networked-based resources.

pdf dig-preservation-study-response-09nov06.pdf

 
 

ARL Special Collections Task Force Final Status Report

This is the final report of the ARL Special Collections Task Force, chaired by Joe Hewitt. The task force was charged with advancing a seven-point action plan. The final status report summarizes the task force’s activities. An addendum recommends further actions to be taken.
pdf special-collections-task-force-final-status-report-july2006.pdf

 
   

Briefing Paper: Key Elements of the NIH Molecular Libraries Initiative - The Molecular Libraries Screening Center Network and PubChem

In order to identify those small molecules that will have the greatest effect on a disease or biological process, NIH will soon be awarding grants to a number of academic centers throughout the United States that will constitute the Molecular Libraries Screening Center Network (MLSCN). Critical to the success of this initiative and the work of the Centers is PubChem, a publicly available database that includes information about the biological activities of chemical compounds.

pdf nih-molecular-lib-initiative-08jun05.pdf

 
 

A New Day for the DMCA: The Chamberlain and Lexmark Decisions

Recent circuit-level decisions in Chamberlain v. Skylink and Lexmark v. Static Control Components interpreted the Digital Millenium Copyright Act in a manner that will prevent its use to restrict legitimate competition in after-market components. By placing on plaintiffs the burden of proving intent to infringe copyright, judges on both panels not only dictate the correct outcome in these cases, but also provided defendants in other cases a way to short-circuit litigation when infringement is nowhere to be seen. Published in Electronic & Commerce Law Vol. 9 No. 45 (November 2004).

pdf band-dmca-chamberlain-lexmark-24nov04.pdf

 
 

Education and Training for Careers in Special Collections: A White Paper Prepared for the Association of Research Libraries Special Collections Task Force

Responding to data gathered by the 1998 Survey of Special Collections in ARL Libraries and anecdotal evidence, the ARL Task Force on Special Collections investigated issuesrelated to education and training needs for careers in special collections. The resulting white paper considersthe scope of need, surveys the current environment, and proposes recommended strategies and action items for ARL and other organizations and groups.

pdf special-coll-career-training-nov04.pdf

 
 

Law Serials Pricing and Mergers: A Portfolio Approach

Using data from more than 400 legal serials, Mark McCabe estimates the impact of six publisher mergers on law serial prices during the period 1990–2000. The results suggest that merger-related price increases were substantial during this period, even after accounting for secular price trends.

pdf View document(s) here »

 
 

Scholarly Communication and Epistemic Cultures

Keynote Address, delivered at "Scholarly Tribes and Tribulations: How Tradition and Technology Are Driving Disciplinary Change," Washington, DC, October 17, 2003

pdf scholarly-tribes-cronin-17oct03.pdf

 
     

Publisher Mergers: A Consumer-Based Approach to Antitrust Analysis

In this paper, the Information Access Alliance (Alliance) describes the issues that have emerged as the industry has become increasingly concentrated and advocates for a new standard of antitrust review that we urge be adopted by state and federal antitrust enforcement agencies in examining merger transactions in the serials publishing industry.

pdf iaa-publisher-mergers-jun03.pdf

 
         

The Digital Millenium Copyright Act: Highlights of New Copyright Provision Establishing Limitation of Liability for Online Service Providers

One of the principal provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") is a limitation on the potential money damages that Online Service Providers ("OSPs"), including libraries and educational institutions, could face when they function like a common carrier, allowing online users access to copyrighted material placed there by someone else. Rather than confront huge financial claims if the third party material infringes someone's copyright, OSPs can escape liability provided they comply with these new rules.

pdf dmca-highlights-limitation-of-liability.pdf

 
 

Summary of International Copyright and IP Activities

At the urging of the United States, a new "digital agenda" recently has been added to the range of issues under consideration in a long-running series of negotiations convened by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Currently, the U.S. is pressing for the early conclusion of international agreements on a number of issues as to which the Congress has yet to legislate and the U.S. copyright community remains deeply divided. In the longer term, this effort to shape global intellectual property policy before achieving domestic consensus could have the unintended consequence of jeopardizing both the U.S. leadership role in the field and the interests of U.S. copyright-related industries and institutions.

pdf summary-intl-ip-2001.pdf

 
   

Primer on the Digital Millenium: What the Digital Millenium Copyright Act and the Copyright Term Extension Act Mean for the Library Community

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA"), which is the centerpiece of the legislative strategy for the Clinton Administration and Congressional leaders responsible for copyright bills, was passed in the closing days of the 105th Congress. It is a very complex Act, which generated controversy and left unfinished business in its wake. As a result, high on the list of "must-dos" for the 106th Congress will be issues leftover from the DMCA.

pdf primer-digital-millenium1999.pdf

 
 

To Publish and Perish

Special issue of "Policy Perspectives", co-sponsored by the Association of Research Libraries, the Association of American Universities, and the Pew Higher Education Roundtable. This Policy Perspectives is about the challenge of maintaining access to significant researchand scholarship at a time when both the volume and price of information have increased nearly three-fold in the last decadealone.

pdf to-publish-and-perish-mar98.pdf

 
 

Fair Use in Digital Environments: The Work of the Conference on Fair Use (CONFU)

Paper disucssing fair use in digital environments, and particularly about the work of the Conference on Fair Use (or CONFU) to work out guidelines for "fair use" in educational and library settings now that digital, networked communication and publishing is becoming common. Presented at The National Federation of Abstracting and Information Services in Philadelphia, PA on February 27, 1996.

pdf fairuse-confu-27feb96.pdf

 
 
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