The think tank for the future of libraries. We promote new possibilities for preservation of and unfettered access to information. A project of
@NYUEngelberg
We believe we can have the best of both worlds when we work together for the right to digital ownership—a world where authors write, publishers publish, and libraries buy, catalog, and lend. Read our new digital ownership paper and join us! /end
https://www.libraryfutures.net/post/digital-ownership-for-libraries-and-the-public
Or creating projects like Hathi Trust, which has preserved more than 17 million items and shares them as widely as they are able among their members. /5
Whether we're coming together to tell publishers that no, imposing embargoes on ebooks is unfair to patrons, impedes information access, and is downright unacceptable-- /4
Libraries worked together to share printed books and journals through interlibrary loan, union catalogs, rotating collections, and more. And libraries have done so again in the digital realm! /3
["Connie interlibrary loaning" by Harris Co Public Library https://flic.kr/p/aBhw8C]
Databases and ebooks seemed like they'd solve those problems, and they did—except that now libraries didn’t own content—they rented it. And if they wanted to go on providing it they had to pay for it again and again--usually at enormous expense. /2
Digital Ownership: Let’s talk collective action! Remember bound periodicals? They had their downsides—they were dusty, the one you needed wasn’t there, they took up a lot of space—but libraries OWNED them. /1
["Bound Periodicals" by Eric Frierson https://flic.kr/p/4nwiPQ]
We're looking for data and policy wonks who want to help build the future of libraries. If that sounds like you, here's your chance!
Who's in the news? We're in the news! LJ on our digital ownership paper:
"The paper provides a solid overview of why the important work of libraries is threatened in a world where access to digital works can only be licensed."
We're back! (Though we never really left).
Let's "render unenforceable any license term that 'precludes, limits, or restricts' libraries from performing their traditional, core mission."
Want to tell Congress how restrictive licenses prevent libraries from sharing information?
Register for March for Libraries with #EveryLibrary, @internetarchive, #PublicKnowledge and remind them that libraries are a growing organism.
It's here, people--Copyright and Fair Use for Libraries at noon ET. Register now if you haven't already!
It's the 10th anniversary of #FairUseWeek, and we're here to remind you that libraries "need to... ensure we’re not letting fear of litigation prevent us from fully exercising rights granted to us by Congress in copyright law."
Much more -->
Stay tuned for more ways we can get digital ownership for libraries and thus create a more equitable digital future for all! /end
Finally, the FTC could crack down on the kinds of unfair practices that come with the licensing of digital goods.
Doing so promotes competition rather than hinders it and comes with myriad social goods, from the right to repair your stuff to the right to get refunded for your airline tickets. /6
Federal lawmakers could amend the Copyright Act (which has gone through many permutations already) to update it for the digital world and make laws that prevent publisher licenses and contracts from removing user rights (as has happened in the UK). /5
https://uklaca.org/2019/01/04/protection-of-copyright-exceptions-from-override-by-contract/
Courts could rule that license that conflict with copyright law (such as section 108, Copyright Exceptions for Libraries and Archives, or section 107, fair use, which we celebrate this week) are unenforceable.
They could extend the first sale doctrine to digital items as well as physical ones. /4
There are numerous ways courts, legislatures, and regulatory agencies could create a world where libraries could own ebooks, digital journals, and databases the way they do physical books (and the bound periodicals you may recall).
Dig into the paper for much more, but we’ll give a sampling here! /3
https://www.libraryfutures.net/post/digital-ownership-for-libraries-and-the-public
When you own a thing, you control it. When you rent it, you don’t. (We’re not going to make comparisons to having a bad landlord here, but we won’t stop you.)
Because ebooks are digital, they got treated as software, a thing you license. But a book isn’t a computer program—Its value is in its content, not its function. /2
Let’s talk digital ownership! Not up to a full paper? Fear not, we're here for you.
Our new policy paper on digital ownership covers three intersecting ways we can change the digital content problems libraries face, and we’re going to break them down for you. /1
https://www.libraryfutures.net/post/digital-ownership-for-libraries-and-the-public
One day only!
@bc_butler, Nancy Sims, Pia Hunter, and @DigLibCopyright talking copyright and fair use for libraries!
Have you registered for our latest collaboration with METRO NY Library Council? You know what to do!
https://metro.org/events/copyright-and-fair-use-libraries
