ARL Promotes Awareness of Cyberspace Bill

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Vimal Kumar Varun
Senior Scientific Officer-I
Department of Scientific & Industrial Research
Ministry of Science & Technology
Technology Bhawan, New Mehrauli Road
NEW DELHI 110016, INDIA

------- Tel : +91-11-6516078, 667373 Ext 496
Fax : +91-11-6960629
email : vkv@nissatd.ernet.in

July 11, 1996

ARL Announces...

Association Promotes Awareness of Copyright Cyberspace Bill

The Association of Research Libraries has prepared a collection of materials designed to assist librarians and educators in informing their colleagues, campus administrators, legislators, and others on efforts underway to update the U.S. Copyright Act for the National Information Infrastructure. Publication of "Copyright and the NII: Resources for the Library and Education Community" is one in a series of steps ARL is taking to promote copyright awareness within North American higher education and research communities. RARLUs goal in making these materials available is to encourage greater involvement by the library and education communities in defining how the copyright law translates into applications in an electronic networked environment,S said Duane Webster, ARL Executive Director.

The past two years have seen a growing focus on copyright and intellectual property issues in both the national and international arenas. In the United States, the primary interest is how to update the Copyright Act of 1976 to address intellectual property in the context of the NII.

Included in this compilation are an overview of the Administration and Congressional processes to date, an analysis of the legislative proposals, statements from the key constituencies engaged in the debate, and resources for action. It also includes an assessment of the potential consequences of the legislation, concluding that it could redefine the way librarians and educators carry out their work.

Prudence Adler, ARLUs Assistant Executive DirectorPFederal Relations and Information Policy, noted that, RCopyright and intellectual property issues are complex and in this rapidly changing technological environment it is critical that careful, thoughtful, and extensive consideration be given to any change in the law.S

For additional information about ARL's Copyright Awareness efforts, contact Patricia Brennan (patricia@cni.org), and for information about this legislation contact Prudence Adler (prue@cni.org).

Resources Included in "Copyright and the NII: Resources for the Library and Education Community"

Part I Expanding Awareness: Administration and Congressional Activities

This section presents the context for the debate. Included is an overview of the process to date, a synopsis of the legislative proposals, and an analysis of the these proposals and the potential impact on library and education practices. Included also is a review of the Conference on Fair Use. Updates on the progress of the legislation as it moves forward in Congress will be available at the home page of the Digital Future Coalition: http://www.ari.net/dfc/

White Paper Legislative Recommendations, Prue Adler, ARL Other Issues Raised in the White Paper, Prue Adler, ARL Defining the Quiet Zone: Library and Educational Perspective on the White Paper, Arnold Lutzker, Fish and Richardson Intellectual Property and the National Information Infrastructure: Serving the Public Interest? Mary E. Jackson, ARL Bill Language: H.R. 2441 and S. 1284 Related Copyright Activities: Conference on Fair Use Copyright and Intellectual Property Related Legislation - 104th Congress

Part II Proposing Alternatives: Testimony and Statements before Congress

This section includes a variety of perspectives on the bill that were aired during recent congressional hearings. These statements, though in some cases, long, provide in depth analyses of why these bills are of such concern to so many different and varied interests.

Digital Future Coalition: An Open Letter to Congress Testimony of the Association of American Universities Joint Library Statement on H.R. 2441 Statement by the Association of American Publishers Digital Future Coalition Testimony on the NII Copyright Act of 1995 Summary of Issues and Proposals to Amend the NII Copyright Protection Act

Part III Building Coalitions and Understanding Differences

Included here are statements and principles of key constituencies engaged in this debate. These statements illustrate the very significant differences between certain sectors as well as the common, shared view by many diverse interests that the bills as currently constituted are seriously flawed. Included are statements from ARL, the Council on Library Resources, the American Council of Learned Societies and the Committee on Institutional Cooperation. Highlighted also are two coalitions that have been formed to address this specific legislation: the Digital Future Coalition (representing library organizations, scholarly societies, the educational community, telecommunications corporations, and consumer groups), and the Creative Incentive Coalition (representing major content owning corporations and the Association of American Publishers).

Intellectual Property: An Association of Research Libraries Statement of Principles Fair Use in the Electronic Age: Serving the Public Interest The Council on Library Resources' Statement on the Fair Use Doctrine ACLS' Posture with Regard to Copyright Issues Collective Strategies in Approaching Copyright Issues Affecting CIC and Regent Institutions: Statement on Proposed Copyright Legislation The Digital Future Coalition The Creative Incentive Coalition

Part IV Selected Articles

Many note that discussions of copyright and intellectual property issues tend to make oneUs eyes glaze over. Yet because copyright and intellectual property issues are so critical to the library and academic enterprise, we must find ways to both RtranslateS these issues into meaningful terms and to move the debate beyond the domain of the copyright attorneys. A series of articles are included that seek to educate and explain in non legal terms the importance of these issues.

Taking the White Paper Seriously, Peter Jaszi Professor of Law, Washington College of Law, American University

Legally Speaking: Intellectual Property Rights and the Global Information Economy, Pamela Samuelson Professor of Law and Information Management School of Information Management Systems, University of California, Berkeley

We've Tackled the 'Hardware' Side of the Equation, But Now its Time to Consider 'Content' Reforms, Rep. Rick Boucher

As the Digital Age Meets the Global Marketplace, Copyright Laws Must Be Ready to Meet Challenge, Sen. Orrin Hatch

Fair Use in Multimedia: Digital Age Copyright, Stacey T. Carpenter Multimedia Communications, Information Technology Division, Emory University

Fair Use in Digital Environments: The Work of the Conference on Fair Use (CONFU), Douglas Bennett Vice President, American Council of Learned Societies

Part V Additional Resources

This final section includes pointers to additional information and resources for action including a sample letter to Congress and a listing of the Congressional Committees addressing this legislation. Also included is a timeline that outlines the history of copyright in the U.S. It also documents the rate at which copyright issues are being addressed both in the courts and by Congress. 

   Sample Letter to Congress 
   Listing of Senate and House Committee Members
   Timeline:  A History of Copyright in the U.S.
   Copyright:  Selected Listservs and Web Sites 
   Additional Copyright Resources
   Key Terms
Copyright and the NII: Resources for the Library and Education Community edited by Patricia Brennan 150 pages, ISBN 0-918006-80-5, May 1996, $35.00

Order Information is Available from:
ARL Publications
Department #0692
Washington, DC 20073-0692
pubs@cni.org
202-296-2296
202-872-0884 (fax)

The Association of Research Libraries is a not-for-profit membership organization comprising 120 libraries of North American research institutions. Its mission is to shape and influence forces affecting the future of research libraries in the process of scholarly communication. ARL programs and services promote equitable access to and effective use of recorded knowledge in support of teaching, research, scholarship, and community service. The Association articulates the concerns of research libraries and their institutions, forges coalitions, influences information policy development, and supports innovation and improvement in research library operations.

ARL operates as a forum for the exchange of ideas and as an agent for collective action.

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