Libraries and the DMCA
Seth Finkelstein notes to librarians that they can’t hack the DMCA. True, but it’s a pity. He was responding to a post at the Shifted Librarian’s blog. The comments at the shifted librarian are also pretty interesting, including this:
Here’s the rule about electronic and electronically-distributed information: licensing reigns supreme and copyright goes by the wayside. It is a trend that, unfortunately, is not discussed enough amongst librarians and other information professionals.
I don’t find that observation entirely true- the lib license list discusses it fairly often, and it’s a subject I’ve seen with increasing frequency over the last few years in places (like the copyright courses at the iSchool, for example). But I absolutely agree that it needs more discussion, comment, and publicizing.