ACTION ALERT: 2ND APPEAL FOR COPYRIGHTLEGISLATION

Fri Jan 30 13:21:41 EST 1998

List subscribers in the U.S. may want to read the following
note and contact their senators and congressional representatives
regarding this important legislation.

Bernie Sloan

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bernie Sloan
Senior Library Information Systems Consultant
University of Illinois Office for Planning & Budgeting
338 Henry Administration Building
506 S. Wright Street
Urbana, IL  61801
Phone:  217-333-4895
Fax:       217-333-6355
e-mail:    bernies at uillinois.edu

> =================================================================
> ALAWON                                        Volume 7, Number 10
> ISSN 1069-7799                                   January 30, 1998
> 
>      American Library Association Washington Office Newsline
> 
> In this issue: (134 lines)
> 
> ACTION ALERT: SECOND APPEAL FOR IMMEDIATE CONGRESSIONAL CONTACTS
> IN SUPPORT OF PENDING DIGITAL COPYRIGHT LEGISLATION
> _________________________________________________________________
> 
> ACTION ALERT: SECOND APPEAL FOR IMMEDIATE CONGRESSIONAL CONTACTS
>       IN SUPPORT OF PENDING DIGITAL COPYRIGHT LEGISLATION
> 
> As detailed recently, landmark legislation to update the
> nation's copyright laws for the digital age--including the
> Fair Use Doctrine--is now pending in both chambers of
> Congress.  On January 14 ALA Council endorsed these
> watershed bills: S. 1146, Sen. John Ashcroft's (R-MO)
> Digital Copyright Clarification and Technology Act, and H.R.
> 3048, the Digital Era Copyright Enhancement Act, introduced
> by Reps. Rick Boucher (D-VA) and Tom Campbell (R-CA). (See
> ALAWON, vol. 6, nos. 117-119, December 18, 1997.)
> 
> ACTION ALERT 
> With this week's opening of the second session of the 105th
> Congress, it is crucial that all librarians, educators,
> trustees, parents, and friends of libraries ask both of
> their Senators to cosponsor S. 1146 and ask their member of
> the House of Representatives to cosponsor H.R. 3048. 
> 
> Why is this urgent now?  First, these bills may be taken up
> in committee as soon as the end of February.  Second, most
> members will not sign on as the cosponsor of a bill unless a
> constituent requests it. 
> 
> All ALA members and library supporters are urgently
> requested to write or call your House and Senate delegations
> specifically requesting "cosponsorship" (not merely
> "support") of these bills.
> 
> The U.S. Capitol Switchboard phone number is 202-224-3121.
> E-mail also can be effective. For a directory of
> Congressional e-mail addresses, consult the Library of
> Congress web page at
> http://lcweb.loc.gov/global/legislative/email.html
> 
> Your letter or communication might include these key points:
> 
>      I recently learned that bipartisan legislation has been
>      introduced [insert bill number and name of sponsor; see
>      IMPORTANT NOTE below] which would broadly update
>      copyright law for the future in a way that will both
>      protect the owners of information and continue to allow
>      librarians and educators access to information under
>      reasonable circumstances.  I am writing to you today to
>      ask that you lend your name to that legislation.
>      
>      As a [librarian/library user/library trustee/friend of
>      libraries], I feel strongly that any changes made to the
>      Copyright Act must be balanced in a way that allows the
>      benefits of the Internet to reach all sectors of
>      society, especially library users and students.  This
>      bill will accomplish this very important goal in several
>      important ways.  Please add your name to this bill as a
>      cosponsor. 
> 
>      IMPORTANT NOTE
>      Letters to Senators should refer only to: S. 1146, Sen.
>      John Ashcroft's (R-MO) Digital Copyright Clarification
>      and Technology Act. Letters to House members should
>      refer only to: H.R. 3048, the Digital Era Copyright
>      Enhancement Act, introduced by Reps. Rick Boucher (D-VA)
>      and Tom Campbell (R-CA).
> 
> IF YOU HAVE ALREADY WRITTEN TO YOUR LEGISLATORS ON THIS
> ISSUE, thank you, but please make a follow-up call.  It may
> take a couple of reminders before your request is acted upon
> by a busy congressional office.  Be persistent, and thanks
> for your help.  It is critical that Congress know that you
> care about updating copyright law for all Americans. 
> Libraries' effectiveness and vitality in the 21st century
> depends on them...and on you.  
> 
> BACKGROUND
> Both bills, the Digital Copyright Clarification and
> Technology Act (S. 1146) and the Digital Era Copyright
> Enhancement Act (H.R. 3048), would update current law to
> make clear that Fair Use fully applies in the networked
> environment and that preservationists may use the latest
> technologies and methods.  In addition, H.R. 3048 would
> extend the First Sale Doctrine--the basis of all library
> lending--to the electronic environment.  All three bill
> sponsors, Sen. John Ashcroft (R-MO) and Reps. Rick Boucher
> (D-VA) and Tom Campbell (R-CA), also have demonstrated their
> commitment to assure that no library or librarian should be
> legally liable for any copyright infringement committed by a
> library user acting independently.   
> 
> The bills represent a positive approach to updating the
> Copyright Act to meet the challenges of the digital
> environment while, at the same time, preserving the critical
> balance between copyright owners and users in the electronic
> age.
> 
> FOR MORE INFORMATION
> For detailed information about contacting your Senators and
> Representatives and further background on this critical
> legislation, please consult the ALA Washington Office
> website at http://www.ala.org/washoff and the Digital Future
> Coalition's home page at http://www.dfc.org.  Inquiries also
> may be directed to Adam Eisgrau, legislative counsel for the
> ALA Washington Office, at 800/941-8478.  
> ________________________________________________________________
> 
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> 
> ALA Washington Office                            202.628.8410 (V)
> 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, #403                 202.628.8419 (F)
> Washington, DC 20004-1701                        800.941.8478 (V)
> 
> Lynne E. Bradley, Editor                        <leb at alawash.org>
> Deirdre Herman, Managing Editor  <alawash at alawash.org>           
> 
> Contributors:                                  Adam M. Eisgrau
> All materials subject to copyright by the American Library
> Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial
> purposes with appropriate credits.
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> 