The Copyright War

[Roy Tennant]

I usually refrain from announcing my own publications, but I'm making 
an exception in this case because I specifically cite a discussion 
that took place on Web4Lib regarding my assertion that copyright as 
we know it is "dead". Rich Wiggins and Walt Crawford are quoted, and 
I hope I characterized their positions correctly. If not, I'm sure 
I'll hear about it.

Library Journal just posted my June 15, 2001 column, entitled "The 
Copyright War" (which is how I now think of this issue) on their web 
site:

http://www.libraryjournal.com/articles/infotech/digitallibraries/digitallibrariesindex.asp

This URL will only be good until the next column is posted, then you 
must go to the archive to find it:

http://www.libraryjournal.com/articles/infotech/digitallibraries/digitallibrariesarchive.asp

Unfortunately they do not use a canonical URL to begin with.

I think it is a fortunate coincidence that this column has come out 
in close temporal proximity to Clifford Lynch's piece in First Monday 
cited on this discussion by Bernie Sloan. Clifford argues rather 
persuasively that there is a great deal at stake in the "war" (my 
characterization) over access rights to digital content, although he 
disappointed me in shying away from a call to arms. I continue to 
think that we have a great deal to lose, and in fact are losing it as 
we speak. Whether we can win it back is an open question.
Roy