This letter shows that some in Washington, if not in the publishing houses, still have the public interest in mind.
It is also the latest in a groundswell of support for Controlled Digital Lending. As the letter notes, “it is imperative that libraries can continue their traditional lending functions” in the digital age. Controlled Digital Lending allows libraries to do just that. The Boston Library Consortium, the International Federation of Library Associations, and even large commercial organizations like ProQuest are lining up behind Controlled Digital Lending.
To learn more about CDL, and the importance of digital ownership phone number database for the future of libraries, consider joining our virtual Library Leaders Forum this October.
A New Day in Canada
With the Canadian federal election coming to its conclusion, many eyes are turning to the last government’s proposals for internet and copyright policy reform. Unfortunately, some of these were quite concerning, such as an “online harms” proposal that the Electronic Frontier Foundation called “dangerously misguided“; all Canadians should learn more about this proposal and use Open Media’s tool to let the government know what you think. Fortunately, other policy actions, such as the Consultation on Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things, present more promise.
Internet Archive Canada recently made a submission in response to this AI consultation. As mentioned in the submission—and as recognized in the consultation paper itself—AI raises a fundamental and recurring copyright question: how to ensure the law keeps pace with technological change. In our view, what history suggests as an answer is not interminable legislative tweaks, but rather flexible copyright frameworks, including flexible limitations and exceptions like the fair use doctrine.