Group urges copyright law changes.

AuthorSwartz, Nikki
PositionUP FRONT - Section 108 Study Group

After almost three years of research, the independent Section 108 Study Group has issued recommendations to the U.S. Library of Congress related to how libraries, archives, and museums handle copyrighted materials in the digital environment.

The Library of Congress convened the group under the auspices of the U.S. Copyright Office and the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program. Section 108 is the section of the Copyright Act that provides limited exceptions for libraries and archives so they can make copies to replace copyrighted works in their collections when necessary, preserve them for the long term, and make them available to users.

Digital technologies have transformed how copyrighted works are created and disseminated, as well as how libraries and archives preserve and make those works available, according to the group's report. The Library of Congress said cultural heritage institutions have begun to acquire large quantities of "born digital" works (those created in digital form) and to digitize analog works already in their collections to ensure their continuing availability to future generations.

Section 108 of the Copyright Act in its current form does not adequately address many of the issues unique to digital media, either from the perspective of rights owners or that of libraries and archives. The report will serve as the basis on which legislation may be drafted and recommended to Congress. The recommendations represent the view of the independent study group's 19 members--who come from the library, scholarly, publishing, and entertainment communities in the public and private sectors--rather than the organizations by which they are employed.

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