This paper aims to present the role, values, and legal policy issues facing public Library resources in supporting students to achieve academic success. Research indicates that majority of people that own or work in the Library tend to ignore some of the vital roles, values and legal policy issues paramount to libraries. Some of these issues are…

Lecture capture technology has advanced to a point where implementing a solution can be disarmingly simple. But it is important for faculty and administrators not to be lulled into a false sense of security--recording faculty and guest lectures still comes with its share of legal issues covering copyright, intellectual property rights,…

Since the early 1990s, Carl Malamud has made it his business to return to the public what is rightfully theirs: free access to public information. Despite legislation that mandates such access to government information, some categories of information have been excluded, notable among them court opinions (with the exception of the U.S. Supreme…

We investigated whether American dissertations that were deposited in university libraries or disseminated on microfilm prior to 1978 were "published" for copyright purposes. This question has direct bearing on the copyright status of these works today. In the absence of a directly relevant legal decision to clarify the matter, the…

This study was designed to explore the phenomenon of college students who illegally file-share. The main research question was, "What are the experiences of college students who file-share and what are their perspectives on the moral and legal implications for doing so?" Data were collected from six students using interviews, focus…

This report gives an overview of the past and present domestic and international legal framework for database protection. It describes database industry practices in securing protection against unauthorized use and Copyright Office registration practices relating to databases. Finally, it discusses issues raised and concerns expressed in a series…

Examines paparazzi and copyright law, regulation of the Internet, the European Union Database Directive and U.S. efforts to change database laws, Tasini v. The New York Times, freedom of information and access to public sector information, company law and e-mail messages, electronic commerce, cryptography export controls, domain names and trade…

The purpose of traditional copyright law was to encourage the creation of works based on and to ensure reasonable access to original thought. Despite this harmonious intent, an intrinsic tension exists between libraries and copyright holders, as the former promotes "free" access to information that ultimately reduces the income of the…

Discusses objections in the library community to the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA), a legal framework being considered by state governments regarding computer information, transactions, and software. Topics include copyright issues; user needs for access to information; license agreements; and costs that may prevent…

Technology-savvy instructors often require students to create Web pages or videos, tasks that require finding materials such as images, music, or text on the Web, reusing them, and then republishing them in a technique that author Howard Pitler calls "remixing." However, this requires both the student and the instructor to deal with often thorny…

Discusses copyright law, linking without permission, and trademark law--limiting the manner links are displayed. Explains framing, allowed by law, though particular use of a frame could confuse consumers as to the information source, and how framing may implicate trademark concerns. Examines Second Circuit opinion that could severely limit the…

Management of intellectual property and, in particular, copyright is one of the most challenging issues in an increasingly digital world. The rise of the open access (OA) movement provides a new model for managing intellectual property in educational and research environments. OA aims to promote greater and more efficient access to educational and…

While college libraries embrace new technologies to provide access to a broader range of information, they must also cope with high costs, both financial and legal. In the print medium, access and distribution are governed by copyright laws; in the electronic media, they are dependent on the technology available to the library and on terms of…

Instances in which federal patent or copyright law may be too rigid or limited to protect university research are discussed, and the applicability of trade-secrets law is assessed, particularly under the Freedom of Information Act. Differential treatment of trade secrets under state laws is considered. (MSE)

The increasing popularity of digital information has brought great convenience to library patrons. It has, however, posed challenges to libraries in achieving their major missions, i.e., preservation and dissemination of information. The underlying reasons for this phenomenon are dichotomous: the restrictions imposed by electronic information…