This comprehensive review of databanks and CD-ROMs worldwide dealing with patents, trademarks, trade names, copyrights, and related legal opinions includes comments on database coverage and search features. Comparison tables of vendors' products are provided. (22 references) (EA)

Employs a theoretical combination of political economy and the cultural history of communication to locate the origins of the concept of literary property. Reveals that the rise of capitalism and the development of the printing press are the keys to understanding the emergence of intellectual property law. (RS)

Describes an electronic publishing model based on Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) and considers its use by an academic publisher. Highlights include how SGML is used to produce an electronic book, hypertext, methods of delivery, intellectual property rights, and future possibilities. Sample documents are included. (two references) (LRW)

Presents the preliminary report of the National Information Infrastructure's Task Force on Intellectual Property. Topics addressed include current copyright law; distribution rights; publication; first sale doctrine; technological protection; copyright management information; public performance right; fair use; licensing; international issues;…

In their use of endowment, real estate, and intellectual property, entrepreneurial institutions are moving aggressively to develop their assets. Although thoughtful and moderate uses of these assets can be financially important during periods of financial pressure, overeager institutions may find the results disastrous, as Boston University's…

Discusses issues that products of information technology raise for intellectual property. Describes three kinds of support that the university may contribute to the creation of an intellectual product: financial, intellectual, and reputational. Discusses the standards of accuracy, appropriateness, and fairness that the university must uphold. (AEF)

Offers a broad survey of the ways the World Wide Web has changed power relationships between academic authors and publishers. Argues that the emerging innovative methods of text distribution and attribution are challenging the way knowledge itself is produced and distributed within particular disciplines. Retheorizes the relationship between…

Identifies some of the issues involved when folktales cross cultural boundaries in children's books and considers who owns stories, specifically folktales. Examines examples of the literature that generate conflict between cultural responsibility and artistic freedom and presents a sample of Internet discussions on the subject. (Author/LRW)

Describes the origin of the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) as a persistent identifier for managing copyrighted materials and its development; creation of the U.S. Navy digital health sciences library for isolated primary care providers and their patients; Cornell and CNRI prototype architecture for interoperable digital objects and repositories;…

The United States has taken only piecemeal steps to ensure privacy of personal information. This article examines the U.S. relating to privacy and data protection. It defines privacy and discusses international agreements relating to privacy, federal data protection laws, and narrowly applicable laws. (AEF)

Describes the development of an online physical anthropology course at Palomar College (California) that evolved from online tutorials. Discusses the ability to update materials on the Web more quickly than in traditional textbooks; creating Web pages that are readable by most Web browsers; test security issues; and clarifying ownership of online…

The pace and the magnitude of the changes taking place in our society today are threatening to skew the balance between copyright holders and information users. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act has the potential to undermine the public right to access information and to share information with others. (JM)

Argues that special collections in an electronic environment will continue to be important because of the continuing value of artifactual documents and that special collections librarians may have new roles with respect to intellectual property and the merging of special and general digital collections. Discusses special collections on the…

Discusses technological change and intellectual property as it affects libraries and access to electronic information. Topics include the balance between copyright law and fair use; the Copyright Term Extension Act; the Digital Millennium Copyright Act; product versus service; databases with public access; and similarities with Napster. (LRW)

The commercialization of technologies arising from university research depends on the ability of technology managers to find and contract with appropriate development partners. Substantial investment is required to bring new health-science technologies to market, and when such technologies appear to have limited commercial markets it can be…