The Library 2.0 Panel on Copyright and Digital Collections that we watched was really interesting, and I think the panel did a good job in showcasing different aspects and viewpoints of the issue. I do feel like I have a better idea of copyright and how it affects libraries and any future job I have as a librarian.
I really appreciated Denise Troll Covey’s remarks on what felt like common sense. I felt her library did a good job collecting the information on copyright and making decisions based on all the facts. This, in many cases, meant they took a calculated risk. But “calculated risk” is such a negative term! Covey’s message felt empowering and hopeful. This is one way we can take back information rights and collection development policy. And it has a bit of the renegade spirit, and I don’t think you can be a good librarian without a bit of a renegade spirit.
Also in this viewing, I was reminded of Zittrain’s message about users coming together to regulate each other. I see that with copyright infringement and plagiarism today. The pressure from the masses who hear that someone ripped content from another site can sometimes have deeper consequences than an actual legal investigation. With a few exceptions, Plagiarizers get ostracized online. The other great thing about the “user police” versus the professional copyright enforcers is, again, that aspect if common sense. I have no concrete data on this, but I highly believe that users as a whole do not care about the monetary motives of publishers or organizations in their judgments. They care about what is fair and ethical. And sometimes, they even find fault with these companies that say they are protecting the copyright in the first place. This “user police” form is a really effective and practical strategy when thinking about online copyright policy.
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