GOV'T RECOMMENDS ELECTRONIC COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS -- from edupage

[David Farber <farber@central.cis.upenn.edu>]

GOV'T RECOMMENDS ELECTRONIC COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS
The draft report on copyright law issued last July is drawing fire from
some academics and librarians, who say it gives copyright holders too much
power and "ought to maintain the balance that is maintained in the print
world," according to a law professor who moderates an Internet forum on
copyright law. One particular sticking point is U.S. Patent & Trademark
Office Commissioner Lehman's opposition to allowing libraries to ship books
electronically to patrons, because an extra copy would show up in each
recipient's computer. "To me, the burden on those who would say that ought
to be a fair use is extraordinarily high. You would see massive dislocation
of the market for that work," says Lehman. The draft report was used to
represent the U.S. position in recent meetings of the World Intellectual
Property Organization, and Lehman says a basically unaltered final report
will be ready in the spring. (Wall Street Journal 12/27/94 B5)