--- Forwarded Message from Beth Secrist <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 10:44:09 -0500
>From: Beth Secrist <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
>Organization: University of Tennessee
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum     <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #6490.5 Destinos digitization(!)
>References: <[log in to unmask]>

------------------
Read, Samantha and all LLTIers,

I very much agree that the price is outrageous and I believe we, as a
group, should support more expanded interpretations of fair use and
copyright. I'm not sure if *my* institution would be a good test case,
though since my university does not have an official policy with regard
to copyright, leaving individuals responsible.

Obviously, though, there is a quantitative and qualitative difference in
using digitized files. It's as if every student had his/her own copy of
the video to play as much as s/he likes, stopping and replaying when
necessary. I think that's why we all want to make digital files
available to students: to provide them flexibity in location, time and
use, thus providing improved access and support for individual learning
styles. But in my mind, it's all fair use.

Up to now, we have had no problems digitizing audio files and even video
files from other publishers. I'm not sure if McGraw-Hill's policies
apply to all their products or if it's just the curious problems with
permissions for Annenberg/CPB productions (WGBH had rights to the video,
authors to the text and method, etc.). Perhaps McGraw-Hill is only
trying to recoup the costs of purchasing distribution rights? The only
other publisher we have had to pay for duplication/digitization rights
was a Brazilian publisher. Is the problem limited only to McGraw-Hill
and a few foreign publishers? If so, maybe we could openly challenge
McGraw-Hill's policies. Is there something that IALL could do (perhaps
in conjunction with academic library organizations, AECT or other
similar organizations) to openly contest such policies with publishers?
I know there have been similar efforts in other organizations with
regard to copyright and fair use, I just wonder if there is something we
could/should be doing as an organization. Beth

Beth Secrist, Director
Language Resource Center
Dept. of Modern Foreign Langs. & Lits.
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN  37996
(865)974-6494; [log in to unmask]
http://web.utk.edu/~mfll/LRC/