--- 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/