Re: Braille copyright violations

Check out new section 17 USC 121, passed in September as part of some completely unrelated bill (funding for the legislative branch of government i think). It gives nonprofits and government orgs with a primary mission of providing services to the blind (that's training, education, adaptive reading or information access) the right to do just about what your guys want to do. I'm sure full text is somewhere on line. I'd try cornell's site. this would be the address if it's there:

   http://www.law.cornell.edu/usc/17/121.html

Georgia Harper
Univ. of Texas System
Office of General Counsel
gharper[_at_]utsystem.edu

On Wed., Oct.30, 1996, Harold Federow <hfederow[_at_]u.washington.edu> wrote:
>
> On Wed, 30 Oct 1996, OK School for the Blind wrote:
> >
> > Could someone please help me with this problem? I am the librarian at
> > the Oklahoma School for the Blind. We use materials in braille and
> > large print with our students. However, when items available in large
> > print are not available in braille I often find that we have "major
> > discussions" among the faculty about whether it is legal to produce
> > that item in braille for two to three students to use during the school
> > year. We have software programs which allow us to read, scan, and
> > produce materials in braille....which is fine for our own personal
> > productions. I have informed our staff about copyright laws and I am
> > holding out that anything produced in braille must be granted copyright
> > permission from the print publisher before it is produced. I can
> > understand certain items, such as magazine articles scanned and
> > reproduced for research by a student. But isn't it a violation to
> > produce full-text books into braille from the print for two to three
> > students to use during the year....and use them year after year?
> >
> > I feel like the copyright police because the objections I hear from
> > teachers is that "it's not fair that these kids can't have the same text
> > in braille that is available and we can produce it for them...no one
> > needs to know." I know! If anyone knows any laws which will help to
> > clarify this issue for us, I'll be truly grateful....and probably hated,
> > but it's the law, right?
>
> Any reason why people don't want to ask for permission? Braille versions
> might exist or might even be donated to you? And they might even donate
> equipment. I think, by the way, that you are probably right on the
> copyright issue.
>
> Harold Federow
> <hfederow[_at_]u.washington.edu>
Received on Thu Oct 31 1996 - 21:23:49 GMT