Re: Snooze/lose (Was: Academics and coursepacks)

From: Bernard Katz <bkatz[_at_]uoguelph.ca>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 19:26:24 -0400 ()

On Thu, 27 Aug 1998, Michael Scarpitti <mscarpit[_at_]asnt.org> wrote:
>
> Sometimes this is difficult to argue, because principles might lead to
> one conclusion, but people's sometimes unpredictable behavior may make
> it difficult to calculate what would bring the maximum benefit to all.
> If publishers do not, in fact, keep works "in print" for life + 50 yrs,
> what good is it?
>
> I favor some sort of system that ties keeping copyright to keeping "in
> print" as a motivation to keeping material in print, as in some sort of
> licensing arrangement.

What if an author has changed her mind/views on a subject and does not authorize any re-publication of a work because it no longer represents her current thinking on that topic and she specifically does not want the older viewpoint to be presented as current through a new printing? Even your suggestion of a licencing arrangement would not meet such an author's desire to avoid continuing the dissemination of the work, apart from the copies already in libraries, used bookstores and private hands!

Cheers,

Bernard Katz, Head, Special Collections and Library Development McLaughlin

Library, University of Guelph, Guelph ON Canada N1G 2W1                 
         and Chair, Ontario Library Association Copyright Action Committee        

bkatz[_at_]uoguelph.ca // (519) 824-4120 X2089 // FAX: (519) 824-6931 Received on Mon Aug 31 1998 - 23:28:48 GMT