Re: Copyright Extension Bill Passes Congress

On 25 Nov 1998, Tyler Ochoa <tochoa[_at_]law.whittier.edu> wrote:
>
> On Tue, 24 Nov 1998, Albert Henderson <noblestation[_at_]compuserve.com> wrote:
> >
> > Tyler T. Ochoa <tochoa[_at_]law.whittier.edu> wrote:
> > >
> > > Although public library collections may have been "decimated," I am
> > > not yet convinced it is due to photocopying (the property tax
> > > revolution is a more likely cause, in my opinion), and I also am not
> > > yet convinced that it is true for academic institutions. The library
> > > here, for example, continues to grow in size. There is simply no way
> > > of knowing how fast it would have grown if photocopying had never
> > > been invented.
> >
> > I had not heard of the property tax revolution. I thought
> > that libraries were exempt from property taxes.
>
> Public libraries (and schools) in California were once FUNDED
> primarily through property taxes, and they were the best in the
> nation. Then Prop. 13 slashed property taxes and restricted the
> ability of government to raise taxes through other means. The
> result was that funding for schools and libraries was decimated.
> So it is not surprising that libraries turned to photocopying as
> a means of substituting for purchases. You seem to assume that
> reduction in funding was a RESULT of increased photocopying; I
> contend that the reduction in funding was a CAUSE of increased
> photocopying. The truth is probably a combination of both.

Resource sharing via photocopying was the major excuse for cutting library funds. The "enemies of the library" now propose 'virtual' collections via the internet, in spite of the utilitarian advantages of books.

> > Universities report surplus revenue 5 to 20 times what they
> > spend on their libraries (including salaries). They would
> > rather invest in stocks and real estate than in knowledge.
>
> To what end? You assume that universities are interested in creating
> wealth solely for its own sake. Why would they do that? They must
> have a purpose in mind on which to spend all the surplus revenue
> they are generating. Are you questioning the value of an endowment
> (investments) to keep the university operating long into the future?

The administrator replaced the professor as the "hero" of academe decades ago. Faculty senates have little or no power over budget decisions except when offered a Hobson's choice by the administration. I question administrative growth, which has increased its sharing of university spending by over 40% since 1945. I abhor the priority of investing surpluses in the stock market over assets that contribute to effective research and education.

> At my own university, I don't see a lot of surplus revenue. We barely
> manage to break even in most years. We spend lots of money on copies
> of academic journals just to keep our collections current. I don't
> see widespread photocopying acting as a substitute for legitimate
> purchases.

Check Oct 23 CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION "What they earned...." The accompanying table provide revenue and expenditures reported on IRS form 990. If your school reported, the facts may be there [sorry I kept only the research university portion of the data]. You may be surprised.

Albert Henderson, Editor, PUBLISHING RESEARCH QUARTERLY <70244.1532[_at_]compuserve.com> Received on Mon Nov 30 1998 - 22:12:22 GMT