Liblicense-l: From the Moderator #2

[Ann Okerson <ann.okerson@yale.edu>]

As promised, here is the new "welcome" message to liblicense-l
subscribers.  It is different, as of this past week, to what nearly all of
you received when you signed up.  Thank you for those who suggested we
clarify the purpose of the list.  It was indeed time to do so.  Ann
Okerson

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ABOUT THE LIBLICENSE-L FORUM:

LIBLICENSE-L began in January 1997 as a moderated list for the discussion
of issues related to the licensing of digital information by academic and
research libraries.  Increasingly, libraries are being inundated with
information created in digital format and transmitted and accessed via
computers.  This list was designed to assist librarians and others
concerned with the licensing of and access to information in digital
format, i.e., in dealing with some of the unique challenges faced by this
medium.  Information providers (creators, publishers and vendors, and many
other players) who deal with libraries are welcomed as members of
liblicense-l.  From 1997 to today, the list has expanded its range into
topics beyond licensing, topics central to the creation, publication,
distribution, and economics of scholarly electronic information.  Topics
under consideration now include:

* Library and educational license agreements for digital information
content, ensuring that these advance, as far as possible, the use of
digital information.

* Relationship of electronic information access to provisions of the
U.S.Copyright Act and other international agreements.

* Other key issues relating to use of electronic information, such as
privacy and security, interlibrary loans, pricing models, usage,
broadening access (particularly to nations in transition), consortial
access, and more.

* Sustainability of current information distribution modes and prices,
including studies.

* Current developments in the above-mentioned areas, through new
initiatives, experiments, news accounts, press releases, and announcements
pertaining to these electronic scholarly publications topics are also
appropriate.  

We welcome your contributions and discussion.

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