Re: New US Bill re. Copyright/Federal Funding

["Anthony Watkinson" <anthony.watkinson@btinternet.com>]

Linda Hopkins expresses an ideal very cogently. She recognises 
that entertainment has to be paid for but she omits to consider 
who pays for those services that publishers provide. It would be 
very interesting to learn whether in her time as a presidential 
advisor whether mundane matters like costs and investment were 
mentioned and solutions considered.

The Wellcome Trust pay for the publications they fund to become 
immediately accessible. Federal agencies do not and seem to have 
no intention of doing so except as an alternative to other 
"materials" (you get less money for research) and not for the 
publication of articles not allowed for in the original grant 
proposal.

In addition scientific publications are indeed for experts to 
discuss and build on. They do. No system is perfect but no 
properly conducted surveys of scholars indicate serious problems 
of access to the literature as a perceived problem.

Anthony

----- Original Message -----
From: "Linda Hopkins" <lin.hopkins@hotmail.com>
To: <liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2008 3:19 AM
Subject: RE: New US Bill re. Copyright/Federal Funding

> Dear All:
>
> I apologize for the emotionalism of my earlier comments.
>
> Whose rights to protect when it comes to scientific research is 
> of course a complicated question.  When I worked as a 
> presidential advisor, the trend was definitely towards making 
> access and practical use of knowledge developed by federal 
> funds available to as many people as possible.  I believe in 
> that policy.
>
> I recognize that publishing houses want to make money on their 
> publications and if Disney and Fox News want to do this, fine. 
> That's entertainment.
>
> But the inherent value of scientific research is that a wide 
> variety of learned experts read and discuss it.  Since the 
> purpose of federal funds for research is to advance science, 
> technology, health care, and better standards of living, I 
> believe that granting a free irrevocable, world-wide license to 
> the government to display and copy articles is nothing more 
> than fulfilling the purposes of the grant/contract.
>
> Linda Hopkins
>
> Linda K. Hopkins, Attorney at Law
> Intelliware Int'l Law Firm
> 449 South Owasso Boulevard West
> Roseville, MN  55113
> Phone: 651-481-0177
> Email: lin.hopkins@hotmail.com