Re: New US Bill re. Copyright/Federal Funding

[Sandy Thatcher <sgt3@psu.edu>]

As a footnote, I would add that university presses are concerned 
about the government's move to make the papers of the Founding 
Fathers, as published with editorial apparatus by a number of 
presses, freely available on the Web without compensation to the 
presses or editors, whose work has been supported only in part by 
federal funding and in substantial part by private parties also. 
This kind of expropriation would severely undermine the ability 
of presses to continue publishing these valuable papers.

Sandy Thatcher
Penn State University Press


>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