Intellectual Property

The collaborative nature of sharing media in social networks can present varied and challenging copyright issues. The knowledgeable application of copyright laws, policies, and practices are keys in determining if the use of your creative works by others and vice versa will be a nightmare, dream, or reality.

To many writing instructors, going nuclear (expulsion threats) or high tech (detection software) have failed to stop cheating. So they aim for small victories, through new approaches to teaching about academic integrity.

The attention of—and on—higher education has been focused on defensive measures to curb illegal file sharing. But this is occurring in the context of a much larger national debate about the appropriate role of copyright and intellectual property in cyberspace. Simultaneously, myriad new business models and delivery options for online digital entertainment are being tested. Ê What are institutions of higher education doing to curb illegal file sharing? What are the issues in the larger copyright debate? And what is the vision of the entertainment industry for offering digital entertainment online? A panel of distinguished experts in the field will discuss these and other pertinent issues in the peer-to-peer file sharing debate.

The Section 108 Study Group is a select committee of copyright experts charged with updating for the digital world the Copyright Act's balance between the rights of creators and copyright owners and the needs of libraries and archives. The Study Group was convened as an independent group by the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation program of the Library of Congress and by the U.S. Copyright Office. The recommendations, conclusions, and other outcomes of the Study Group's Report are its own and do not reflect the opinions of the Library of Congress or the U.S. Copyright Office.

When MIT OpenCourseWare began, intellectual property was expected to be one of its biggest challenges. Here we will share our experiences in developing systems and strategies that have changed dealing with third-party content in an open publication from a major concern to a routine part of our publication process.

What is the reality with respect to e-books? Will e-books finally take off? After nearly two decades of talking about how e-books are right around the corner, have we finally reached the corner?

"File sharing serves as a tuning fork for an entirely new orchestra of digital communication, interaction, and social expectation. We in higher education must provide a clear, calm, ringing voice in defining
the terms of the new world when we believe our goals and values are important not only to us but to society."

Copyright continues to be a core interest of the higher education and academic library communities. This briefing will focus on eight critical legislative and legal arenas where the United States will be working on copyright: orphan works, digital fair use, broadcast flag, Section 1201 anti-circumvention rulemaking, electronic reserves, peer-to-peer file sharing, open access to government-funded research, and the report of the Section 108 Study Group on exceptions and limitations for libraries and archives. The work of the study group will be highlighted, including its primary findings and recommendations. In addition, two important recent studies will be described and their importance for libraries will be cited. The advocacy and educational roles and responsibilities of librarians on copyright also will be outlined.

A federal jury in Texas recently awarded the learning services giant Blackboard $3.1 million in its patent infringement lawsuit against a much smaller competitor, adding a new layer of complexity and uncertainty to a complex, uncertain market for higher education learning management systems.