Orphan Works: Issues and Legislative Strategies

Live Event Date & Registration

Event Date: Monday, May 2, 2005, 3:00-4:30 pm EDT (12:00 noon - 1:30 Pacific)
Registration Fee: Free
Register Online: https://db.arl.org/orphan/default.html
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, April 27, 2005

About Teleconference

What do you do if you can't find the copyright holder of a work (say a photograph, article, or film clip) that you want to use in a book or a Web site? The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and the Medical Library Association (MLA) are sponsoring an interactive teleconference on Orphan Works, Monday, May 2, 3:00-4:30 p.m. EDT. A panel of experts will discuss various options to address problems associated with and possible strategies for dealing with orphan works, copyrighted works whose owners are difficult or even impossible to locate. Teleconference participants will listen to commentary from each of the presenters--representing diverse constituencies--and have the opportunity to submit questions as part of the live discussion.

On January 26, 2005, the U.S. Copyright Office issued a Notice of Inquiry seeking information about "orphan works." The Copyright Office has received hundreds of comments from a diverse range of interests, including comments from the Library Copyright Alliance that includes ARL and MLA, the College Art Association, the Glushko-Samuelson Intellectual Property Clinic, and more. These comments provide examples of obstacles that individuals and institutions face when trying to use orphan works and recommendations regarding legislative solutions to this serious problem. The Copyright Office may conduct hearings on the issue of orphan works and will produce a report by the end of 2005.

What are orphan works?
What problems have users faced when trying to use orphan works?
Is this a problem faced by a diverse range of constituencies?
Are there implications for the conduct of research and education?
Does this issue of orphan works present a challenge to digitization initiatives?
How can this issue be addressed through legislation and what are some of the key elements of a legislative solution?

Intended Audience

• Librarians
• Library Administrators
• Legal Counsels
• Media Specialists
• Professionals in the Visual Arts

Panelists

• Presenter: Jonathan Band, Legal counsel to the Library Copyright Alliance and Partner, Morrison & Foerster
• Presenter: Jeffrey Cunard, Legal counsel to the College Art Association Counsel and Partner, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
• Presenter: Peter Jaszi, Professor of Law, Washington College of Law and Director of Glushko-Samuelson Intellectual Property Clinic, American University
• Moderator & Presenter: Prue Adler, Associate Executive Director, Federal Relations and Information PolicyAssociation of Research Libraries

Resources

A list of additional readings and Web sites will be sent to registered participants prior to the teleconference.

Technical Requirements & System Diagnostic

Participants will dial in to a conference call to hear presenters. Questions can be submitted to presenters during the teleconference using an online chat function. Complete instructions will be sent to all registered participants.

For more information, please contact the Dinell Mitchell, Administrative Assistant, E-mail dinell@arl.org • Phone 202-296-8656• Fax 202-872-0884

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Thanks to Dasa York for making me and others aware of this.