2021 Miami University Libraries Copyright Conference

Registration is now open for the 2021 Miami University Libraries Copyright Conference will be held online September 27-October 1. The cost is $25 (plus a $5 processing fee). There are five sessions over five days. Those sessions are:

• Becoming a Copyright Librarian 
• Offering Copyright Services
• Answering Tough Questions: Consultations and Policy Development
• U.S. Copyright Office Update   
• The CASE Act and Libraries

Among the speakers are people I always learn from including Kenneth Crews and Kyle Courtney.

An Example of Digital Reparations

The 2019 article "Leo Sarkisian's 'Music Time in Africa': U-M archivist, anthropologist revive popular Voice of America show" includes an example of digital reparations, which I think is worth remembering.

Scholars are asking, 'What should you give back to the people?' Our answer has become to return the music to communities by rebroadcasting the programs using the technologies of the internet as a form of 'digital repatriation,' which involves returning an aspect of cultural heritage in a digital format to the communities from which they originated.

This article includes a short video about the project.

This is likely different than how you might think about digital reparations, which leads me to the question...

What does digital reparations mean to you?

Webinar: Past, Present, and Future of Digital Libraries, August 3, 2021

This webinar, Past, Present, and Future of Digital Libraries, is free and open to all. It will be on August 3, from 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET.

Description

Libraries have historically been trusted hubs to equalize access to credible information, a crucial role that they should continue to fill in the digital age. However, as more information is born-digital, digitized, or digital-first, libraries must build new policy, legal and public understandings about how advances in technology impact our preservation, community, and collection development practices.

This panel will bring together legal scholars Ariel Katz (University of Toronto) and Argyri Panezi (Stanford University) to discuss their work on library digital exhaustion and public service roles for digital libraries. They will be joined by Lisa Radha Weaver, Director of Collections and Program Development at Hamilton Public Library (Canada), who will discuss how library services have been transformed by digital delivery and innovation. The panel will be moderated by Lila Bailey of Internet Archive and Kyle Courtney of Library Futures and Harvard University.

Coming in September: U.S. Copyright Law in the Library: A Beginner's Guide eCourse

Yes, I'm teaching this ALA eCourse again from Sept. 13-Oct. 24, 2021.  More information and registration details are available.

Description

The library is a hub of content, all of it subject to copyright law. The legal reality of copyright is dynamic—changes in technology have created a landscape that is constantly adapting and can be difficult to predict. If you don't have any formal training in copyright law, it can be intimidating to know how to answer your patrons' copyright questions and to know what you can and cannot do with your library’s content and resources. It can be tough to understand the line between providing information and answering a legal question.

In this eCourse, consultant, speaker, writer, and educator Jill Hurst-Wahl guides you through the basics of copyright law and provides you with the foundation to become your library's copyright expert.

Each week, you'll learn how copyright law informs what libraries, library staff, and patrons can do with their materials and how you can stay up-to-date as this area evolves. You'll be able to check and affirm your knowledge through focused self-assessments.

Learning Outcomes

After participating in this course, you will be able to

• Explain the basics of copyright law
• Evaluate whether or not a work is copyrightable
• Determine if a work is still under copyright protection
• Appraise whether a work can be used under Fair Use
• Understand how to locate additional information on U.S. Copyright Law
• Assist a member of the community or library staff in understanding the real meaning of Fair Use

PILLARS2021: From First Year Experience to Teacher's Education: A Discussion on Practical Ideas for Information Literacy and Students in Transition

PILLARS stands for "Preparation, Information Literacy, Libraries, Academic Resources, and 21st Century Skills for Transitioning from Secondary School to College." I attended the keynote of the PILLARS conference, because the keynoters were:

• Raymond Pun, Education/Outreach Manager – Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford University
• Tarida Anantachai, Interim Head – Learning and Academic Engagement, Syracuse University Libraries

The speakers talked about the type of settings they have provided instruction. Between them, they have provided instruction in K-12, college/university, and public library settings.

How are they supporting information literacy during the pandemic? Students need more digital resources during the pandemic. while some students wanted print because they were spending so much time online. This means that "access" was not always easy.  Students struggled.

Ray Pun noted that this was a good time to teach students about information privilege as well as privacy. He mentioned writing done on information privilege by Char Booth.

• Booth, C. (2014). on information privilege. info-mational. Retrieved from https://infomational.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/on-information-privilege/
• Booth, C. (2016) Information Privilege: Narratives of Challenge and Change (slides).

Tarida Anantachai mentioned learning analytics ans how that intersects with privacy. 

In terms of challenges, Anantachai mentioned teaching students across time zones and in multiple countries, which also means that some websites she used - including her library's site - were blocked.

Anantachai noted the need to be aware of how students were doing - outside of academics - and provide information and resources that might be helpful to them, including fun resources. AT one point, she taught a class of mostly Asian students the week of the shooting in Atlanta. She mentioned then including bystander training. Pun acknowledge that training could be very help for people.

• Hollaback. Bystander Training,

They then talked about partnerships and who their libraries have been partnering with including high school teachers and librarians. Pun mentioned about recruiting students to work in an academic-public partnerships as instructors.

Students need content in their own languages, which they do not always have. It was noted that there is also a lack of school librarians, which also creates a hurdle. This lack of school librarians has been occurring over the last 10 years. Pun noted an IMLS research project that is studying this.  If students have not had access to a K-12 school librarian, it may be harder for them to interact with librarians in college.

• An Interview with Debra E. Kachel and Keith Curry Lance on the IMLS project, “SLIDE: School Librarian Investigation: Decline or Evolution?” - https://blogs.ifla.org/cpdwl/2021/06/07/an-interview-with-debra-e-kachel-and-keith-curry-lance-on-the-imls-project-related-to-slide-school-librarian-investigation-decline-or-evolution 

Pun and Anantachai said there are an increasing number of job ads for librarians to help with college first year experiences. While this is a positive trend, these librarians are being asked to do a lot with many students at the same time. Those roles are relationship centered, but it can be difficult - because of what they're being asked to do = to build those relationships. How do you define success in the jobs?

• ALA's Connecting Librarians for K-20 Transitions, https://www.ala.org/rt/lirt/connecting-librarians-k-20-transitions
• “Planning for Fall: Sustainable Collaborations in High School to College Transition.” Here are their meeting notes if they’re of interest - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aplF0mAbF-qxpucVR6k19H-_X-aGvAIiszZudaMkxmk/edit#
• Interview with Debra E. Kachel and Keith Curry Lance on the IMLS project, “SLIDE: School Librarian Investigation: Decline or Evolution?” https://blogs.ifla.org/cpdwl/2021/06/07/an-interview-with-debra-e-kachel-and-keith-curry-lance-on-the-imls-project-related-to-slide-school-librarian-investigation-decline-or-evolution/
• SLIDE website https://libslide.org/

In talking about equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), one important thing they mentioned is that some of the outreach/first year experience librarian positions are held by librarians of color.  How do we support those librarians? 

Recognizing that the first year is a critical time for students, how do we support those from racial and ethnic groups that historically have been excluded from higher education. Some of these students are already carrying trauma. How do we support them as they deal with that trauma, along with the trauma they have experienced during COVID-19?

How do continue to make shifts that will continue to improve the experience of our students?

Pun noted that we also need to focus on accessibility, which is critically important when teaching online.  Accessibility online is different than in person, and we need to be thinking about both.

Anantachai ended by reminding us that we need to think critically about our own work.

How do we increase the number of K-12 librarians? Pun said we all need to focus on advocacy. When we see a proposed K-12 budget cut, we need to advocate against it. He also think MSLIS students need more of an introduction to school librarianship. Anantachai advocates for a new version of "Fill the Gap." She also mentioned getting academic librarians to do service learning in K-12. Pun noted that there are local associations for school librarians to connect with for advocacy, etc.