Dear Friends – I have just received word from Prue Adler at ARL that support
for the Orphan Works initiative recently introduced into the House of
Representatives needs grassroots support NOW. I am copying the text of
Prue’s message below with the hope that you can find time to take a look at
what’s needed and do whatever you can. It wouldn’t hurt to spread the word
around to other like-minded groups – beyond VRA & ARLIS/NA!
Thanks to all for your help in this important copyright-related action.
From: Prue Adler <[log in to unmask]>
Date: June 15, 2006 3:18:30 PM EDT
To: [log in to unmask]
Cc: Prue Adler <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Request: Letters in Support of Orphan Works Legislation, H.R. 5439
June 15, 2006
TO: Directors of ARL Libraries
FROM: Prue Adler
RE: Letters in Support of H.R. 5439, the "Orphan Works Act of
2006"
On May 24, the House Subcommittee on the Courts, the Internet and
Intellectual Property, Committee on the Judiciary approved H.R. 5439, the
"Orphan Works Act of 2006." Overall, the legislation as introduced,
constitutes a very positive step forward in solving many orphan works
concerns raised by libraries and others in the cultural community. The
legislative solution includes both U.S., foreign, published and unpublished
works, and presents a relatively flexible system for users and institutions
regarding what constitutes a reasonable search for orphan works. It is
expected that some additional changes (e.g. state sovereign immunity
provisions) will be made to the legislation as it moves forward.
This is a request for letters of support for H.R. 5439 to members of the
House Committee on the Judiciary. As members of the Committee are hearing
from opponents of the legislation, it is important that the Committee hear
now from supporters of the orphan works legislation.
A sample letter and a list of members of the Judiciary Committee are
included below. Please let me know if there is additional information that
I can provide. My thanks in advance.
------------------------------------------------
Dear Representative:
On behalf of _______, I am writing in strong support of H.R. 5439, the
"Orphan Works Act of 2006." This legislation, once enacted, will greatly
help to make cultural heritage more broadly available to the public. I ask
that you support this legislation when H.R. 5439 is considered by the
Committee on the Judiciary.
The special collections in our libraries, museums, state and local
historical societies, and archives are deep and rich in our Nation's
cultural and scientific heritage. These collections include significant
amounts of orphan works, works whose owners are difficult or impossible to
locate. These repositories with orphan works are not being made publicly
available for fear of copyright owners coming forward and demanding unknown
amounts of compensation. Despite extensive and costly searches to locate
orphan work owners, without a legislative solution, the risk remains too
high for _____ institution to make these works publicly available.
Resolving the orphan works problem will present significant new educational
opportunities because these works will be publicly accessible and available
to students, faculty and the public. Access to these resources supports and
inspires new scholarship by making the works of previous generations more
accessible and useful to current users.
Thank you in advance for considering this request.
Sincerely,
-----------------------------------------------
Hon. Sensenbrenner Jr., Chairman, Wisconsin
Hon. Hyde, Illinois
Hon. Coble, North Carolina
Hon. Smith, Texas
Hon. Gallegly, California
Hon. Goodlatte, Virginia
Hon. Chabot, Ohio
Hon. Lungren, California
Hon. Jenkins, Tennessee
Hon. Cannon, Utah
Hon. Bachus, Alabama
Hon. Inglis, South Carolina
Hon. Hostettler, Indiana
Hon. Green, WI
Hon. Keller, Florida
Hon. Issa, California
Hon. Flake, Arizona
Hon. Pence, Indiana
Hon. Forbes, Virginia
Hon. King, Iowa
Hon. Feeney, Florida
Hon. Franks, Arizona
Hon. Gohmert, Texas
Hon. Conyers Jr., Ranking Member, Michigan
Hon. Berman, California
Hon. Boucher, Virginia
Hon. Nadler, New York
Hon. Scott, Virginia
Hon. Watt, North Carolina
Hon. Lofgren, California
Hon. Jackson Lee, Texas
Hon. Waters, California
Hon. Meehan, Massachusetts
Hon. Delahunt, Massachusetts
Hon. Wexler, Florida
Hon. Weiner, New York
Hon. Schiff, California
Hon. Sánchez, California
Hon. Van Hollen, Jr., Maryland
Hon. Wasserman Schultz, Florida
PSA 6/15/06
Prudence S. Adler
Associate Executive Director
Association of Research Libraries
21 Dupont Circle, N.W., Suite 800
Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 296-2296 x104 (phone)
(202) 872-0884 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
Christine L. Sundt
Visual Resources Consultant & Educator
P.O. Box 5316
Eugene, OR 97405-5316 - U.S.A.
541-485-1420
[log in to unmask]
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