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----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Dear Colleagues, I am very pleased to announce that the ARLIS/NA Executive Board has unanimously approved the Public Policy Committee's recommendation that ARLIS/NA endorse two watershed bills regarding copyright of digital information: S. 1146, Sen. John Ashcroft's (R-MO) Digital Copyright Clarification and Technology Act, and H.R. 3048, the Digital Era Copyright Enhancement Act, introduced by Reps. Rick Boucher (D-VA) and Tom Campbell (R-CA). By endorsing this legislation, we join the majority of our colleagues in the Digital Future Coalition in confirming our belief that these bills represent a positive approach to updating the Copyright Act to meet the challenges of the digital environment while, at the same time, preserving the critical balance between copyright owners and users in the electronic age. Together these bills offer a significant and welcome alternative to the current legislation supported by the Administration to implement the new WIPO treaties -- for instance H.R. 2281, which propose a range of problematic measures and constraints. Endorsement by the ARLIS/NA Executive Board serves a dual purpose in communicating ARLIS/NA's supportive position to Congress as well as laying the foundation for a letter-writing campaign by ARLIS/NA members to their respective Congressional representatives. I urge all members to take this crucial step in voicing support for these important pieces of legislation. For more information about the bills and other endorsements, please consult the Public Policy Committee's Web site at: http://libraries.mit.edu/rvc/arlisna/digital.html Roger Lawson President ARLIS/NA