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Daily Archives: October 7, 2021

Controlled Digital Lending: Unlocking the Library’s Full Potential

Kyle K. Courtney / Library Futures: “We are very excited today to announce the release of the Library Futures Foundation’s (LFF) new policy document “Controlled Digital Lending: Unlocking the Library’s Full Potential.” As outlined, controlled digital lending maximizes a library’s ability to loan works, thereby making the entire loaning system more efficient and equitable.  Library Futures Foundation developed this document in consultation with the Intellectual Property and Information Policy (iPIP) Clinic at Georgetown Law. This concise policy document covers all the benefits, innovations, and goals that are the basis of any controlled digital lending system. It expands beyond the legal rationale laid out in the Controlled Digital Lending (CDL) White Paper by clarifying the core principles that are the foundations of a library’s mission to provide access to materials to serve the public good.  This policy document will be useful in understanding the role these principles play in the creation of a controlled digital lending bill. As the document demonstrates, controlled digital lending is a force amplifier for many of these library principles in the modern environment. Congress should support their communities by empowering libraries to serve as a meaningful access point for these publicly funded collections by supporting legislation that codifies the practice of CDL by libraries, encouraging funding through grant programs and other incentives to facilitate CDL, and promoting the development of a federal, centralized set of digital materials for use in CDL programs. Over 100 libraries in the U.S. and Canada are employing some version of CDL, and we hope this document can further discussions about a library’s right to provide equitable access to knowledge in the digital environment…”

The Right to be Forgotten’ and its Unintended Consequences to Intelligence Gathering

Goldfield, Charlene, ‘The Right to be Forgotten’ and its Unintended Consequences to Intelligence Gathering (July 1, 2020). Volume 32, Issue 2, Winter 2020 , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3898887 “Social media has dramatically changed how we interact and communicate with one another. The reliance on social media has also sparked many international debates revolving around privacy.… Continue Reading

One Law to Rule Them All? The Reach of EU Data Protection Law after the Google v CNIL Case

Bougiakiotis, Emmanouil, One Law to Rule Them All? The Reach of EU Data Protection Law after the Google v CNIL Case (August 17, 2020). (2021) 42 Computer Law and Security Review 105580, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3675660 “Ever since the Internet came about, it has set a vast number of challenges regarding how to tackle some… Continue Reading

7 facts about Americans and Instagram

“The photo and video sharing platform Instagram has become especially popular among young adults and teens. The site – a home for online influencers, political and election news and disinformation campaigns – has come under scrutiny after recently leaked research concluded that parent company Facebook knew the use of the site can have negative mental health effects for teenagers,… Continue Reading

Face Recognition Technology: Commonly Used Terms

EFF: “As face recognition technology evolves at a dizzying speed, new uses and terminologies seem to develop daily. On this page, we attempt to define and disambiguate some of the most commonly used terms.  For more information on government use of face recognition and how to end it in your community, visit EFF’s About Face… Continue Reading

PacerPro Expands Into State Courts

LawSites: PacerPro Expands Into State Courts, Hires Silicon Valley Veteran As CTO: “Multiple pieces of news today from PacerPro, a company that enables law firms to automate the workflow around distributing and capturing federal court filings. The company, which until now specialized in helping law firms manage federal court PACER filings, said it is expanding… Continue Reading

How has social media affected mental health during the pandemic?

Medical News Today: “On a global scale, social media can be a way for people to gather information, share ideas, and reach out to others facing similar challenges. It can also be an effective platform to relay information quickly during a national or worldwide crisis. This global reach is what has made social media a… Continue Reading

‘The Beginning of the Snowball’: Supply-Chain Snarls Delay Book

The New York Times – “Shipping delays, printer backups and worker shortages are forcing publishers to postpone new titles and leaving booksellers in a lurch for some old ones…The churning disruption in the global supply chain, which has touched everything from minivans to dishwashers to sweaters, has now reached the world of books, just as… Continue Reading

Senate report on President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election

“Following 8 Month Investigation, Senate Judiciary Committee Releases Report on Donald Trump’s Scheme to Pressure DOJ & Overturn the 2020 Election – “The report, Subverting Justice – How the Former President and His Allies Pressured DOJ to Overturn the 2020 Election, and testimony reveal that we were only a half-step away from a full blown constitutional… Continue Reading