[A2k] PCDA/3 Library Copyright Alliance statement

[Miriam M. Nisbet]

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Statement on Behalf of Library Copyright Alliance
at World Intellectual Property Organization meeting of Provisional Committe=
e on the Development Agenda

February 20, 2007

The Library Copyright Alliance is a coalition of the five major US library =
associations: American Association of Law Libraries, American Library Assoc=
iation, Association of Research Libraries, Medical Library Association, and=
 the Special Libraries Association.

The Library Copyright Alliance wishes to make four points that relate direc=
tly to how this body can refine and implement the proposals under considera=
tion for facilitating a development agenda.

Libraries are founded on the balance of promoting both the rights of creato=
rs and the needs of users who require access to information.  [Proposals 19=
, 20, 21 and 40]

Another of our core principles is that a robust and growing public domain p=
rovides new opportunities for creativity, research and scholarship.  [Propo=
sals 17 and 32]

Effective library programs and services are a critical means of advancing k=
nowledge and bringing individuals into the =93knowledge economy.=94  [Propo=
sal 10]

These three points lead to the last:  Libraries and educational institution=
s can and should be a vital part of the strategies of WIPO and its Member S=
tates in promoting intellectual property law.  [Proposals 6 & 7]   We appre=
ciate the opportunity to participate in your deliberations [Proposal 38], b=
ut we can do far more than that to make an economic, social and cultural im=
pact.

We are encouraged by the commitment that Member States have expressed so el=
oquently, and hope that you will make real progress this week and also in J=
une with the Annex B proposals.

++++

Library-Related Principles distributed at WIPO are available at http://www.=
librarycopyrightalliance.org/wipo.htm


~~~~~~
Miriam M. Nisbet
Legislative Counsel
American Library Association
1615 New Hampshire Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20009-2520
202-628-8410 x. 8202
202-6288419 fax
mnisbet@alawash.org