Libraries have been traditional homes of the literary "orphans" (works
whose owners are hard to find). The Internet Archive and Prelinger
Archives have filed suit to be able to continue this role into the
digital age.

The US Copyright Office asked for suggested solutions to the problem of
current copyright that keeps orphans from being preserved, from being
accessible, and from being built upon to make new works.

The Internet Archive with the help of the Samuelson Law Clinic at UCAL
Berkeley submitted suggestions on how libraries and archives, at least,
could be allowed to do our traditional jobs.

The submission may be worth at least skimming-- it builds on our
experiences in building the Internet Archive. Other submissions I
have read are oriented towards the one-at-a-time systems that would
work if you want to clear just a few books or movies, but not the bulk
issues that we run into every day.

We are pleased that they at least asked for input.

Let us hope that they affirm a future for libraries and archives.

-brewster

http://www.archive.org/iathreads/uploaded-files/brewster-
IAOrphanComment.pdf