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Re: by Scot Colford
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the zak |
Subject: |
Re: by Scot Colford |
Date: |
Sun, 10 Feb 2008 00:51:23 -0800 (PST) |
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G2/1.0 |
by Scot Colford
http://dbinfo.bpl.org/dbblog/
> Digital Rights Management
>
> February 7th, 2008 by Scot Colford
>
> We often get questions about why people can't
> download OverDrive audio books or video to their
> iPods. Or sometimes, users are unhappy that they
> cannot preserve that downloaded material on their
> computers forever. Well, the Boston Public Library
> does not necessarily own the material you download --
> we license it. Part of the agreement that allows us
> to license the material is the use of Digital Rights
> Managment (DRM). DRM is a software add-on that
> prevents digital files from being copied and
> redistributed, just like the software that prevents
> you from copying a DVD or a commercial VHS tape.
>
> Listen, we all know that DRM is annoying at best. But
> we're able to offer content that would not be
> available to anyone in digital format otherwise
> because publishers feel comfortable with DRM. I hope
> that changes, but until then, we'll keep trying to
> offer the best content to the most people.
>
> Here's the official BPL response. Rest assured that
> it was written by a real human being who knows what
> he's talking about, namely me:
>
> One of the most popular new services provided by
> the Boston Public Library is OverDrive, a
> vendor-supplied lending system for electronic
> books, audio books, music, and videos. Digital
> Library Reserve, the vendor from whom we license
> this content has secured thousands of popular,
> high-quality titles from many major publishers
> under the condition that digital rights management
> (DRM) measures are taken to ensure that the
> material cannot be redistributed. Furthermore, the
> specific DRM schema used on OverDrive titles allow
> material to circulate for distinct periods of
> time, permitting the library to honor its
> licensing contract and to provide a service
> paralleling the loan of physical material. No
> personal patron information is shared with
> OverDrive or other third-parties in the download
> or DRM process. Please see the BPL privacy policy
> for more information
> http://www.bpl.org/general/policies/privacy.htm
>
> While we are well aware of the frustration DRM
> schema can cause end users, we feel that the high
> numbers of use (nearly 100,000 downloads since
> September, 2005) send a strong signal that our
> customers want access to the material OverDrive
> provides. For many years, the BPL has offered
> material in a variety of formats that require
> specific hardware and/or contain copy-protection
> technologies (DVDs, Macrovision-protected VHS
> tapes), but we've never been asked to discontinue
> circulation of this material because not every
> customer has the ability to use them.
>
> Almost all of the titles available through
> OverDrive are also available in other formats.
> Customers who are unable to use DRM-protected
> content can certainly access the same content via
> CDs, DVDs, print books, and magnetic media. We
> also provide links to several other sources for
> digital eBooks, audio, and video that are in the
> public domain, and therefore do not require DRM.
>
> Boston Public Library is committed to providing
> free access to community-owned resources and will
> continue to search for partners who can provide
> material to the most number of users possible.
>
> Scot Colford
> Applications Manager
> Boston Public Library
> scolford at bpl.org
>
> Posted in General
http://dbinfo.bpl.org/dbblog/
Introducing DRM changes the line between what is your own, and
what belongs to the Englobulators.