Cambridge University Press responds to US ruling on GUS infringement case - May 16, 2012
Academic publisher Cambridge University Press (CUP), UK, has responded to a US judge’s long-awaited ruling in the case it brought, along with Oxford University Press and Sage Publications Inc., in 2008. The three publishers sued Georgia State University (GSU), claiming that GSU’s use of unlicensed book… Read More
ARL endorses VRA Statement on the Fair Use of Images for Teaching, Research, and Study - May 14, 2012
The Board of Directors of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) recently voted to endorse the Visual Resources Association’s (VRA) Statement on the Fair Use of Images for Teaching, Research, and Study. The VRA Statement is a clear and concise statement of best practices around a… Read More
LCA files friend of the court brief to defend fair use rights of libraries - April 26, 2012
Members of the Library Copyright Alliance (LCA) recently filed a friend of the court brief to defend the fair use rights of libraries. The libraries’ brief, prepared by Jonathan Band, responds to the plaintiffs’ distorted view of libraries’ rights, showing that it would affect not only… Read More
Google likely to face US govt suit - April 13, 2012
Internet search services provider Google, Inc., US, is likely to be the next major tech target of the US and EU trust-busters after the US Justice Department recently sued Apple for illegally conspiring with publishers in the e-book market. According to legal experts, in an… Read More
Three US publishers, Apple charged with antitrust violations over e-books pricing - April 12, 2012
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott and 15 other US state attorneys general have charged three of the nation’s largest book publishers and Apple Inc. with conspiring to fix the sales prices of e-books. The states’ antitrust case, which was filed in federal court in Austin, cites… Read More
UNESCO releases Policy Guidelines for the Development and Promotion of Open Access - April 9, 2012
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has released a new publication entitled Policy Guidelines for the Development and Promotion of Open Access to demystify the concept of Open Access and provide concrete steps on putting relevant policies in place. Besides strengthening capacities… Read More
US panel clears publication of revised version of bird flu studies - April 2, 2012
The US’ National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) recently announced its support to publish research studies showing how scientists made new easy-to-spread forms of bird flu. According to the board, the studies, now revised, do not reveal details bioterrorists could use.… Read More
AAAS expresses concern over passing of Oklahoma’s science education bill - March 27, 2012
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has expressed concern over a proposed Oklahoma legislation that would encourage the state’s public school teachers to question the well-established science behind evolution and global climate change. In a letter dated March 21 to state Senator John… Read More
US scholarly journal publishers oppose Federal Research Public Access Act - March 6, 2012
Eighty-one US scholarly journal publishing organisations have expressed their strong opposition to the third introduction of the Federal Research Public Access Act (FRPAA, H.R. 4004 and S.2096). The Association of American Publishers' Professional and Scholarly Publishing Division (AAP/PSP) and the DC Principles Coalition sent letters -… Read More
‘Nature’ asks Canadian government to stop muzzling scientists - March 5, 2012
Scientific journal Nature has reportedly accused the Canadian government of limiting its scientists from speaking publicly about their research. In an editorial, published in the latest issue of the journal, Nature called on the Canadian government to set its scientists free. … Read More
