[ARSCLIST] "Reclaim the Public Domain" Petition -- consider signing (and FORWARD!)

[Jon Noring <jon@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

[Note: Archivists and librarians are certainly interested in copyright
issues related to the Public Domain. This one may be of especial
interest for the obvious reasons.]



[Please pass this message on...]


The Public Domain is under assault. Recent copyright legislation, such
as the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act (CTEA), and the Digital
Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA), has had a profoundly negative and
troubling impact on the future of the Public Domain of creative works.

This is an important issue that should concern every citizen.

An online petition is now circulating which proposes an elegant
solution that assures the long-term growth and vitality of the Public
Domain, while supporting the needs of copyright owners to fully profit
from their creative works. It's a good first step to bring sanity and
balance back into the copyright arena. Copyright has always been
intended to benefit all, not a few.

For the full text of the petition, which gives a good background of
the issue, and describes the solution, see:

     http://www.petitiononline.com/eldred/petition.html

Instructions are given there on how to sign the petition online --
it is simple and easy to do!

If you agree with the full petition statement, then consider signing
it. In addition, feel free to forward (and please do forward) this
notice to your friends, co-workers, etc., and post to relevant online
forums such as newsgroups and mailing lists. The more who sign the
Petition, the more it will be taken seriously. It is certainly
possible to get a couple hundred thousand signatures, with your help.
So let's go for it!

Do note that the first signatory of this petition is Stanford Law
Professor, Lawrence Lessig. A short bio of Prof. Lessig is found at:
http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/lessig/bio/short/



Jon Noring

[Disclaimer: I am a concerned citizen who has signed the Petition
described herein. Otherwise, I have no affiliation (nor been in
communication) with the parties who drafted and are currently
promoting the Petition. Anything said in this message which is
inaccurate is solely my responsibility. It is important to read the
online Petition Statement and to sign or not sign it based solely on
what it says, and not on anything said or implied in this message.]