> 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.
| Introducing DRM changes the line between what is your own, and | what belongs to the Englobulators. | | The issue is: the Library, by using "DRM", supports the general | principle that we should be under surveillance and that our | computers should be under the control of the Englobulators at all | times. No, we should not be under constant surveillance and no, | we should keep our computers our own. That means no DRM. None | whatsoever. | | Don, you may quote this, with attribution, and a warning that I | cannot, this month, enter the public conversation. | | oo--JS. _______________________________________________ gnu-misc-discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnu-misc-discuss
