================================================================= ALAWON Volume 5, Number 89 ISSN 1069-7799 December 26, 1996 American Library Association Washington Office Newsline In this issue: (88 lines) LIBRARY ASSOCIATIONS PLEASED WITH MOVE TOWARD BALANCE IN GENEVA COPYRIGHT TREATY _________________________________________________________________ Note: The following is a news release issued December 23, 1996 from the American Association of Law Libraries, the American Library Association, the Association of Research Libraries, the Medical Library Association and the Special Libraries Association. For more information contact Carol Henderson, ALA Washington Office, at 202/628-8410. LIBRARY ASSOCIATIONS PLEASED WITH MOVE TOWARD BALANCE IN GENEVA COPYRIGHT TREATY Washington, D.C. -- Five national library associations have expressed cautious optimism that the rights of both copyright proprietors and those who use copyrighted materials can be accommodated in the new digital information environment based on agreements reached December 20 after more than two weeks of international negotiations. The associations are the American Association of Law Libraries, American Library Association, Association of Research Libraries, Medical Library Association and Special Libraries Association. Some 160 governments participated in the diplomatic conference on intellectual property issues convened by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva. The final treaties represent significant progress over earlier proposals in balancing the rights of copyright proprietors with the interests of users of copyrighted materials. Adam Eisgrau, legislative counsel for the American Library Association Washington Office, represented the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions at the Geneva conference. He cited as particularly noteworthy the diplomatic consensus in favor of the extension and evolution of limits on copyright, including fair use, into the digital environment. He also noted that many participants expressed deep opposition to a proposed treaty for a broad new system of database protection in addition to copyright. The proposal had been opposed by the five library associations as being overly broad and because it had not been subjected to domestic scrutiny in the U.S. Although such a treaty was proposed, it was not acted on. The library community had worked with many other interests and organizations to ensure a balanced process and outcome in the treaty negotiations, including scholarly, scientific and research societies, education organizations, public interest groups, and online service providers and telecommunications and high tech industries. Like many treaties, the Geneva agreements impose broadly phrased obligations on signatory nations. In many countries, including the U.S., the treaties will require domestic approval and legislative implementation. The library associations are engaged in further analysis of the Geneva agreements, and will continue to work with the Administration, Congress and other interested parties. _________________________________________________________________ ALAWON is a free, irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office. To subscribe, send the message "subscribe ala-wo [your_firstname] [your_lastname]" to . ALAWON archives gopher.ala.org; select ALA Washington Office Newsline. Visit our Web site at . ALA Washington Office 202.628.8410 (V) 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, #403 202.628.8419 (F) Washington, DC 20004-1701 Lynne E. Bradley, Editor Contributors: Carol C. Henderson Adam Eisgrau Deirdre Herman All materials subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. =================================================================