================================================================= ALAWON Volume 6, Number 47 ISSN 1069-7799 May 12, 1997 American Library Association Washington Office Newsline In this issue: (58 lines) HOUSE TEMPORARILY POSTPONES DATABASE LEGISLATION _________________________________________________________________ HOUSE TEMPORARILY POSTPONES DATABASE LEGISLATION ALA has just learned that H.R. 2652, the Collection of Information Antipiracy Act, was removed from today's House agenda for at least this week. Major responses from grassroots library advocates to this morning's ALAWON urgent alert have once again helped stop legislative disaster. ALA appreciates the tremendous response from library advocates all over the country. Further reports will be forthcoming based upon the feedback we are getting in response to library supporters' efforts. However, H.R. 2652 still has information industry backing, and proponents will seek another early opportunity for a House floor vote. This sweeping new legal protection for databases would restrict access to and excerpting of factual compilations, even if those compilations did NOT qualify for copyright protection. Moreover, the definition of a protected database in the bill is so broad that almost any collection of information --even if entirely gathered from the public domain --would be entitled to this new protection. The legislation contains no meaningful fair use-type exceptions. Standby for further information as it becomes available or contact the ALA Washington office (202-628-8410). _________________________________________________________________ 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 listproc @ala.org. To unsubscribe, send the message: unsubscribe ala-wo to listproc@ala.org. ALAWON archives at http://www.ala.org/ washoff/alawon. Visit our Web site at http://www.alawash.org. ALA Washington Office 202.628.8410 (V) 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, #403 202.628.8419 (F) Washington, DC 20004-1701 800.941.8478 (V) Lynne E. Bradley, Editor Deirdre Herman, Managing Editor Contributors: Adam M. Eisgrau All materials subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. =================================================================