ACRL College & Research Libraries News

College & Research Libraries News

Internet Reviews

Sara Amato, editor

Sara Amato is automated systems librarian at Central Washington University; samato@tahoma.cwu.edu

Copyright and Fair Use: Stanford University Libraries. Access:http: //fairuse.Stanford.edu. The term “fair use” is one that librarians hear frequently, and this Web site is committed to making that idea a little more clear for the confused or curious. It is a very good starting point for an examination of copyright law in the United States and internationally, and provides a source of information on the latest breaking news in this area. Keep in mind that the sites I mention provide a good overview of the issues and a review of recent government initiatives. For news of other governments, it will be necessary to supplement these sites with information on the laws of specific countries.

Perhaps the most central documents in this area, which are currently the subject of much debate, are HR 3531, the Database Investment and Intellectual Property Antipiracy Act of 1996, and the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Association) database proposal. Both of these are put together in a neat package at the top of this page. These two documents alone would make this a useful site to anyone concerned with copyright, but there is much more here. Links are also provided to references in the Congressional Record and to a list of contacts. There is also a link to the World Intellectual Property Organization Diplomatic Conference (held in December).

For those who want a more detailed look at the issues, this page also provides a large amount of information under the heading “Articles, Analysis, and Letters.” Here can be found a wide variety of articles both for and against the proposed legislation. The “Library Copyright Guidelines” link provides access to the copyright-related policies and publications of many libraries, a useful resource for those looking into developing their own documents, or investigating what others are doing about this issue. Another link to “Articles and Publications” provides a long list of articles and connections to bulletins, journals, and newsletters on copyright and fair use. Links can also be found to primary materials (the Constitution, case law, statutes), a collection of materials on the National Information Infrastructure, and a section on fair use and multimedia.

This page will be of great use, both to the expert on copyright issues and the person who is just interested in developing a deeper understanding of the issues that surround copyright. For those who need more information on this topic, the Electronic Frontier Foundation has an intellectual property page at http:/ /www.eff.org/pub/Intellectual_property with a wealth of information; Cornell has a copyright site at http://www.law.cornell.edu/topics/ copyright.html; and a rather large and well-organized collection of links can be found at http: // access-iplaw.com.

As libraries continue to introduce new technologies and increase access to information, these issues seem to become more and more complex, while the answers seem to be harder to find. As a person faced with these issues, I found these sites to be very useful.—Doug Horne, University of Guelph; dhome@uoguelph. ca

Government Information Sharing Project. Access:http://govinfo.kerr.orst.edu/. The Government Information Sharing Project (GISP) is a product of the fine work of the Information Services staff at the Oregon State University Library. Originally funded by a U.S. Department of Education grant, the project’s mission is to demonstrate how technology can be used to create a user-friendly and powerful system for accessing U.S. federal government information. To that end, GISP provides access to statistical data on federal government CD-ROMs to remote users over the Internet.

The statistical databases available at this site include: 1990 Census of Population and Housing (STF 3A summary files); USA Counties (1996); Population Estimates by Age, Sex & Race: 1990–92; 1969–94 Regional Economic Information System; 1992 Economic Census: Discs 1H, 2A (zip code tabulation), and 4; Census of Agriculture: 1982, 1987, 1992; U.S. Imports/Exports History: 1991–95; Consolidated Federal Funds Reports: 1986–95; and School District Data Book Profiles: 1989–90. In addition, a list of other government Web sites, arranged by subject, is provided. There appears to be a commitment to updating and adding new databases as they are made available.

The homepage provides the user with the option of a graphic-intensive interface or a text-only menu. From this page, each database has a link that provides users with three options: a search form, a description of the geographic areas covered in the database, and an information page describing the database. The information provided is derived from the technical documentation accompanying each CD-ROM.

The statistical reports available are generally preformatted summaries. Those seeking more interactive data retrieval will need to continue to use the CD-ROM products, or in the case of the 1990 Census of Population and Housing, use the 1990 Census Look Up service (http://cedr.lbl.gov/cdrom/doc/lookup_doc.html). This limitation does not diminish the value of the service provided by GISP. By providing in one site a wide variety of federal statistical databases and creating a uniform and user-friendly search interface, GISP has certainly reached the goal of providing easy access to government information to remote users.—Arlene Weible, Willamette University; aweihle@ willamette.edu

MCS: The Media and Communications Studies Site. Access:http://www.aber. ac. uk/~dgc/medmenu.html.

A fairly accurate quote from GNN Select, “From semiotics to soap operas, if it’s communications scholarship, it’s here,” captures the essence of this site, subtitled “Constructivism at Work.” Originating from the Department of Education at the University of Wales, it was developed by Daniel Chandler, a lecturer in media theory.

Also touted as “one of the very best U.K. sites” for media studies and in existence since the spring of 1995, this comprehensive site does not necessarily focus on British interests but instead is global in its approach. The communications and media disciplines include issues of gender, class, and ethnicity; mass media issues including TV, radio, film, and information technology; and the history and theory of the disciplines.

Upper-level and graduate students, as well as faculty in the fields of mass media, computer mediated communication, film and gender studies, cultural studies and advertising, and marketing, will find extensive links within 18 categories identified on the front page entitled the “Main Index.” Other subject categories include media education, textual analysis, and visual image. Highlights in the Main Index are the essential specialized discussion groups that include listservs as well as newsgroups; the ’’Journals and Magazines” page which lists close to 100 links, all alphabetically arranged; and the “General Reference” page which gives a breakdown of associations, councils, interest groups, and societies; indexes of resources on media and communication, scholars on the Web; and university departments, centers, and courses with pointers to not only U.K. but also European, U.S., Asian, and other international research centers.

Within the subject categories, there is a “Section Index” which further breaks down the topic, and all links are contained on one continuous page. For instance, the “Visual Image” page lists cartoons, comics, optical illusions, photography, visual literacy, and visual perception. Links on different pages include course modules, Alta Vista searches such as “The Gay Audience and the Media,” and individual papers written by and about communication notaries such as Sherry Turkle, Marshall McCluhan, and John December. The U.K.-focused resources can be found mainly under television, radio, and newspapers.

Although there is no cross-referencing between subject categories, the focused researcher will find navigation easy through the site. The currency of the site is monitored by the Web Robot at Net Mind, and at the end of each subject category there is an option to send your e-mail address when that page is updated. All in all, MCS is an essential first stop in beginning a review of the communications cyber literature.—Marie Monteagudo, William Paterson College; oasisnet@concentric.net. ■