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Lessig: So Many Orphaned Works

March 31, 2008 - 10:50am — Elizabeth
disruptive technologies
 I think the most shocking part of Lessig's speech was this table about the copyright status of items in the Google Books inventory

16% - public domain (older works)
9% - copyrighted and in print
75% - copyrighted, but out of print (aka "Orphaned Works")

I've been aware of the issue of orphaned works, but I had no idea that it was such a large percentage. Apparently the vast majority of content produced is considered commercially non-viable over the long haul. But how can we make sure that these works aren't locked away just because they generate enough of a revenue?

This is especially critical for academic institutions because scholars are notorious for wanting access to those obscure books that few others need. Not being able to access them easily leads to either extended checkout times from the library (for years at a time) or to rampant photocopying.

Lessig Keynote

March 30, 2008 - 10:20am — bxb11
Lawrence Lessig Speech

Stories

Enabling Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age & Your Role

  • Writing is a democratic practice - all should/can do it.
  • 9-college writing - why do we do what we do?
  • Most writing produced here is crap - but kids learn here. How hard it is to write, the complexity. It teaches them the value of creativity.

"Quoting" in writing. We take, use, build upon - without the author's permission.

Imagine if we asked the author for permission to quote? Crazy. This points out the democracy of writing - it's by all, for all.

Masses vs. the Elite

Lawrence Lessig to present keynote at 2008 Symposium for Teaching and Learning with Technology

Lawrence Lessig, JD, Professor of Law at Stanford Law School and founder of the school’s Center for Internet and Society, will be the keynote speaker at the 2008 Penn State Symposium for Teaching and Learning with Technology.

Prior to joining the Stanford faculty, he was the Berkman Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, and a Professor at the University of Chicago. He clerked for Judge Richard Posner on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals and Justice Antonin Scalia on the United States Supreme Court.

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