ON A RELATED NOTE: SOPA: Judiciary Committee schedules markup of online piracy bill for Thursday (via The Hill)
Here’s the full text of a new letter written by ARL’s Brandon Butler (on behalf of the LCA) re: the draft of the OPEN Act (Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade Act) that was released last week.
The letter is addressed to three of the OPEN draft co-author
- Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)
- Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)
- Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT)
From the Two Page Letter:
LCA welcomes the open and transparent process you have initiated by sharing a discussion draft of the Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade (OPEN) Act on the Internet for all interested stakeholders to assess and discuss. We are pleased to see members of Congress acting on a principle that libraries champion: the Internet offers powerful new ways for citizens to learn about and participate in their society and in their government. Legislation that affects this broad, democratizing platform should be subject to an equally broad and open discussion, and it is fitting that the Internet itself makes that discussion possible. Thank you for inviting the public to engage in this important conversation.
The Library Copyright Alliance consists of ALA, ACRL, and ARL.
Direct to Full Text Letter (2 pages; PDF)
Background: Wyden, Issa Release Alternate Anti-Piracy Bill, But Hollywood’s Not Biting (INFOdocket, December 8. 2011)