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Libraries: Eliminate DRM!

May 14, 2008 - 8:16am — Blake

Hey Hey Ho Ho This DRM Has Got To Go! DefectiveByDesign asks you to send a message to all libraries that they too should respect their patrons' freedom, and urges you to sign their open letter. To take action against your local library, they urge you to customize a letter from the template.

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May 14, 2008 - 9:16am — Chuck

for God's sake ...

These people make me furious. Libraries are customers not vendors or supplies.

Our obligations to our patrons and taxpayers trumps any advocacy organization's boutique political beef with Microsoft or Overdrive.

May 14, 2008 - 9:50am — Blake

Libraries as customers

I'd say we're both customers and vendors/suppliers. Our job (mission?) as librarians (and libraries) is to get information to people. We get that information from vendors, but as we pass it along we're like a vendor. I suppose we're also end users. I would think our obligation is to get the best possible products for ourselves and our customerse. Being opposed to DRM doesn't seem like a boutique political beef at all. We really should know about this stuff (DRM, and technology and general) and I'm not sure DRM is in our interest or our customers best interest.

May 14, 2008 - 10:20am — Chuck

Maybe not boutique

But it is naive. The non-DRM choices available for eAudiobooks, ebooks and movies is would make the patrons of a library that already has the good, "evil" kind scream in protest.

Further, I don't believe that that the "threats" posed by DRM are any greater than they are for any other sophisticated online service.

What irritates me is this strange, information-Marxist, Lawrence Lessig belief that using commercial products online should be free and involve no exchange of person information.

I would say to the anti-DRM crowd two things:

1) This is the Internet. It's all like this. It can all be invasive and insecure and you have to mind it each step of the way. Why should these products be any different?

2) I notice that you are not picketing Microsoft, Overdrive, Universal Records, Sony or any one except public libraries.

Is that because you are afraid or because you are bullies and like to declare victory quickly? Try us. Take your best shot.

May 14, 2008 - 11:02am — Walt

Take action AGAINST the libraries

Doesn't that wording just say it all? Not "encourage libraries to oppose DRM," not "say you're willing to give up audio ebooks and other downloadable resources, pretty much all commercial databases and, by the way, commercial DVDs, so that DRM doesn't enter the picture." Nope: "Take action against your library."

I'm no fan of DRM, but this is bad political theater.

May 14, 2008 - 12:55pm — StephenK

It is even funnier from my end of things

Agreed, this is fairly bad political theater. There is more I could say, but I will not do so here.
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Stephen Kellat, Host, LISTen

May 29, 2008 - 12:26am — Anonymous (not verified)

Thanks but no thanks!

I think I will just continue to get the material directly form the library and use it the way I need with out the DRM to try to control how I use it.

If I can get it without the DRM then it would be a great idea but as it is it will never succeed.

Oh well just more tax payer money going to waste and just when our libraries are so hard up for money they waste time and money what they do have on this.

Will they ever learn it must be simple easy and convenient or it will not be used!

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