by Scot Colford http://dbinfo.bpl.org/dbblog/
> Digital Rights Management > > February 7th, 2008 by Scot Colford > > We often get questions about why people can't > download OverDrive audio books or video to their > iPods. Or sometimes, users are unhappy that they > cannot preserve that downloaded material on their > computers forever. Well, the Boston Public Library > does not necessarily own the material you download -- > we license it. Part of the agreement that allows us > to license the material is the use of Digital Rights > Managment (DRM). DRM is a software add-on that > prevents digital files from being copied and > redistributed, just like the software that prevents > you from copying a DVD or a commercial VHS tape. > > Listen, we all know that DRM is annoying at best. But > we're able to offer content that would not be > available to anyone in digital format otherwise > because publishers feel comfortable with DRM. I hope > that changes, but until then, we'll keep trying to > offer the best content to the most people. > > Here's the official BPL response. Rest assured that > it was written by a real human being who knows what > he's talking about, namely me: > > One of the most popular new services provided by > the Boston Public Library is OverDrive, a > vendor-supplied lending system for electronic > books, audio books, music, and videos. Digital > Library Reserve, the vendor from whom we license > this content has secured thousands of popular, > high-quality titles from many major publishers > under the condition that digital rights management > (DRM) measures are taken to ensure that the > material cannot be redistributed. Furthermore, the > specific DRM schema used on OverDrive titles allow > material to circulate for distinct periods of > time, permitting the library to honor its > licensing contract and to provide a service > paralleling the loan of physical material. No > personal patron information is shared with > OverDrive or other third-parties in the download > or DRM process. Please see the BPL privacy policy > for more information > http://www.bpl.org/general/policies/privacy.htm > > While we are well aware of the frustration DRM > schema can cause end users, we feel that the high > numbers of use (nearly 100,000 downloads since > September, 2005) send a strong signal that our > customers want access to the material OverDrive > provides. For many years, the BPL has offered > material in a variety of formats that require > specific hardware and/or contain copy-protection > technologies (DVDs, Macrovision-protected VHS > tapes), but we've never been asked to discontinue > circulation of this material because not every > customer has the ability to use them. > > Almost all of the titles available through > OverDrive are also available in other formats. > Customers who are unable to use DRM-protected > content can certainly access the same content via > CDs, DVDs, print books, and magnetic media. We > also provide links to several other sources for > digital eBooks, audio, and video that are in the > public domain, and therefore do not require DRM. > > Boston Public Library is committed to providing > free access to community-owned resources and will > continue to search for partners who can provide > material to the most number of users possible. > > Scot Colford > Applications Manager > Boston Public Library > scolford at bpl.org > > Posted in General http://dbinfo.bpl.org/dbblog/ Introducing DRM changes the line between what is your own, and what belongs to the Englobulators. _______________________________________________ gnu-misc-discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnu-misc-discuss
