This refers to the Tasini decision.  It has had a major impact on
database content, e.g. Dialog et al.  Also newspapers are pulling
content from databases for articles that were written by freelancers
during a time when contracts did not make clear who owned what and how
the material could be re-used.  Most newspapers have changed those
contracts now -- some did several years ago.

So if you search on "Tasini decision"  you'll find more than you may
ever want to know about this situation.

BTW Tasini was President of the Writers Guild when they filed the
original lawsuit some years ago.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Barbara L. Wagner,   Contractor/Task Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Enforcement Investigations Center Library
Building 53, Denver Federal Center
P.O.  Box 25227, Denver, CO  80225-0227

303/236-6136   FAX 303/236-3216
[log in to unmask]




                      "Pomager, Carla
                      USACFSC"                  To:       [log in to unmask]
                      <Carla.Pomager@CFS        cc:
                      C.ARMY.MIL>               Subject:  FW: Removal of Gannett Products (Federal Times)
                      Sent by: "FEDLIB:          from Database Agg rega tors
                      Federal Librarians
                      Discussion List"
                      <[log in to unmask]>


                      11/22/2002 05:56
                      AM
                      Please respond to
                      "FEDLIB: Federal
                      Librarians
                      Discussion List"






Now we know why.

Carla

-----Original Message-----
From: Linthicum, Alta [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, November 22, 2002 7:34 AM
To: 'Consortium of Naval Libraries Discussion List'
Cc: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]
Subject: FW: Removal of Gannett Products (Federal Times) from Database
Agg rega tors


In response to Carla's note, I called the Army Times Publishing Company
and
spoke with Kent Miller.  Mr. Miller told me the decision to pull their
materials from all electronic sources was due to the Supreme Court
decision
holding publishers libel for selling freelancers' materials to 3rd
parties
without permission or compensation.  Mr. Miller said one recent
settlement
by a publisher was for $10,000.

Mr. Miller said since November of 2001 (2000?--can't read my scribbled
notes!), they have had freelancers sign permission statements and expect
to
have some content available again in aggregators services.  They regret
having to pull the content but felt they had no choice.

I've cc'ed Mr. Miller on this message.  If you wish to contact him, I'm
sure
he would be glad to respond.

I wonder how many other publishers are having to make similar
decisions--imagine going back to freelancers to get their permission for
years of archives!

Alta

-----Original Message-----
From: Pomager, Carla USACFSC [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, November 21, 2002 2:58 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Removal of Gannett Products (Federal Times) from Database
Aggrega tors


The fulltext of Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times, Federal Times
is no
longer available in Ebsco databases. Jerry Eonta at Ebsco said that
Gannett
is pulling all their products off all commercial aggregators. Gannett
publishes USA Today, Armed Forces Journal, Army, Air Force, Navy, and
Federal Times.  The current policy at Army Times is that if you buy the
print you get one free online password limited to one person.  They will
no
longer sell license agreements to libraries or offices for access to the
online version.

If you have strong feelings about this, you might want to contact
Gannett.


I sent the following email to Betty Gonner ([log in to unmask]) at Army
Times
and the "contact us" email at Gannett ([log in to unmask]):

"I noticed that the fulltext of Army Times in no longer available in
Ebsco
Military Full Text. Jerry Eonta at Ebsco said that Gannett is pulling
all
their products off all commercial aggregators. Gannett is not looking at
the
bigger picture When publishers pull their periodicals out of the full
text
databases, the articles and information are lost to a large number of
people. People will use sources of information other than Gannett
products
to get the information they need. Nothing is more frustrating than to
learn
about an article, but not be able to access it.

This office purchases electronic resources centrally for 88 Army
Libraries
around the world and print copies of Army Times for troops stationed in
Bosnia and Kosovo. Our Librarians manage information and help the
library
users find the information they need through fulltext databases such as
sold
by Ebsco, Proquest, Gale Infotrac, Dialog, Lexis/Nexis, and other
aggregators.

When librarians are determining where to spend their money, more than
likely
they will purchase fulltext aggregated databases instead of purchasing
access to a single online fulltext title. Looking at it from this view
point, Gannett will lose the money from the aggregators  and may not get
new
subscriptions.

The current policy of only allowing one person access for one print
subscription - limits use in libraries.  Librarians do not do most of
the
searching.  Licenses to the Army's fulltext aggregated databases include
remote access for library patrons.  Libraries are becoming virtual. If
libraries have the choice between print or electronic - most often
electronic aggregated databases win. Again Gannett loses. Please
reconsider
your decision. "

V/R

Carla J. Pomager
Systems and Acquisitions Librarian
US Army Community & Family Support Center
ATTN: USACFSC-CR-L
4700 King St.
Alexandria, VA 22302-4418

Tele: (703) 681-7205
Fax: (703) 681-7249
DSN: 761
email: [log in to unmask]