International library news
NYC libraries to offer internet hotspots
The New York Public Library is lending out 10,000 free high-speed internet hotspots valued at US$1000 (A$1223) to some of the city’s poorest residents, reports abcNEWS. The library is working with internet providers Mobile Beacon and Sprint to distribute the hotspots to library branches across New York City’s five boroughs. The devices are available for loan for up to a year. ‘It is simply unfathomable that in the digital world in which we live, one-third of New Yorkers do not have access to broadband internet at home, putting them at a serious disadvantage at school, in applying for jobs, and so much more,’ said Anthony Marx, president of the New York Public Library.
Bike-sharing program proposed for US library
In the US, residents of Fairfield in Connecticut may soon be able to borrow a bike from their public library as part of a pilot bike-sharing program, reports the Fairfield Citizen Online. The library, in conjunction with the State Health Department, has received a state-funded grant of US$10,463 (A$12,800) to purchase 10 to 12 bikes, which can be rented with a library card for a small fee. In 2014, a survey of 351 residents found that 71% would use a bike-share program, with 82% indicating they were willing to pay for the service. The grant would also help to fund helmets and a year’s worth of bike maintenance. The proposal is currently being considered by local council.
Authors Guild ends battle with HathiTrust over digital books
The Authors Guild’s lawsuit against libraries ended this week when the organisation agreed to drop its litigation, reports MediaPost. In a case that dates back to 2011, the Authors Guild alleged that 13 universities participating in the HathiTrust—a joint digital book-storing project—infringed copyright by working with Google to digitise books. The libraries argued that they made ‘fair use’ of the books. In 2012, US District Court judge Harold Baer ruled against the Authors Guild, arguing that that digital copies ‘serve an entirely different purpose than the original works’. An appeal to the 2nd Circuit largely upheld the ruling, but remanded the case back to the District Court to consider whether libraries infringe copyright by creating replacements for books that are destroyed or lost. The Authors Guild’s lawsuit against Google for digitising books is yet to be resolved.
Category: Library news
