Nest of Pirates

Jon Udell:

I was shocked to discover a nest of pirates yesterday, operating brazenly right here in my hometown.

Amusing, to be sure. Then read this: Pat Schroeder’s New Chapter (washingtonpost.com)

Of all the dangerous and dot-complex problems that American publishers face in the near future — economic downturns, competition for leisure time, piracy — perhaps the most explosive one could be libraries. Publishers and librarians are squaring off for a battle royal over the way electronic books and journals are lent out from libraries and over what constitutes fair use of written material.

Suddenly, it’s not so funny anymore.

(Via The Shifted Librarian)