Meet Fanfiction Writer Michael Lemley. Michael Lemley first discovered fanfiction through MTV’s Teen Wolf. Since then, he has written over 800,000 words of fanfiction on Archive of Our Own, the leading forum for fanfiction and a free service run by the Organization for Transformative Works. In the latest profile for our New Creator Series, Michael explained the role of fair use in the fanfic community: “Fanwork by its very nature relies on fair use. We take images/characters/settings and rework them in new and imaginative ways for the enjoyment of other people who love the same thing.”
“We Shall Overcome” Enters The Public Domain. The iconic song “We Shall Overcome” officially entered the public domain last week after a settlement was reached in a copyright legal dispute, reported The New York Times. Producers working on a documentary of the song challenged the song’s copyright protection after being denied permission to use it. The documentarians’ lawyer called the settlement “an enormously important achievement…We’re really thrilled to be part of an effort to give this song back to the public where it belongs.”
A Renegotiated NAFTA Should Reflect The 21st Century Digital Economy. On the heels of the sixth round of NAFTA negotiations, Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA) penned an op-ed in The Hill calling for a renegotiated NAFTA to reflect the realities of today’s global and digital economy and to include the legal frameworks for balanced copyright. DelBene wrote that the “intellectual property chapter of NAFTA should include a copyright framework consistent with the 21st century digital economy. Critical to this effort is the balanced approach to copyright that is enshrined in U.S. law.”
Mark Your Calendars For Fair Use Week. The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) announced that its annual Fair Use Week will take place February 26 – March 2. The week celebrates the importance of fair use in America’s legal framework — promoting progress, enabling free speech and expression, and supporting balanced copyright. Interested in learning more? Check out ARL’s toolkit for how advocates and organizations can participate.
ALA’s CopyTalk Webinar Prepares Librarians To Be Local Copyright Experts. In the latest installment of the American Library Association’s (ALA) CopyTalk webinars, Texas A&M Copyright/Fair Use Librarian Emilie Algenio will speak to incoming copyright librarians about “best practices” for handling questions about copyright and what they should expect in their new role. The webinar aims to prepare future librarians to be local copyright experts.