<div dir="ltr"><div>Hello SIGCIS,</div><div><br></div><div>I'm writing on behalf of the Cyberlaw Clinic at Harvard Law School and the Software Preservation Network (SPN) to request your help seeking an exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) that will expand off-site, on-line access to historical software from libraries and archives. <br></div><div><br></div><div>A key outcome of this work will be to allow researchers to run old software in a browser or emulator without the need to physically travel to the collection.<br></div><div><br></div><div>To realize this goal, the Cyberlaw Clinic is seeking stories from SIGCIS members about the value of this sort of off-site access for our research and teaching. <br></div><br><div></div><div>For more details on the proposed exemption, see this one-page explainer:</div><div><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-rrqwg9qDHgT9PYixmgLM64foCrpY4bM/view?usp=sharing">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-rrqwg9qDHgT9PYixmgLM64foCrpY4bM/view?usp=sharing</a></div><div><br></div><div>Instructions for participation are included below. I hope that you will consider sharing your stories and experiences. The potential benefit to future scholars is tremendous.<br></div><div><br></div><div></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div><br></div><div>Kevin Driscoll</div><div>U of Virginia</div><div><br></div><div>-- <br></div><div><br></div><div>
<p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%">Harvard Law School’s Cyberlaw Clinic is
working with the Software Preservation Network to win new copyright
regulations that would expand access to software in library
collections. Specifically, we are asking the Copyright Office to
expand exemptions relating to §1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act
(“DMCA”). You can read more about how the DMCA affects software <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wE6s8cpJoaKJNJ9dJYw33nx4y-AFO5iTOo_ef71Sfo4/edit?pli=1" title="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wE6s8cpJoaKJNJ9dJYw33nx4y-AFO5iTOo_ef71Sfo4/edit?pli=1" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline">here</a> and
learn about the rules already in place from <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-rrqwg9qDHgT9PYixmgLM64foCrpY4bM/view?usp=sharing" title="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-rrqwg9qDHgT9PYixmgLM64foCrpY4bM/view?usp=sharing" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline">this
explainer</a>. </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></p>
<p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><b><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%">We want your feedback about
copyright and software access issues! </span></b><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%">In 2018, our clinic successfully petitioned for a DMCA
exemption that permits DRM circumvention and access “on the premises”
of archives, libraries, and museums. This year, we are trying to expand this
language so that archives, libraries, and museums can also facilitate <b>off-site</b> access
to DRM protected programs.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%">The stories and experiences of your
community are critical to the success of our proposal. To this end, we need
your help. Given the nature of SIGCIS members' work, we wanted to reach out to
ask if you have been facing issues with off-site access to software recently
and would be interested in a broader exemption. If that is the case, we'd
love to hear from you.</span></p><p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><br></p><p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><span style="color:black;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%">Our
team is happy to record your story on the phone, via email -- whatever is
easiest for you. If you are interested in contributing to this project via
email, please reach out via email to <a href="mailto:ateitler.jd22@hlsclinics.org" style="color:rgb(5,99,193);text-decoration:underline">ateitler.jd22@hlsclinics.org</a>
with responses to the below survey. We look forward to (hopefully) hearing from
you soon!</span><span style="color:black"><span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><span style="color:black"><span> </span></span></span></p><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif">
</span><p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><span style="font-variant-ligatures:none;font-kerning:none"><span style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%">***</span> </span><span style="font-size:9pt;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif">
</span><p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><span style="font-variant-ligatures:none;font-kerning:none"><u><span style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%">Experiential Survey</span></u></span><span style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"> </span><span style="font-size:9pt;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif">
</span><p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><span style="font-variant-ligatures:none;font-kerning:none"><span style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%">Name:</span> </span><span style="font-size:9pt;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif">
</span><p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><span style="font-variant-ligatures:none;font-kerning:none"><span style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%">Institution (if applicable):</span> </span><span style="font-size:9pt;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif">
</span><p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><span style="font-variant-ligatures:none;font-kerning:none"><span style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%">Email Address:</span> </span><span style="font-size:9pt;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif">
</span><p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><span style="font-variant-ligatures:none;font-kerning:none"><span style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%">Software titles affected:</span> </span><span style="font-size:9pt;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif">
</span><p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><span style="font-variant-ligatures:none;font-kerning:none"><span style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%">Is this software still
commercially available?</span> </span><span style="font-size:9pt;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif">
</span><p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><span style="font-variant-ligatures:none;font-kerning:none"><span style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%">How do off-site restrictions
prevent or discourage preservation/teaching/research?</span> </span><span style="font-size:9pt;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif">
</span><p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><span style="font-variant-ligatures:none;font-kerning:none"><span style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%">How has your work been
impacted by these regulations?</span> </span><span style="font-size:9pt;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif">
</span><p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><span style="font-variant-ligatures:none;font-kerning:none"><span style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%">Has </span><span style="font-variant-ligatures:none;font-kerning:none">COVID</span><span style="font-variant-ligatures:none;font-kerning:none"> impacted
your access to materials?</span> </span><span style="font-size:9pt;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif">
</span><p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><span style="font-variant-ligatures:none;font-kerning:none"><span style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%">Is there any additional
information you would like to provide? (e.g. relevant links, screenshots,
additional information about the software, other institutions you know of that
have been similarly restricted, etc.)</span> </span></span><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><span></span></span></p>
<p style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><br><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"></span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
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