Publisher's association on DRM

["Hamaker, Chuck" <cahamake@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Digital Rights Management - three point policy- Publishers Association (UK)
On the PA website:
<http://www.publishers.org.uk/paweb/paweb.nsf/pubframe!Open>
Select Guidelines then under Copyright select Digital Rights Management -
three point policy
<http://www.publishers.org.uk/paweb/PAweb.nsf/0/A998A1C8698297A180256C320052
6B3B!opendocument>  

A  statement of principles, eschewing one size fits all solutions, and
calling for publishers to be actively involved in standards setting, working
for interoperable international standards, 

principles I found particularly striking in the policy:

"We should support appropriate International Standards and the process
should be industry led. We should oppose any proposals for legislation on
technical issues."
"These (DRM Systems) should not be standardised. Publishers (not necessarily
collectively) should work out what sort of DRM best suits their preferred
Business Model.

The Trade Association should seek to ensure that a choice is open to them"

And of particular interest to me as a librarian- the third point:
"3. DRMs should be positively presented as a publisher / customer
facilitating medium and not a means of 'blocking' access. Rightsholders will
acquire the "image" conferred by whatever sort of DRM approach (positive or
negative) they adopt (with consequent PR implications)."

In other words they are saying, don't treat your customers as thieves!

Chuck Hamaker
Associate University Librarian for Collections and Technical Services
Atkins Library
University of North Carolina Charlotte
704 687-2825