Against a backdrop of rapidly changing technology for the production and dissemination of information and an equally chaotic intellectual property policy landscape, various initiatives are underway to provide scholars, researchers, artists, and scientists more control over their intellectual products. These projects, especially Creative Commons, have drawn upon technology and law to create viable options for the creators of intellectual property within existing legal structures.
As members of a profession devoted to both respecting intellectual property rights and in defending free access to ideas, librarians should be alert to these developments for ideological as well practical reasons. With our role in connecting users to the information they need, librarians have a substantial interest and tremendous amount at stake in the development and implementation of alternative content licenses. We owe it to our patrons, our institutions and ourselves to take a leadership role in this vital issue.
