Mek
@mek.fyi
Hi, I'm http://mek.fyi, a country squire no longer young. Neutral Good.
📚 OpenLibrary.org at the Internet Archive
👨💻 Berkman Klein Center '22, '23 affiliate
🗺️ Let's map the world's knowledge.
📚 OpenLibrary.org at the Internet Archive
👨💻 Berkman Klein Center '22, '23 affiliate
🗺️ Let's map the world's knowledge.
Leasing can expand access, but it should never be the only option.
For copyright law to function as intended, there must also be a path to true ownership — even if time-limited — that restores the public’s ability to exercise rights like First Sale and preserve works under §108.
For copyright law to function as intended, there must also be a path to true ownership — even if time-limited — that restores the public’s ability to exercise rights like First Sale and preserve works under §108.
September 4, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Leasing can expand access, but it should never be the only option.
For copyright law to function as intended, there must also be a path to true ownership — even if time-limited — that restores the public’s ability to exercise rights like First Sale and preserve works under §108.
For copyright law to function as intended, there must also be a path to true ownership — even if time-limited — that restores the public’s ability to exercise rights like First Sale and preserve works under §108.
Example 3:
The end of Preservation.
17 U.S.C. § 108 gives libraries the right to make archival versions to preserve the media they own.
If a library or archive can't own the material, they can't preserve it or enable access to those with disabilities.
The end of Preservation.
17 U.S.C. § 108 gives libraries the right to make archival versions to preserve the media they own.
If a library or archive can't own the material, they can't preserve it or enable access to those with disabilities.
September 4, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Example 3:
The end of Preservation.
17 U.S.C. § 108 gives libraries the right to make archival versions to preserve the media they own.
If a library or archive can't own the material, they can't preserve it or enable access to those with disabilities.
The end of Preservation.
17 U.S.C. § 108 gives libraries the right to make archival versions to preserve the media they own.
If a library or archive can't own the material, they can't preserve it or enable access to those with disabilities.
Example 2:
Evasion of the Public Domain.
17 U.S.C. § 302–305 sets a limit on copyright. But there is no requirement for publishers to release DRM-free version of lease-only material in a way that can enter the public domain. And breaking DRM is illegal via 17 U.S.C. § 1201.
Evasion of the Public Domain.
17 U.S.C. § 302–305 sets a limit on copyright. But there is no requirement for publishers to release DRM-free version of lease-only material in a way that can enter the public domain. And breaking DRM is illegal via 17 U.S.C. § 1201.
September 4, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Example 2:
Evasion of the Public Domain.
17 U.S.C. § 302–305 sets a limit on copyright. But there is no requirement for publishers to release DRM-free version of lease-only material in a way that can enter the public domain. And breaking DRM is illegal via 17 U.S.C. § 1201.
Evasion of the Public Domain.
17 U.S.C. § 302–305 sets a limit on copyright. But there is no requirement for publishers to release DRM-free version of lease-only material in a way that can enter the public domain. And breaking DRM is illegal via 17 U.S.C. § 1201.
Example 1:
The right of First Sale (17 U.S.C. § 109) is what gives Americans the right to buy a book, lend it to a friend, and sell it after they're done.
Publishers bypass this by only offering ebook leases that you license and don't own (Amazon included)
The right of First Sale (17 U.S.C. § 109) is what gives Americans the right to buy a book, lend it to a friend, and sell it after they're done.
Publishers bypass this by only offering ebook leases that you license and don't own (Amazon included)
September 4, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Example 1:
The right of First Sale (17 U.S.C. § 109) is what gives Americans the right to buy a book, lend it to a friend, and sell it after they're done.
Publishers bypass this by only offering ebook leases that you license and don't own (Amazon included)
The right of First Sale (17 U.S.C. § 109) is what gives Americans the right to buy a book, lend it to a friend, and sell it after they're done.
Publishers bypass this by only offering ebook leases that you license and don't own (Amazon included)
Leasing is problematic when it is used as a tool to capture markets and evade legal protections or societal responsibilities.
Here are 3 examples.
Here are 3 examples.
September 4, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Leasing is problematic when it is used as a tool to capture markets and evade legal protections or societal responsibilities.
Here are 3 examples.
Here are 3 examples.
This could be in careful partnership (API relationship) with a supplier like amazon (though they'd likely wish to be strategically weary of delivering this patron info to amazon on a silver platter).
August 14, 2025 at 2:14 PM
This could be in careful partnership (API relationship) with a supplier like amazon (though they'd likely wish to be strategically weary of delivering this patron info to amazon on a silver platter).
Patrons could visit a page with products or services directly related to complimenting their queries. Both dystopian, by definition useful, and most inevitable.
August 14, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Patrons could visit a page with products or services directly related to complimenting their queries. Both dystopian, by definition useful, and most inevitable.
I think LLMs open up a new world of potential opt-in advertising which could be really powerful.
For instance, in a news feed, proactively presenting a passage of interest... And if the patron reacts positively, maintaining a list of *products* (e.g. books, etc) related to the patron's query.
For instance, in a news feed, proactively presenting a passage of interest... And if the patron reacts positively, maintaining a list of *products* (e.g. books, etc) related to the patron's query.
August 14, 2025 at 2:14 PM
I think LLMs open up a new world of potential opt-in advertising which could be really powerful.
For instance, in a news feed, proactively presenting a passage of interest... And if the patron reacts positively, maintaining a list of *products* (e.g. books, etc) related to the patron's query.
For instance, in a news feed, proactively presenting a passage of interest... And if the patron reacts positively, maintaining a list of *products* (e.g. books, etc) related to the patron's query.
I'd hope the patron would have to go/swipe to a special page/feed (similar to google news on android) as opposed to receiving "messages" or alerts or advertisements mid-conversation.
August 14, 2025 at 2:14 PM
I'd hope the patron would have to go/swipe to a special page/feed (similar to google news on android) as opposed to receiving "messages" or alerts or advertisements mid-conversation.
These platforms enjoy a huge advantage of a feedback loop, in that the same interface for broadcasting content can also be used to accept feedback.
I'm positive it both exists and is being worked on 🤷
I'm positive it both exists and is being worked on 🤷
August 14, 2025 at 2:14 PM
These platforms enjoy a huge advantage of a feedback loop, in that the same interface for broadcasting content can also be used to accept feedback.
I'm positive it both exists and is being worked on 🤷
I'm positive it both exists and is being worked on 🤷
One opportunity for @anthropic.com and others are to evolve a system that not only answers questions when asked, but also (based on question history) generate a [e.g. Wiki of the day] feed of answers/news the patron may be interested in (as a news feed or learning tool).
August 14, 2025 at 2:14 PM
One opportunity for @anthropic.com and others are to evolve a system that not only answers questions when asked, but also (based on question history) generate a [e.g. Wiki of the day] feed of answers/news the patron may be interested in (as a news feed or learning tool).
The current Omnibus budget combines 3 separate tactics which, combined, worry me as a nonpartisan citizen.
1. It's an Omnibus bill which is compromised
2. It's too large to review and understand, short of using error-prone AI
3. It's presented as a "reconciliation" requiring minimal votes.
1. It's an Omnibus bill which is compromised
2. It's too large to review and understand, short of using error-prone AI
3. It's presented as a "reconciliation" requiring minimal votes.
May 26, 2025 at 4:03 PM
The current Omnibus budget combines 3 separate tactics which, combined, worry me as a nonpartisan citizen.
1. It's an Omnibus bill which is compromised
2. It's too large to review and understand, short of using error-prone AI
3. It's presented as a "reconciliation" requiring minimal votes.
1. It's an Omnibus bill which is compromised
2. It's too large to review and understand, short of using error-prone AI
3. It's presented as a "reconciliation" requiring minimal votes.
Such bills have another tactic which can be used to pass more easily. Once a year a "budget reconciliation" bill may be permitted which only requires a simple majority.
May 26, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Such bills have another tactic which can be used to pass more easily. Once a year a "budget reconciliation" bill may be permitted which only requires a simple majority.
When an Omnibus bill is intentionally made very large, it employs a tactic that seems less about compromise or good faith negotiation, and more about "security through obscurity".
May 26, 2025 at 4:03 PM
When an Omnibus bill is intentionally made very large, it employs a tactic that seems less about compromise or good faith negotiation, and more about "security through obscurity".
A failure mode of omnibus bills is, as they get longer, they can become harder to evaluate or "code review".
The current budget reconciliation, for example, is more than 1,000 pages long and contains over 100 sections and is too big to reasonably discuss.
www.congress.gov/119/bills/hr...
The current budget reconciliation, for example, is more than 1,000 pages long and contains over 100 sections and is too big to reasonably discuss.
www.congress.gov/119/bills/hr...
www.congress.gov
May 26, 2025 at 4:03 PM
A failure mode of omnibus bills is, as they get longer, they can become harder to evaluate or "code review".
The current budget reconciliation, for example, is more than 1,000 pages long and contains over 100 sections and is too big to reasonably discuss.
www.congress.gov/119/bills/hr...
The current budget reconciliation, for example, is more than 1,000 pages long and contains over 100 sections and is too big to reasonably discuss.
www.congress.gov/119/bills/hr...
Thank you for your kind words, Richard, I just shared your message with hundreds of the project's volunteers who I am positive feel uplifted and supported by your choice to share these reflections :)
April 4, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Thank you for your kind words, Richard, I just shared your message with hundreds of the project's volunteers who I am positive feel uplifted and supported by your choice to share these reflections :)
J, I'm so glad the resources are useful to you! We just imported 10k reading levels to improve our k-12 library, are introducing on-the-fly translations into bookreader to be accessible to more non-native speakers, better collections, & are preparing to import nearly 1M new books into the catalog!
April 4, 2025 at 10:20 PM
J, I'm so glad the resources are useful to you! We just imported 10k reading levels to improve our k-12 library, are introducing on-the-fly translations into bookreader to be accessible to more non-native speakers, better collections, & are preparing to import nearly 1M new books into the catalog!
I am deeply saddened for those public-good-committed individuals within the Library & Archives community who have had their grant funding frozen, and I am available for a call if I can be a helpful resource for navigating next steps.
April 4, 2025 at 9:29 PM
I am deeply saddened for those public-good-committed individuals within the Library & Archives community who have had their grant funding frozen, and I am available for a call if I can be a helpful resource for navigating next steps.