On open-ended discussion about copyright and scholarly publishing was the major topic for discussion. A discussion of this issue should appear in the next library Newsletter. The pressure on faculty to publish makes it difficult for them not to agree to signing away copyright. Faculty need an institutional policy on copyright to help them resist pressure from publishers, but the institution should not add internal review as a precondition for publishing. One danger with electronic publications is that the library does not own the documents.
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Professional societies may have role to play in breaking the strangle hold that commercial publishers have in some fields. Patricia Breivik will find out about developments at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan. The Committee will see if the Wayne State University Academic Senate is interested in working on this issue. The Committee will invite Jessica Litman, an expert on copyright in the College of Law, to speak with the group at its next meeting. Besides the Newsletter article, University Libraries will consider sponsoring a symposium on the issue.