When coupled with the rapid deployment of computer and related technologies, individuals may obtain and use dozens of databases or sources of information, combine this data with other information, and create new information - information about personal investments, about community activities, about our environment, and more. This activity not only sparks creativity in the academic and research sectors but also presents enormous new opportunities to one of the fastest growing sectors of our economy, small business. H.R. 1858 permits these types of activities and supports the growth of all sectors of the economy, not in any way handicapping one sector at another's expense. Promote the progress of science, education, and research The success of our Nation's education and research systems is dependent upon the ability of educators and researchers to access data and information for multiple purposes. Scientific and research progress depends upon the ability to use public domain information, combine public and proprietary data to create new databases, and reuse existing data.
Researchers typically create new knowledge by building upon the work of others.
Use, reuse, recompilation of data and information also lead to new products and services in the public and private sectors. Entrepreneurs use the information resources in libraries, oftentimes government information, to develop new services of value in our information economy. Overly broad protections in this arena would inhibit research and innovation by putting new economic and use barriers in front of researchers in a quickly moving global economy. Provisions in H.R. 1858 appropriately encourage scientific, educational, or research endeavors while at the same time, providing protection to the producers of databases from commercial free-riding of their products and services. As this debate continues, it is crucially important to understand how our communities use information and engage in research activities because these activities are not exercises in any capacity of commercial free-riding but, instead, are legitimate and legal practices.