World Libraries: Library of Congress expands copyright exception for film clips and maintains eBook exception

The Library of Congress announced six exceptions to the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA), allowing users to get around technology restricting access to certain ebooks and film clips.

In the latter case, it broadened access to such clips, as requested by the Library Copyright Alliance, which includes the American Library Association, the Association of Research Libraries, and the Association of College and Research Libraries.

While the exception previously applied only to faculty who taught film or media studies, now faculty in any discipline can bypass copy-protection on DVDs in order to use film clips for educational purposes, or for the purposes of criticism or commentary.

The DMCA, passed in 1998, criminalizes the act of circumventing technology, such as copy-protection, that controls access to digital materials.

According to Section 1201(a)(1) of the copyright law, the Librarian of Congress, in conjunction with the Register of Copyrights, must hold hearings every three years to determine whether there should be exceptions to the DMCA, in order to allow for non-infringing uses of a work. Exceptions last for three years, and may be renewed.