UM: Digital Collection

The Chronicle of Higher Education reports on the University of Michigan’s decision to make books in its library’s digital collection – ones that have been identified as “orphans,” with no discernible copyright owner – available for reading online to campus users. The article quotes Paul Courant, UM’s dean of libraries, who responded to criticism that the decision violates copyright: “My attorney says this is legitimate under fair use. When people find ways of making things better for people without harming anybody else, I think they ought to do that. I really do.” But the article is really worth reading just for this Courant quote: “I plead not guilty of elfin whimsy.” [Source]