J school copyright blog
Last June certain bloggers dreaded the forthcoming debut of a copyright-oriented blog from the graduate J school at the University of California at Berkeley. Why let the establishment co-opt the medium? Mightn’t the writing be sterile? So far, so good, however–based on the actual blog. The bIPlog is often opinionated, and that’s good since we don’t need blogs that just ape the standard news formulas.
The TeleRead take: Let’s hope that the Berkeley experiment is replicated well at other schools–and at real-life newspapers and magazines. Dan Gillmor set a good example. And speaking of synergy between blogging and institutions, don’t forget library blogs. Now let’s think in the other direction–bloggers quoting conventional sources. Imagine the greater range of content in serious blogs if they could link directly to contemporary books and even passages within them.
A well-stocked national digital library system with stable links and tight integration with local libraries and schools would help. Many magazine and newspaper archives could be included, too.
Currently, alas, the mainstream press is obtuse to the need for a TeleRead approach; the idea seems thoroughly publicity proof despite occasional breakthroughs. Perhaps as student journalists blog–and learn about such joys as vanishing links and stupid linking policies–they’ll come around and influence their elders. Which isn’t to say that the linking issue is the only reason why the press should be writing about TeleRead, given all the societal benefits. Consider the recent BBC item on the obvious advantages of children growing up in book-rich households, and keep in mind TeleRead’s slogan: “Bring the E-Books Home.”
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