Orphan Works
Description
"Orphan works are — broadly speaking — any copyrighted works where the rights holder is hard to find. Because the cost of finding the owner is so high, creators can't build on orphan works, even when they'd be willing to pay to use them. In many cases the works were abandoned because they no longer produced any income. In most cases, rights holders, once found, are delighted to have their work used." (http://eldred.cc/)
Status Report
June 4, 2008: "An agreement on copyright was signed today by libraries, archives and right holders, in the presence of Commissioner Viviane Reding. The Memorandum of Understanding on orphan works will help cultural institutions to digitise books, films and music whose authors are unknown, making them available to the public online."
More Information
- The Save Orphan Works campaign
- Proposal by Lawrence Lessig
- Proposed legislation in the US, status May 2008: http://laughing1wolf.blogspot.com/2008/10/orphan-works-bills-grrrrrrrr.html