Literature Wales Newsletter
NLW Digitisation Proposals
Action Taken by Welsh Academy Members
At the AGM of the Academi on the 29th September 2007, the Members of The Welsh Academy / Yr Academi Gymreig decided that Literature Wales should write the following letters:
- To the National Library of Wales
Dear Andrew Green
I have been asked by the Academi membership to write to you about the National Library’s Welsh Journals Online project. At a meeting in Aberystwyth last weekend members of Academi expressed some concern over the present proposals. Two motions were passed unanimously, as follows:
This AGM welcomes in principle the NLW project to digitise Welsh periodicals. However we have serious concerns on several issues. We propose that the National Library should take all responsibility for seeking permissions from authors/rights-holders in order to digitise their work. Further, work should only be digitised where the rights-holder has given unequivocal written consent for digitisation in this scheme, i.e. the project should work on an opt-in rather than an opt-out basis.
This AGM deplores the fact that in the NLW Welsh Journals Online project the issue of payments to authors for use of copyright material has been neglected and wishes to see a system of payments introduced immediately.
I have also been asked to bring these motions to the attention of the periodicals of Wales.
I wonder if I could have your reactions. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Peter Finch
Chief Executive: Academi (2007)
The Welsh Academy / Yr Academi Gymreig has since received a reply from Andrew Green. Click here to read his letter.
- To the Periodicals of Wales
Dear Editor
At the AGM of Literature Wales, held in Aberystwyth this month, considerable concern was expressed over the National Library’s proposals to digitise Welsh periodical content and to do this without payment to the authors concerned. The attached letter has been sent to Andrew Green the National Librarian.
Members – and Literature Wales represents almost all writers of significance from or working in Wales – have asked me to urge you not to sign up for digitisation until this issue is resolved. If you have already signed we ask you to write to the National Library expressing your concern.
Academi maintains a web site detailing progress and argument on this issue. This can be accessed here. I would appreciate your reactions.
Yours sincerely
Peter Finch
Chief Executive: Academi (2007)
To read the reactions from the Periodicals, click here.