1. ERIC Update
2. Library Associations Comment on Proposed Free Trade Agreement
3. GPO to begin Authentication of Government Documents
4. GPO Draft Plan: Collection of Last Resort
5. Piracy Deterrence and Education Act Approved
6. Implications of New Copyright Law in Canada
7. EU Supports Anti-Piracy Law
8. Anti-Secrecy Coalition’s “Ten Most Wanted” List
9. Presidential Records Lawsuit Dismissed
10. Free Download of Lawrence Lessig’s Free Culture
11. Reuters News Service to Use Search Against Copyright Abuse

ERIC Update
In January 2004, the U.S. Department of Education began to implement a reengineering plan for the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC). SLA has created a summary of the proposed reengineering of ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center), including informative articles and useful sites. http://www.sla.org/content/SLA/advocacy/index.cfm

Library Associations Comment on Proposed U.S.-Panama Free Trade Agreement
SLA and others have submitted comments, seeking to ensure that the Panama Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will not interfere with the ability of libraries to support education and research. http://www.sla.org/PDFs/PanamaFTA.pdf

GPO to begin Authentication of Government Documents
By mid-summer, the Government Printing Office will authenticate government documents using a public-key infrastructure and digital signatures. The office will apply the technology to all documents agencies submitted to www.gpoaccess.gov.http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/daily-updates/25416-1.html

GPO Draft Plan: Collection of Last Resort
The Government Printing Office (GPO) Collection of Last Resort (CLR) supports the GPO mission to provide comprehensive, timely, permanent public access to U.S. Government publications in all formats. This draft plan represents GPO’s thinking as of April 2004. This plan will continue to evolve as public comments are received and evaluated, as technology and the theory and practice of digital information preservation develop, and as new information becomes available. http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/clr.pdf

Piracy Deterrence and Education Act Approved
The House Judiciary intellectual property subcommittee approved a sweeping new copyright bill. The “Piracy Deterrence and Education Act" ( http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:h.r.02517: ) increases penalties for peer-to-peer piracy. The bill’s contents would be the first to punish file sharing with jail time. http://news.com.com/2100-1028-5182898.html?tag=sas.email

Implications of New Copyright Law in Canada
A recent copyright ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada could have lasting implications on software development and related research, according to one industry expert. http://www.itbusiness.ca/index.asp?theaction=61&sid=55031

EU Supports Anti-Piracy Law
The European Parliament has approved an anti-piracy law intended to bring lax counterfeiting laws in countries like Greece, and others about to join the European Union, into line with countries with stricter standards similar to those in Britain. http://www.iht.com/articles/509521.htm

Anti-Secrecy Coalition’s “Ten Most Wanted” List
A new coalition, “OpenTheGovermnent.org,” is advocating less secrecy and more openness in government. It has released a survey report, “Ten Most Wanted Documents for 2004.” http://openthegovernment.org

Presidential Records Lawsuit Dismissed
A lawsuit that sought to challenge Bush Administration restrictions on public access to Presidential records from past Administrations was dismissed by a federal court on March 28. http://www.fas.org/sgp/news/secrecy/2004/04/040104.html

Free Download of Lawrence Lessig’s Free Culture
Lessig’s new book on copyright and the Internet, and how media is using technology to limit and control creativity, is available free online at http://free-culture.org/freecontent/ Reviews are located at http://www.free-culture.cc/reviews/

Reuters News Service to Use Search Against Copyright Abuse
Reuters news service will reportedly begin using Fast Search & Transfer's (FAST) software to track copyright violations of its content. http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3330381