AALL Joins Other Library Associations To Support National Geographic Society Appeal to Supreme Court

For Immediate Release
September 6, 2001

The American Association of Law Libraries has joined forces with the Association of Research Libraries, the American Library Association and the Medical Library Association. The four organizations jointly filed an amicus brief in support of the National Geographic Society's appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to use digital technology in preserving and distributing its magazine.

The National Geographic Society is seeking to overturn the decision in the case of Greenburg v. National Geographic Society. Overturning the lower court's decision, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the National Geographic CD-ROM, which contains the issues of the Society's magazine for the past 100 years, is not permissible under the Copyright Act.

The library associations filed the amicus brief because the 11th Circuit decision could hinder the use of digital technologies. The brief contends that the Copyright Act should allow publishers to take advantage of new technologies to preserve and distribute creative works to the public, particularly because CD-ROMs are no different than microfilm.

For more information about the amicus brief filed by the library associations, please visit the AALL Washington Affairs Office Web site at http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/aallwash/pr08302001.html.