New DVD Copyright Exemption for Educational Purposes

I'm on vacation for another week, but that doesn't mean I'm not trying to keep up on the news of the day -- and what a day!

"The U.S. Copyright Office on Monday promulgated a number of new exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, including one allowing university staffers and students to hack DVD content and display it for educational purposes," including in student documentaries, according to InsideHigherEd.com.

I think this just made my job a little bit easier.  No, a lot easier.

Thanks, Copyright Office.

New DVD Copyright Exemption for Educational Purposes

Calendar Photos

2010 is halfway (plus a bit) over, so I figure it's time to work on a 2011 Ansel Adams wall calendar for the fundraiser.  For a change of pace, I thought I'd put it out to you, which images to include.  We have 26 "conservatively cleaned" images and just 12 months in the year.  Also, we have the challenge of vertical images in horizontal calendars.  So, what do you think?  What are your favorite Adams images from The Mural Project?

Please respond on the blog, not Buzz nor Twitter, so we can all follow the responses.

Thanks in advance.  I'm looking forward to your opinions.

Calendar Photos

Reaching out to the National Archives

I tried my first digital outreach to the National Archives this week.  There's an online Web-form system to ask questions of archivists -- somewhere on the Archives.gov.

This is one "busy" website.  I find it pretty easy to get lost in it, which might be a commentary on its usability for noobs -- or more likely on my tiny brain and the woeful amount of time I've spent in NARA-space.

In any case, I'm not entirely certain the Web-form works.  It promises a two-stage response to inquiries: 1st, an immediate response to let us know the message has been received; 2nd, a more meaningful response from someone at NARA.  At least that's what I recall.  In any case, I haven't yet received the receipt notice.  I suspect they're on a similar M-F schedule as most federal workers, so I'll give them until Tuesday for the "immediate" response, then follow-up.

The Archives has an excellent variety of Adams prints for sale -- and I don't mind plugging them, since most of their prints neither cross-over with the works we're fund-raising with, nor possess the same digital "cleanliness"of ours.  Besides, I just like the National Archives mission and if I can do them a good turn with a "plug," I'm ok with that.  Go Archives!

Reaching out to the National Archives

Another View of the Record-setting Adams Photograph

Just an addendum to last week's note about the Ansel Adams' "Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite National Park" and my supposition that the Telegraph's image might be a bit more grey than originally intended by Adams.

Check out this image from MSNBC.com.  The contrast with the Telegraph image is stark.

Needless to say, I'm sticking with my prior opinion: Someone at the Telegraph tweaked Adams' image.

Another View of the Record-setting Adams Photograph

"Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite National Park" sells for record $722,000

From the Telegraph:

A mural-size photograph by Ansel Adams of Yosemite National Park has sold for more than $722,000 (£489,000) at auction in New York City.

Normally, this would be news on its own, but when I spied the photo the Telegraph had on display, I saw an opportunity.  Check it out.  It's kind of -- grey -- light -- great looking, but not quite right.

I was quickly convinced that the Telegraph's image might well be slightly tweaked, so I hunted down a more original image on the Sotheby's website.  Not so grey, eh?  A bit darker -- more brooding and mysterious.

Why am I pointing this out?  There's been some criticism of Interior's display of The Mural Project, most commonly the complaint that the images are too dark.  I would humbly suggest that the images on display at Interior and on DOI.gov are more accurate than the critics are ready to admit.

"Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite National Park" sells for record $722,000