Friday, May 27, 2005

Kenneth D. Crews Wins American Library Association's L. Ray Patterson Award

Diglet reported on Wednesday that Kenny Crews had become the first recipient of the "L. Ray Patterson Award: In Support of Users' Rights" given by the American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) Copyright Advisory Committee. ALA's press release can be read here.

I've had the pleasure years ago of attending a copyright workshop that Kenny Crews did. It was entertaining and informative. (He is actually a former entertainment lawyer, so he must have picked up some techniques from his clients.) I have never forgotten how he answered questions from the audience by going back to the law. It instilled in me that -- with copyright -- you cannot make assumptions. You should indeed go back through the four factors of Fair Use and to the law to help ensure that the answer you come up with is correct.

And when people talk about bringing in "a name" to do a copyright workshop, he is the first person I mention. Yes, he's that good.

Kenny, congratulations! This is well deserved.

No comments: