[Ohio-talk] Informational Picketing Against Authors Guild in New York City

[Barbara Pierce]

Several of these eReaders are out now. I don't know if the Amazon one is the
kind that you load an electronic text that you have bought into or is more
like the PlayAways that the Cleveland Library is circulating--that is, a
single unit loaded with a given book. You buy the book in this form and
rather than having a thing with paper pages containing print that you turn
over to read, you have an object that looks like a closed book with a screen
on it. The print scrolls down so that you can read it. This new version from
Amazon has a mode in which you can listen to a digitized voice read the text
to you, just like NEWSLINE. The idea is that you could use this form of the
book when you were driving, or print-disabled readers could have access to
the book at the same time as other readers. You have purchased the book, so
it shouldn't matter from a copyright standpoint that you choose to listen to
it rather than reading it. The Authors Guild has a very weak case if you ask
me. We are just trying to get press attention for our argument in this
struggle. I agree that it would be good if someone could represent us. They
are really hoping for a van load of folks to go. I was asked on Thursday if
Ohio could send a bunch of folks. I pointed out how long it takes to drive
from anywhere in Ohio to New York City, and Joanne subsided. If someone from
here goes, it will just be to wave the flag. I think that is useful and
important, and if we have someone who has the time to go and can get a
ticket at a reasonable price, I would support our trying to send him or her.
But that is Holy Week, and I for one do not have time to break away and go.

Barbara