Cc-uk mailing list

["Alan Blunt" <alan.blunt AT scran.ac.uk>]

I work for a charitable organisation called Scran www.scran.ac.uk. We
have project managed digitisation of cultural material since 1996 and
currently have over 300,000 items (video, audio, images) and have
developed 3000+ learning objects for the UK wide(both North and South of
the border!) educational market. In short, significant experience in
dealing with abroad range of IP/use issues when dealing with an even
broader range of cultural and commercial contributors from the UK and
beyond but not a lawyer.

Our cc interests lie in educational and commercial rights to use,
layered IP and ensuring that those who take decisions on behalf of the
nations are informed(!) about the practicalities of managing this issue.
Having followed the cc discussions for about a year and comparing it to
our own experiences I would like to suggest that...

In addition to John's comments about DTI/DCMS (agreed),  the DfES
(Education in EW) and LTS (Education in Scotland) have both been exposed
to the needs of the user and in particular the concern that teachers may
be copying material from a range of random sources. Projects such as
Curriculum on Line, NGfL and Scottish Schools Digital Network and
organisations such as the JISC Images Working Group (HE/FE) all have at
some point hit these issues and have implemented or are considering
solutions. It is perhaps with these organisations and groups we should
be discussing CC. Not only does 'education' have relevant and current
user experience of delivery, technology and need the current discussions
are significantly more developed than the cultural sector who singularly
lack any cohesive national strategy beyond the individual institution or
the latest project. Education is potentially a stable and significant cc
user base for both now and the future.

Scottish variant - Congratulations John/Hector for picking this up.
Whole hearted support for the version that supports individual national
needs and is a fundamental requirement if CC is to take hold here.
Perhaps we can develop a local informed 'collective' to help ensure the
cc-uk and its required variants are informed by singular Scottish
representation at the strategic level within cc?

Alan

Alan Blunt
Scran Limited
17 Kittle Yards 
Causewayside
Edinburgh
EH9 1PJ
T: +44 (0)131 662 1211
E: alan.blunt AT scran.ac.uk