A View from Outside the Box

Lederer, Haylee

Bradford, R. (2015). A View from Outside the Box. Library Journal, 140(12), 50. 

Summary: This short article discusses a particular problem that a lot of libraries face today: music licensing. It brings attention to issues that the digital age is producing for libraries. The author claims that "Many librarians may not be aware that playing music during programs, or for most purposes, requires a license" (pg. 50). This has the capacity to bring unnecessary legal issues to libraries, who may or may not have the means to handle them. The author expresses surprise at this problem, because of how wholeheartedly most libraries embrace digital content.

Evaluation: This article was really short, but it served as a good source to start looking into libraries and digital issues. It presents the reader with a specific library who is dealing with this issue. It could also be used as inspiration for other libraries who maybe dealing with the same thing. I found the article really interesting, because music and copyright are not things that I think about very often. Because of the radio and internet streaming, music just seems always readily available, as well as free. As librarians, I think it's important to remember that there are legal hoops that need to be jumped through if the institution is interested in providing music for its patrons.