Problems with DVD

[Ito, Michiko]

Hi,

>I'm still puzzled about refusing to sell something (like a DVD) to a
>*domestic* Japanese university.  I'm left speculating that the
>publisher views piracy among college students as being so rampant that
>they refuse to sell digital content to any university.  

Please let me correct.  The DVD set I mentioned in my previous mail,
"Mainichi Eiga Konk_uru _Ofuji Nobuo-sh_o jush_o tanpen anim_eshon zensh_u"
is AVAILABLE for anyone in Japan.  Any individuals or institutes in Japan
can hold the set, and libraries can let the users check out and watch at
home.  However, sales to overseas institutes/individuals is strictly
prohibited.

To me, posing such a restriction is ridiculous.  If anime fans in overseas
want to have the set, they go to Japan (or ask someone in Japan) to buy the
set and send it to their home countries (and if they want, they can produce
"fan-sub" copies, as mentioned in the previous postings).  Re-sellers do not
know and do not care about the final destination of the set.  The copyright
holder cannot catch such action, though they consider it illegal.  But
university libraries like us respect legality (and/or want to avoid any
lawsuits).  We cannot officially hold and let the users use materials
acquired by illegal actions.  (If the users cannot use the materials, what
is the point for libraries to buy them?)

Michiko Ito
Japanese Studies Librarian
East Asian Library
University of Kansas Libraries
Watson Library
1425 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence KS 60045-7544
TEL: (785) 864-4669
FAX: (785) 864-5311