WASHINGTON – The Re:Create Coalition, a diverse coalition of trade associations, nonprofits, advocacy groups, and think tanks advocating for balanced copyright rules, announced today that the Medical Library Association (MLA) has joined as its 15th member.
MLA is a global, nonprofit educational organization, with a membership of more than 400 institutions and 3,000 professionals in the health information field. MLA educates health information professionals, promotes access to the world’s health sciences information, and works to ensure that the millions of people who access health information online everyday find material that is timely, credible and safe. It supports copyright’s role in balancing the rights of copyright holders with the rights of users, and recognizes the need for health sciences librarians to understand copyright law. Through its InSight Initiative and Research Training Institute for Health Sciences Librarians, MLA provides its members with forums for high-level discussion and ongoing instruction on issues of importance to the field, including copyright law.
“Our nation’s copyright laws were founded to help promote the progress of science and play an important role in MLA’s work to improve research and provide access to high-quality health information,” said Re:Create Executive Director Joshua Lamel. “From its interaction with fair use, to support for expanding access to orphan works, MLA and its members will bring an important perspective to our work to promote the importance of balanced copyright laws in our daily lives.”
“MLA is pleased to join the ReCreate Coalition and shares its principles of creativity, balance, freedom, and clarity,” said MLA President Beverly Murphy, AHIP, FMLA. “We believe that quality information is essential for improved health and the advancement of education and research. The heart and soul of our membership supports the core value in increasing public awareness of, providing access to, and enabling the use of high-quality health information by all who need it in our diverse global community.”
The following groups are also members of the Re:Create Coalition: American Association of Law Libraries, American Library Association, Association of Research Libraries, Center for Democracy & Technology, Computer and Communications Industry Association, Consumer Electronics Association, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Engine, FreedomWorks Foundation, Media Democracy Fund, New America’s Open Technology Institute, Organization for Transformative Works, Public Knowledge and R Street Institute.