Dispute between DIAMM and IMSLP

There is currently a major dispute going on between DIAMM (Digital Image Archive of Medieval Music) and IMSLP (International Music Score Library Project) over the latter's copying of free manuscript images from DIAMM with consequent invalidations of DIAMM's contracts with some owning libraries. IMSLP is saying the images are out there so they are free to use but DIAMM says that because of this some libraries have already withdrawn images and others might well refuse to allow further digitization. There has been a lot of discussion on MLA-L and on the IMSLP forums. This needs to be brought to the attention of the international music librarian community and your reactions are welcome.

Dr. Julia Craig-McFeely from DIAMM first addressed the issue here on IMSLP (see point 9) and it was posted by DIAMM on Facebook here (no Facebook account required to read).

A discussion page was then opened on the IMSLP forums, which has generated a lot of responses: http://imslpforums.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7436

Please let your fellow librarians know of this issue. This is a complicated situation and translations of the key points into other languages would be most useful. Please leave your translations or comments below!

Edit: The musicology department from the University of Mainz  has commented on this. Though this represents their own opinion, many key points in the debate are summarized in German: https://www.facebook.com/MusikwissenschaftUniMainz/posts/10151966492037914 (no Facebook account required to read).

 

Comments

Thank you, Jennifer, for this valuble summary of the extensive discussion on MLA-L last days. The matter is indeed intricate and there is apparently no consensus on the complex issue among music librarians. The MLA conference in Atlanta is soon coming up (26 February - 2 March) and this will no doubt be one of the "hot topics" discussed.

Thank you very much for your comments and support Pia. Although it will undoubtedly be a topic for reflection and discussion at the MLA conference, I would also encourage everyone to participate in the forum discussion now. We need the voice of the libraries to be heard, on one side or another, and the discussion is happening as we speak.

I agree with your suggestion on IAML-L to continue the discussion on the IMSLP forums. It would be pity to lose focus due to discussions going on in parallel at different places.

Excellent idea. Let's continue the discussion on the IMSLP forums rather than have several discussions at once.

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