The deal looms as a potential milestone in the development of AI. But with tensions running hot between authors and the tech industry, lawyers say that getting a final deal approved may prove challenging.| Words & Money
Thank you for supporting Words & Money, an independent media venture that aims to properly center libraries in the 21st century reading, writing, and publishing enterprises. If you're already a subscriber, we thank you for your support. And we encourage you to please share this newsletter with your| Words & Money
TIME Magazine honors freedom to read advocate Amanda Jones; The federal government shut down this week, but not before the FCC killed two popular WiFi programs; ReaderLink's acquisition of Baker & Taylor has been called off; and Reading Rainbow returns with a new host, Mychal Threets.| Words & Money
“For many students, families, educators, librarians, and school districts, book banning is a new normal,” the report, 'Banned in the USA 2024-2025: The Normalization of Book Banning,' concludes.| Words & Money
Ahead of Banned Books Week 2025, we caught up with the award-winning author and co-founder of We Are Stronger Than Censorship to talk about why advocates must continue to find innovative ways to fight back against the ongoing, pernicious right wing attack on the freedom to read.| Words & Money
In an 18-page ruling, judge Allen Winsor stopped short of finding that library book selection is government speech, but agreed that Escambia County officials have unfettered power to ban books they disagree with.| Words & Money
Thank you for supporting Words & Money, an independent media venture that aims to properly center libraries in the 21st century reading, writing, and publishing enterprises. If you're already a subscriber, we thank you for your support. And we encourage you to please share this newsletter with your| Words & Money
Among the week's headlines: incoming ALA executive director Dan Montgomery sits for an interview; the Trump FCC is set to kill two popular WiFi programs; the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is hosting a literacy summit; and ALA announces George Takei as honorary chair of Banned Books Week.| Words & Money
While there may yet be issues to work out as the claims process begins, authors and industry groups are applauding the deal.| Words & Money
After a recent appeals court decision, Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter is back at work. But in a head-spinning September 22 motion for summary judgment, DOJ lawyers insist that, one way or another, her purported firing was legal.| Words & Money
“The Connecticut bill essentially restores the right to negotiate, so libraries aren’t forced into take-it-or-leave-it digital deals," said Ellen Paul, executive director of the Connecticut Library Consortium.| Words & Money
Thank you for supporting Words & Money, an independent media venture that aims to properly center libraries in the 21st century reading and writing enterprise. If you're already a subscriber, we thank you for your support. And we encourage you to please share this newsletter with your friends| Words & Money
Among the week's headlines: The Trump Administration's censorship efforts are ramping up; Delaware passes a Freedom to Read Law; why an Alabama library is still being denied state funding; and a look at how publishers are approaching AI.| Words & Money
Judge Steven Merryday gave Trump lawyers 28 days to re-file the case, warning that "a complaint is not a public forum for vituperation and invective."| Words & Money
The settlement appears to be the last gasp of a contentious, years-long copyright battle that began with a lawsuit over book scanning in the early days of the pandemic.| Words & Money
The move comes after a narrow July 30 order in which federal judge Timothy Kelly held that Perlmutter had failed to show that her firing was causing her "irreparable harm."| Words & Money
Shira Perlmutter failed to show that "the existence of the Copyright Office is at stake, or that her position will likely be irreparably changed without an injunction," judge Timothy Kelly held in a July 30 order denying a motion to block her May 10 firing.| Words & Money
Calling her firing "blatantly illegal," former Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter is now seeking to expedite a summary judgment, over the objections of Trump administration lawyers.| Words & Money
Thank you for supporting Words & Money, a new independent media venture that aims to properly center libraries in the 21st century reading and writing enterprise. If you're already a subscriber, we thank you for your support. And we encourage you to please share this newsletter with your| Words & Money
Among the week's headline: the legal battle over the IMLS continues, with good news from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit; Baker & Taylor has been acquired; more bad news on the state of reading in America; and the acclaimed documentary, The Librarians, is getting a wide release.| Words & Money
In a 2-1 decision, a federal appeals court ruled that judge Timothy Kelly erred in denying Shira Perlmutter’s bid for a preliminary injunction, and enjoined Trump administration officials from interfering with her service as Register of Copyrights, pending a further order of the court.| Words & Money
Debut author Sam Sussman reflects on his deep love of libraries.| Words & Money
At a September 8 hearing, judge William Alsup said the settlement agreement was “nowhere close to complete” and ordered the parties to cure several deficiencies by September 22.| Words & Money
If the settlement is approved, an undisclosed number of authors of some 500,000 pirated works will receive roughly $3,000 per work, making the settlement potentially the largest copyright award in history.| Words & Money
The decision is a major blow to Shira Perlmutter's bid for a swift reinstatement and leaves the leadership of the Copyright Office in limbo.| Words & Money
In an August 12 letter, Trump officials announced a plan to review the venerable institution’s “museums and exhibitions” to ensure “alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism."| Words & Money
If passed, the New Jersey bill would sound beyond the Garden State, satisfying the so-called “trigger clause” in the recently passed library ebook bill in Connecticut.| Words & Money