Study Funders

    • Institute of Museum and Library Services Laura Bush 21st Century Research Grant RE-04-06-0029-06
    • Pilot Study Funder - American Library Association/Association of College and Reseach Libraries Lazerow Award
    • Pilot Study Funder - American Library Association Carol Preston Baber Grant

Contact Information:

Principle Investigator: Kristin R. Eschenfelder, Ph.D Associate Professor

School of Library and Information Studies, 4228 H.C. White Hall, 600 N. Park Street, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI 53706-1394 USA

Email: eschenfelder AT wisc DOT edu, Phone: 1 (608) 263-2105

LibTPM: Technological Protection Measures and Research Libraries

Overview:

This site provides information about a research project that investigates the use of technological protection measures (TPM), or digital rights management systems, by academic and research libraries in the United States. The website will also provide links to current information on TPM use in libraries, museums and archives worldwide.

Research Goals:

  • The first goal of the study is to investigate how digital collections in academic libraries are making use of TPM and to develop best practices to assist digital collections developers in learning about and appying TPM.
  • A second goal of the study is to investigate to what extent vendors of licensed scholarly resources are making use of TPM to control access to or use of their works by authorized users of universities.
  • A third goal of the study is to investigate how TPM access and use restrictions interact with teaching, learning and scholarship.
  • Along the way, the study team will find and index information from around the world about TPM relevant to libraries, archives and museums.

Study Schedule:

  • 2006/2007: Focus on goal 1 - how are academic library digital collections making use of TPM? What are best practices for TPM use for digital collections?
  • 2007/2008: Focus on goal 2 - how are academic publishers making use of TPM to control access and use of products by authorized academic users?
  • 2008/2009: Focus on goal 3 - how do TPM interact with teaching, learning and scholarship?