2025.9.30. Why Libraries Matter, TILE 2025 Symposium at Seattle University, School of Law

9/30 Tuesday. First time I attended Technology, Innovation Law, and Ethics (TILE) Institute's annual symposium: Why Libraries Matter Now More than Ever to Democracy: Legal Issues Affecting the Future of Public Knowledge

• Why the Library of Congress Matters
  Hope O’Keeffe - Senior Associate General Counsel, Library of Congress (ret)
  Nancy Weiss - Principal, CultureSQ Capitol Strategies and Senior Policy Fellow, American University Washington College of Law
• The Library of Congress Under Fire: Can Congress Create a New Legal Framework to Protect its Mission?
  Leslie Street - Director, Wolf Law Library Clinical Professor of Legal Research, William & Mary Law School
  Amanda Runyon - Associate Dean and Director, Biddle Law Library, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
• AI Politics and the Future of the U.S. Copyright Office
  Blake E. Reid - Associate Professor of Law, University of Colorado Law School, Faculty Director, Telecom and Platforms Initiative at the Silicon Flatirons Center
• The Licensed Library
  Aaron Perzanowski - Thomas W. Lacchia Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School
• Leveraging Technology and Copyright to Revolutionize Libraries in the Service of the Public Interest
  Michelle M. Wu - Associate Dean of Library Services, Director of Law Library, and Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center (ret)
  (My notes: 2 hyperthetical proposals: international digital depository; national lending library with digital copy of all public libraies).
• Keeper of the Commons: The Library of Congress and Its Unique Copyright Role
  David Hansen - Executive Director, Authors Alliance
  (My notes: contract vs fair-use right, license vs ownership.)

I was late, missed the first 2 speakers. I very much enjoyed Leslie and Amanda's talks. Learned the formation of library of congress, and various law cases. Also liked Michelle's 2 proposals.

When the symposium finished, we were invited to join a reception on the 2nd floor to honor Catherine Romero for her mentorship to latino law students. Speeches and food. 2 of her former students (both working for Microsoft) were here giving testimony. I happened to sit at the table with a bunch of law school librarians. Interesting to hear them talk.