ARSC 2026 Workshop (In-Person)

Not Just Another Copyright Session

An ARSC Workshop

Presented by the Copyright & Fair Use and Education & Training Committees

This workshop is intended to provide attendees an opportunity to explore in-depth the copyright issues in sound recordings at a level that cannot normally be gained through regular conference presentations. The emphasis will be on law at a technical level. No prior copyright knowledge will be assumed, but the pace will be fairly quick. Background material will be provided in advance, as will suggested reading, and there will be time for questions at the end of each section.

Above all, the goal is to enjoy learning law. At the end of the day, attendees may feel mildly bewildered from the crush of information piled on, but should also remember laughing, or at least smiling, frequently. Attendees will walk away with a solid grounding of sound recordings copyright law, including some knowledge of advanced topics rarely taught in most programs, as well as personal and professional connections to individuals active in this area of recorded sound collections management.

The presenters will be Eric Harbeson and Yuanxiao Xu, both from Authors Alliance, a copyright education and advocacy organization devoted to helping authors who want to serve the public good by sharing their creations broadly.

Regular ARSC attendees will recognize Eric from several copyright-related sessions at previous ARSC Conferences.While an archivist, Eric played an important role in ARSC’s push to federalize protection of pre-1972 sound recordings. A member of ARSC’s Copyright and Fair Use Committee since 2013, Eric has a J.D. from the University of Oregon and an MSLIS from the University of Illinois. Eric’s most recent copyright research has focused on the nature of authorship, especially in the context of federal grants.

Yuanxiao is Staff Attorney for Authors Alliance. She received her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, and has since served as Counsel at Creative Commons, Staff Attorney at the Dramatists Guild of America, and Copyright Specialist at the University of Michigan Library. She has substantial experience advising authors on issues related to plagiarism, open access, copyright infringement, fair use, licensing, and contract negotiation.

The workshop will be moderated by Tim Brooks, Chair of the ARSC Copyright & Fair Use Committee.

Please see the ARSC Workshop flyer for complete workshop schedule.

Please see the ARSC Conference and Workshop homepage for additional information as it becomes available, including the conference and workshop programs and travel and local arrangements information: