New site provides test bed for copyright services

Copyright Clearance Center (CCC), which provides copyright licensing solutions, has launched a testing ground for new services, applications and products.

Tools available at Copyright Labs are free, and some are being released as open-source applications, providing an open, collaborative environment. Visitors can test-drive prototypes, modify and build on them, experiment with new ideas and suggest improvements.

‘[Copyright Labs is] a place where content users and creators alike can interact with our development and product groups. We’re committed to developing a steady stream of services and tools that reflect new ways customers use content, and Copyright Labs will play an important role,’ commented Tom Hamilton, CCC vice-president and chief information officer.

The Copyright Labs site launched with three applications already available. These are: a copyright permission utility that makes it easier to license content found when using Internet Explorer; a capability for Firefox browser users who want to license content found via Google Scholar; and a tool that helps publishers implement the Automated Content Access Protocol (ACAP) standard for communicating access permission rules and rights information to search engines.