Public library ends Harry Potter-themed child literacy program after legal threat from Warner Brothers

https://boingboing.net/2024/10/05/public-library-ends-harry-potter-themed-child-literacy-program-after-legal-threat-from-warner-brothers.html

138 points · 11 comments · view on lemmy.world

11 Comments

Drusas@fedia.io · 32 pts · 1y (4 replies)

That's pretty shitty. Also, TIL boingboing still exists.

CyberpunkLibrarian@lemmy.ml · 2 pts · 1y

RIGHT?! I mean, after Cory and Xeni left, I kinda stopped reading the site and haven't thought about it in ages.

Nougat@fedia.io · -6 pts · 1y (2 replies)

Whatever an arbitrary reader of this comment thinks about copyright law -- If they don't defend their copyright, they can lose it. It's kind of a necessity for them to defend it in this manner.

Today, I was stupid.

gerbler@lemmy.world · 25 pts · 1y

Warner Brothers is not losing their copyright on Harry Potter over a public library doing a themed event lmao

Bob_Robertson_IX@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 1y

They can defend their copyright by granting permission also. They chose the other path.

CaptObvious@literature.cafe · 10 pts · 1y (5 replies)

Doesn’t Scholastic have the book and IP copyright? WB only has copyright on their movies, which diverge from the books in minor ways.

Raiderkev@lemmy.world · -10 pts · 1y (4 replies)

I'm assuming they probably used movie IP in their signage or something. It's shitty, but companies have to defend their trademarks or risk losing them.

ieatpwns@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 1y

You’re right the library might try claiming Harry Potter as their own intellectual property. Can’t have that

CaptObvious@literature.cafe · 4 pts · 1y (1 reply)

You know what they say about assumptions.

The article suggests that the cease-and-desist was related to copyright. A public library’s education initiative should be covered by fair use. It’s unclear what WB are up to except showing their asses.

In any event, if I were Teton County’s head librarian, it would be a cold day in hell before I’d cooperate with WB’s free publicity events again. I’d likely refuse to buy any book they might have an interest in as well.

idiomaddict@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y

Yeah, I’d take every reference to hp down out of spite. No free publicity from me anymore

Wooki@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y

Nothing to lose except free publicity