DRM -- Another Barrier to Digital Access?

In the previous post, I discussed the issue of e-books and audio books in libraries.  One of the main problems with these formats is with digital rights management, commonly called DRM and resulting from the Digital Millenium Copyright Act of 1998 (see a simplified explanation here). While there is always a conflict between the users of information and the providers of it, the DMCA swings the pendulum in providers' favor.  The act criminalizes unauthorized distribution of digital content, which seems innocuous, but the law has been used to criminalize legitimate professions, such as crytography/cryptology or cryptanalysis.  It has also forced content producers to use proprietary software (to their cost) and causes a significant amount of trouble for legitimate users of digital content and for information technology professionals.  So what does DRM have to do with the library, or with digital access?Analog formats, such as books, have little to do with DRM.  Compact Discs, or CDs, are not subject to the same digital rights because they are not controlled by a cartel; that is to say, a CD will play here, in Europe, on any player, without problems.  DVDs, so long as they stay within region, have no problems, but libraries could not, for example, buy an independent film or documentary produced outside of the United States because of the "region codes" required by the sole owners of the digital keys, the DVD Copy Control Association (DVD-CCA).  While this is somewhat limiting, it is not a crucial access issue. Digital Rights Management software, however, does affect online content, particularly online databases that provide libraries with e-books and audio books.  In this article, titled Digital Rights Management: A Failure in the Developed World, a Danger to the Developing World, authors argue that DRM further limits the ability of disabled people to benefit from digital content.  Digital Rights Management is in direct violation of copyright law encouraging technologies for the disabled.  Since the disabled are reported as having some of the lowest access rates
to information and digital content, the possibility that DRM is further
disenfranchising the disabled is a serious accusation.The reason it is a barrier is that it effectively stops the distribution of digital content.  That's what DRM is for; to stop content from being widely disseminated in digital format.  The problem is that sometimes it is necessary and important to disseminate that information, and DRM cannot and does not differentiate, nor can it be "unlocked" for a user who may need it.  For this reason, a downloaded e-book can't be used by a "reader" for a blind person because of DRM.  An audio book sometimes works on MP3 players, but often DRM creates a barrier there.  A lot of the technology for the blind -- text readers, voice recognition, etc. -- can be hamstrung by DRM technologies.  For a population that could be well served by digital technologies -- and clearly isn't -- the addition of yet another hurdle makes DRM the bad guy -- at least in my book.