Sara Benson (MSLIS '17), adjunct associate professor at the iSchool and copyright librarian and associate professor at the University Library, was recently named a senior policy fellow for the American Library Association's Public Policy and Advocacy Office and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) representative to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR).
Benson's role as fellow with the ALA's Public Policy and Advocacy Office will be to advise the association on federal copyright policy and digital licensing policy and advocacy. She will also be part of a team focused on crafting ALA's strategic direction on copyright and licensing.
"I am excited to work with the ALA to conduct research and engage in advocacy on the future of digital copyright for libraries and the public interest," she said.
The SCCR was created to examine significant legal issues concerning copyright and related rights on a global scale. The committee includes all WIPO member states (over 190 countries) and makes recommendations to the WIPO General Assembly or Diplomatic Conferences.
"I will be attending my first SCCR meeting this spring in Geneva, and I am excited to learn how to advocate for libraries at the international level through WIPO," Benson said of her new role.