The Michigan Daily - Saturday, May 21, 1983 - Page 7 Bartleby's cashes in on students By JACKIE YOUNG Bartleby's made students an offer last term that nearly 2,000 couldn't refuse. The temptation to skip class was a guilt-free reality for some students who paid Bartleby's to take notes for them. Patterned after the "Black Lightening" chain of note taking services on the west coast, Perry March opened Bartleby's at the University Cellar last January. FOR UNDER $17 a term, students could pick up notes from 25 University courses 48 hours after the lecture, March said. The 25 note takers, all graduate students, made $610 each for their work last term, March said. Bar- tleby's made a significant, profit - "enough to pay off debts," according to March - although he would not give an exact amount. Out of operation during the summer, Bartleby's will return in September with 15 additional courses, March said. A Bartleby's is opening at Ohio State University in September, and March is also planning to start a branch at Western Michigan University. THE BLACK LIGHTENING chain has also expan- ded from Stanford, and the University of California in Los Angeles and Berkeley to include the University of Wisconsin. Many University professors criticized Bartleby's when it began last January because they said the notes could be inaccurate, encourage skipping class, and discriminate against students who couldn't af- ford them. "Quality of notes is a very important factor. Without the proper notetaker the notes could be of lit- tle value to students," said Political Science Prof. J. David Singer. PROFESSORS WERE given the option to look over the notes before they were sold to students, and Bar- tleby's would pay them 50 cents to contribute to their department. Bartleby's strives for accuracy, March said, ad- ding that last term 21 of the 25 notetakers were ap- pointed by the professors teaching the course. Most of the graduate students were teaching assistants in the class. Many students who subscribed said it was too ex- pensive. The average cost was $13 a term, which March said would drop to $10 by September. THE SERVICE also gave those students who could af- ford it an unfair advantage, said Charles Brace, an anthropology professor. The notes are valuable, Brace said, if students use them as a supplement to their own notes which March insists is the purpose of the service. "Notes are a good supplement to classes and provide a good second opinion on material presented in class - but students still need classes," March said. Notes won't be provided for courses which require creative interpretation such as art history, he said. When Bartleby's returns in the fall, classes will be better suited to the notetaking system, March said. Bartleby's has more credibility with professors and will institute an editing policy which would require that another person look over each set of notes to en- sure accuracy. Ann Arbor copystores fear publishers' lawsuits (Continued from Page 1) case, said Robert Dautremont, Univer- sity attorney. "We will watch the New York case carefully, but will not jump to any con- clusions now, because not all the details are out yet," said Dautremont. "The copyright law is a complex problem and the limits are not yet completely decided." COURSEPACKS copied in University Printing Centers strictly comply with the law, said John Ketelhut, University attorney. Professors must submit written per- mission from the publisher before University Printing Centers will use the copyrighted material, according to Ralph Maten, head of the copy center. "We follow the law strictly because me, the professor, and the Univesity will all be libel in case of a lawsuit," Maten said. MEANWHILE CAMPUS copystores are requiring professors to sign disclaimers that certify materials will only be used for educational purposes, said Bill Wood, owner of Albert's Copying on East Liberty Street. In ad- dition the disclaimer ensures that copying doesn't violate publisher's rights to profits from selling the material. Copy stores must often pay royalties to publishers for reprinting copyrighted works. At Albert's, students unknowingly pay royalty charges which are included in coursepack prices, Wood said. Royalty charges range from less than half a cent to $1 per page, he added. But copyright laws prohibit students from being charged beyond the costs of copying, according to guidelines issued from the Copyright Office in Washington D.C. IT IS difficult, however, to determine when the law is being violated, Wood said because there are too many "gray areas." Every day,i Kinko's Copies turns away three to four customers who want illegal copying done, said Shop manager George Kann. The threat of a lawsuit does not worry Kann because Kindo's will only copy materials that comply with the law, he said. Kinko's requires written per- mission from publishers and also asks professors to sign a disclaimer, per- manently filing all these documents, he added. OTHER COPY STORES are not as strict. Phil Zaret, owner of Accu-Copy- on Maynard Street said he trusts that his customers are honest and comply with copyright laws. "I can't afford to police the professor's - and my other customer's - copying," Zaret said. Dollar Bill Copying owner Bill Slack would not comment on his store's policies, but said that the law is vague and rules for making coursepacks are "up in the air." The New York lawsuit is being con- tested by local and national copy store chains, but meanwhile the threat of more lawsuits has prompted some universities to issue guidelines to professors on enforcing copyright laws. MANY UNIVERSITY professors who rely heavily on coursepacks know "very little" about copyright regulations, according to Com- munication Professor Marion Marzolf. "Ninety-nine percent of the faculty aren't aware of the laws and don't care," said Charles Morris, associate chairman of the Psychology Department, adding that he hopes the University will publish guidelines clarifying the professors' responsibility to publishers when making cour- sepacks. At most state universities copy stores follow procedures similar to those used in Ann Arbor. Since the New York suit, Wayne State University issued guidelines to professors on enforcing the law. At Michigan State University, the administration has not yet issued any rules for complying with copyright laws, said Robert Bankes, in MSU's Provost office. Aak L.461.996. ur rb ur l 4r PruitE (94 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH AND AMERICAN BAPTIST CAMPUS FOUNDATION 502 East Huron, 663-9376 10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship. Child care is provided. 11:00 a.m.-Church School. Classes for all ages. Class for undergraduates. Class for graduates and faculty. Also: Choir Thursday 7:15 p.m., John Reed, director; Janice Beck, organist. Ministry Assistants: Marlene Francis, Terry Ging, Barbara Griffen, Jerry Rees. FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 120 S. Slate St. (Corner of State and Huron) Worship Schedule: THE SHY MEMBER OF THE TRINITY by Dr. Donald B. Strobe. Church School for all ages-9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Choir Rehearsal-Thursday at 7:15 p.m. Ministers: Dr. Donald B. Strobe Rev. Fred B. Maitland Dr. Gerald R. Parker Education Directors: Rose McLean and Carol Bennington. LORD OF LIGHT LUTHERAN (The Campus Ministry of the LCA-ALC-AELC) Galen Hora, Pastor 801 S. Forest at Hill St. 668-7622 Worship Sunday at 10:30 a.m. CAMPUS CHAPEL 1236 Washtenaw Ct. A Campus Ministry of the Christian Reformed Church Reverend Don Postema 10:00 a.m. Service of Holy Com- munion. 6:00 p.m. Evening Worship. Wednesday, 10:00 p.m. Evening. Prayers. FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1432 Washtenaw Ave., 6624466 (between S. University and Hill) Campus/Career Fellowship Coor- dinator: Steve Spina. Sunday 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. Coffee House-10:30 social hall. Wednesday p.m. 8:00-Allelous (Christian Fellowship), French Room. 8:30-Study/Discussion Groups 9:30-Holy Communion, sanctuary. NEW GRACE APOSTOLIC CHURCH 632 N. Fourth Ave. Rev. Avery Dumas Jr., Pastor 9:45 a.m. Sunday School. 11:45Morning Worship. 7:00 p.m. Evening service. Bible Study-Wed. & Fri. 7p.m. For rides call 761-1530. UNIVERSITY LUTHERAN CHAPEL 1511 Washtenaw between Hill and South University Sunday Service 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning Bible Study following service. Wednesdays: Volleyball at 7 p.m. and Bible Study at 9 p.m. THE DAILY CLASSIFIEDS ARE A GREAT WAY TO GET FAST RESULTS CALL 764-0557