[OPLINLIST] FW: Music CDs to Public Libraries, School Districts and State Universities

[Don Yarman]

The Attorney General's office has requested that this message be
disseminated to Ohio's public libraries.



To All Ohio Public Libraries, School Districts, and Public Universities:

			This notice is being sent to you on behalf of
the Antitrust Section of the Ohio Attorney General's Office to inform
you that sometime in the next three weeks, approximately 222,000 compact
discs will be distributed to Ohio public schools, state universities and
public libraries as the result of a lawsuit settlement with recording
companies.  A lawsuit was filed by Ohio and 42 other states alleging
that recording companies attempted to fix CD prices in order to stop
competition from discount stores. The settlement generated $67.3 million
in cash and $75.7 million worth of CDs for our nation's schools and
libraries.  As many of you may have seen from news stories in other
states, approximately 5.6 million
CDs will be distributed throughout the nation.  
 
			More than 165,000 CDs will be distributed to
Ohio's public libraries. Public school districts will get more than
53,000 CDs and state universities will receive 3,690. The number of CDs
that individual school districts and universities will receive will be
based upon enrollment and the number that individual public libraries
receive will be determined by circulation.  Ohio's allotment of CDs
represents 11 genres of music including Rock, Country, Blues, Jazz,
Roots, Classical, Latin, Sound Track, Children's, Christmas, and Other.
While public libraries will receive selections from all genres, school
districts and universities will be allocated CDs from the Blues, Jazz,
Roots and Classical genres with the hope that these selections will be
most beneficial to the institutions and their music programs.  

			You should expect to receive your shipment of
CDs before the end of July.  For more information about this settlement,
please visit www.musiccdsettlement.com
<http://www.musiccdsettlement.com> .  Also, see the Ohio Attorney
General's web site at http://www.ag.state.oh.us
<http://www.ag.state.oh.us> .  Once there, check the Press Room and a
press release dated June 22, 2004 entitled "Libraries And Schools To
Receive CDs From Lawsuit Settlement
<http://www.ag.state.oh.us/press_releases/2004/press_release_20040622.ht
m>". Click on the links at the bottom of this release to find out the
number of CDs your school district, university, or public library will
receive.