This Earth Day Prompts the Following Westlaw Patron Access Account Question

Why does Westlaw's Patron Access accounts require print-outs of search results? Or will the so-called beta test Patron Access account system that allows emailing output ever be implemented for all law libraries? American Loggers and other cable series may like the current restrictions but some forests really want to know.

Westlaw Patron Access has become a very convenient way to double bill institutions for access to the same or nearly the same contents provided by specific user name and password account-based plans.TR Legal's paranoia resides in the fear that someone is going to scrap Westlaw content and post the resources on the Internet. Of course, the Company explains that licensing agreements restricts them from doing otherwise and, indeed, someone with the necessary programming skills could scrap the contents from the 40,000-odd databases for republication on the Internet, but tracking cookies could solve that problem by way of the ever convenient Take-Down Notice. 

TR Legal could provide generic user accounts under an existing plan for embedding in library workstation-based public access. But then the Company would lose the revenue from double billing institutional subscribers who want to provide some sort of public access to Westlaw. [JH]