Copyright Compliance

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Copyright is not a subject that most individuals or organizations want to study in depth. They simply wish to be able to copy material in the knowledge that what they are doing is within the law. Library and information professionals must take a particular interest in copyright matters, because they find themselves placed in the difficult position of, on the one hand, being asked by their users to provide access to content, whilst, on the other hand, needing to be mindful of the legal rights of the creators and distributors of intellectual property. Copyright law is extremely complex, and consulting a copy of the legislation is not easy or straightforward, given that the Copyright, Designs & Patents Act 1988 has been amended many times over the past two decades.

This practical book aims to promote the understanding of copyright compliance by users, and to simplify the task of library and information professionals in advising on it. Fully supported by examples of case law, the text is divided into two main parts. The first part considers what constitutes an infringement of copyright, and what happens when things go wrong. The second part deals with the question of how to stay within the law, and what one can do proactively to minimize the risks associated with copyright infringement.

The contents include: what constitutes infringement, and what are its consequences* what are low, medium and high risk activities; some copyright legal cases and what we can learn from them; enforcement of intellectual property rights; dispute resolution: court action, arbitration, mediation* how to ensure that your copying is properly authorized; the copyright clearance process; practical steps you can take to stay within copyright law; the copyright implications of freedom of information; and developing a copyright policy. This essential guide will help any individual, organization or library and information professional to copy material with greater confidence that they are doing so legally.