The Right Copyright: Library Association Engagement in Copyright Around the World

Abstract

Copyright is arguably one side of the same coin as library funding. While the size of library acquisition budgets determines what libraries can buy (or, in many cases, licence), copyright rules set out what they can do with these materials. Restrictive laws – or licences – can prevent libraries from carrying out the most basic tasks as preservation, lending, or enabling research and education.

However, copyright can also easily be seen as complicated and conflictual, leading it to be given a lower priority than questions such as funding. In particular when working with limited resources, the temptation can be to focus these elsewhere.

The goal of this report is therefore to help library associations and other groupings reflect on how they can upgrade their engagement around copyright.