Day October 25, 2018

Global Copyright Reform Efforts – As Told By Libraries, Museums, and Archives

American University’s Washington College of Law hosted the 5th Global Congress on Intellectual Property and the Public Interest. A workshop led by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) entitled “Out of the Stacks: A World Tour of Library, Archive, and Museum Copyright Reform” featured a panel, which discussed current and future copyright reform efforts in several countries. The panel highlighted laws that lack clarity or are inadequate to meet modern needs. Many advocated for efforts to create provisions that are essential to libraries, museums, archives, and other cultural heritage institutions. Without these provisions, many of these institutions are unable to provide access to certain copyrighted works, which the public has come to enjoy.

If Copyright Protection Goes Too Far, The Results Can Harm Democracy

[Rehad Desai, Ben Cashdan, Tuse Fokane and Wandile Dlamini] Prof Sadulla Karjiker’s assertion that the government is “intent on diluting intellectual property (IP) rights without regard for the future of the country” is hogwash. Copyright is vital to ensure that creators of…

Warning on Proposed WIPO Broadcast Treaty

[Electronic Information for Libraries] Unless the proposed WIPO treaty on the protection of television broadcast organizations has robust mandatory user rights, access to broadcast material in libraries for uses such as research and study, civic education and community information will be irrevocably harmed, said Teresa Hackett,EIFL Copyright and Libraries Programme Manager, at a recent seminar on the proposed WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) broadcast treaty.