Copyright Fails in Libraries in Digital Era

Abstract

The article addresses activities that involve some of the exclusive rights of copyright holders; the right to make copies, to display or perform copyright works, and in some cases to distribute works; and the copyright law’s exemptions from liability for fair use and for certain library copying. Copyright is legally complicated, controversial, subject to a number of misunderstandings and generally not fully understood even by the librarians whose daily tasks include administering it. To better understand the current status of copyright and its impact on libraries the notion of copyright is briefly outlines, along with what exactly copyright is. Libraries and academic institutions can also influence publishers to adjust their present copyright policies with regard to the reuse of published articles. The expectation is that there will be many digital libraries, most of which will have specialized collections and will be internet worked together in a way loosely resembling today’s Internet. Most digital library project planners are aware there are intellectual property issues that must be resolved in order to successfully deploy their libraries. Some proposals for digital library projects express intent to resolve intellectual property issues as part of the overall plan for the library.