Copyright law is complex. That’s why our Copyright Working Group has just published a basic guide to Limitations and Exceptions in EU Copyright Law for Libraries, Educational and Research Establishments.
The freely downloadable document is an introductory guide to copyright law as it relates to schools, universities, their libraries, national libraries, and public libraries.
Limitations and exceptions are crucial for these organisations because they are the primary legal mechanism by which information can be accessed and reused. Education, research, and learning itself is — in part — reliant on the ability to copy and share information.
The guide starts with some general information on the current EU Copyright Framework, and then provides details of 15 changes to EU Copyright Law that would benefit libraries, research and education. Areas of change covered by the guide include:
- Accessing copyright works for people with disabilities
- eLending
- Non-commercial research
- Orphan Works
- Teaching