Monday July 22, 16:15 - 17:45
Session 1
- Copyright, fair use and the digital environment from the US perspective
Lenore Coral (Cornell University, Ithaca, NY) - Fair dealing, limitations and exceptions beware the implications of the EC copyright harmonisation directive
Richard Chesser (British Library, London) - The Copymus Projekt
Kirsten Voss-Eliasson (Herlev Bibliotek, Denmark)
Presented by the Copyright Committee.
Chair : Anne Le Lay (Bibliothèque du CNR, Boulogne-Billancourt).
Thursday July 22, 09:15 - 10:45
Session 2
Working meeting.
Session report
The Copyright Committee held two sessions ; the first of which was an open session with three speakers, and the second was a working meeting.
Both were extremely useful in raising awareness of copyright issues and, we hope, will help IAML to begin the process of collecting and sharing our experience and expertise in our area where many of us fear to trade.
Richard Chesser (British Library, London) spoke about the possible repercussions of the European Community new directive and how, due to the way it apparently runs contrary in certain fundamental ways to some major international copyright conventions, it might have consequences which are international and not merely European.
Lenore Coral (Cornell University, New York) gave a historical background to the US copyright legislation and showed how, contrary to what seems to be the trend in Europe, US copyright law is in tune with international copyright standards, where vigilant attention to the legislative process has allowed the library community to influence legislation and prevent unduly restrictive laws from being enacted.
Kirsten Voss-Eliasson (Herlev Bibliotek, Denmark) then talk about the Copymus Project which is an excellent illustration of how business can work very effectively a private agreement which obviate the need for statutory and enforcement.
The working meeting began a process which should really have no end. We discussed how best to collect information about questions, concerns, issues and worries, and how we might assist reporting these issues to the advantage of our community. We fell that there is a need to challenge some of the views put to us by those who exploit our relative ignorance about legal matters.
As part of this process, we would like ask to national branches to nominate one correspondent we can ask or contact about copyright matters.
