ABC Copyright Conference

In the United States, more libraries are calling for full ownership of electronic resources, in view of restrictive license terms offered by publishers that limit many traditional library activities.  

In the Canadian context, more favourable licensing terms may sometimes grant many of the rights that US libraries want. But is “perpetual access” enough to meet the library mission?

Lawyers for the Internet Archive will present a paper titled “Securing Digital Rights for Libraries: Towards an Affirmative Policy Agenda for a Better Internet” which articulates a set of four digital rights for libraries, based on the core library functions of preserving and providing access to information, knowledge, and culture. The session will then consider different paths for achieving these rights in the Canadian context.