Advocacy for Access to Knowledge: Copyright and Libraries

Copyright and libraries
Libraries have a fundamental role to play in the development of democratic societies by enabling all members of the community to access global knowledge resources, ideas and opinions. Copyright law regulates the ownership, control and distribution of information and knowledge goods. Libraries enable people to find, access and use information and knowledge. Copyright law is therefore a major issue for libraries because it governs the core business of libraries. Issues that affect libraries include copyright exceptions and limitations, the term of protection and the public domain, digital rights management, clearing rights and orphan works. Librarians have a dual role, managing copyrighted content in their day-to-day work and as stakeholders in the development of national and international copyright policy-making.

Balanced copyright
Copyright exists variously to protect the author’s personality, as an economic incentive to create, to encourage learning and to promote the progress of science and the useful arts. For copyright to be effective, it must balance the need to protect creators with the user’s right to access information for teaching, learning and further creative endeavors. The mechanism that makes copyright work is the combination of exceptions and limitations and a limited term of protection, together with adequate protections.

Librarians advocating for balanced copyright
Librarians all over the world believe that the traditional copyright balance has been eroded in recent years. Librarians are publicly voicing their concerns about the global trend which favors rightsholders, representing an increasingly narrow range of global commercial interests, at the expense of society as a whole and in particular, at the expense of developing and transition countries. Unbalanced and disproportionate copyright laws further inhibit access to resources or impose unrealistic costs on already disadvantaged societies. Through statements, campaigns and active involvement in the legislative process, librarians in many countries are actively defending the interests of libraries and the people who use libraries.

NULIB CONSULTS Ltd participates in the eIFL programme “Advocacy for access to knowledge: copyright and libraries”, known as eIFL-IP. The goal of eIFL-IP is to protect and promote the interests of libraries and their users in eIFL member countries in copyright issues and to advocate for balanced national and international laws.

NULIB CONSULTS Ltd has benefited from eIFL-IP training and capacity building events and receives tools and support on library copyright issues from eIFL-IP. NULIB CONSULTS Ltd contributes information on national laws to international studies and consultations. The network of copyright specialists in eIFL member countries connects NULIB CONSULTS Ltd to active discussions on copyright issues within the international library community. Through eIFL, NULIB CONSULTS Ltd is represented at international policy-making bodies, such as the UN World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

NULIB Consults Ltd is working to ensure that the copyright regime maximizes access to learning content and supports the development and educational priorities of Nigeria.

NULIB CONSULTS LTD eIFL-IP Co-ordinator is Rilwanu Abdulsalami.
Free to contact us with questions about the eIFL-IP programme in Nigeria or for NULIB Consults Ltd. members with questions about library copyright issues.

Copyright in Nigeria
Information by country from WIPO

[Nigeria] http://www.wipo.int/members/en/details.jsp?country_id=128&country_code=NG
[Nigeria] national copyright law http://www.wipo.int/clea/en/search.jsp?cntryorg_code=NG