Copy work from an Archive / Library

December 3, 2008
Intellectual Property News and Interesting Facts

When it comes to copying of material in a library there are specific exemptions to the Copyright Law.

If you are uncertain whether you are allowed to copy a volume of written material as corporate librarian it is best to consult with your company copyright lawyers first. The Law allows for an archive or library to make duplications of published work for references purposes only.

An archive or library may duplicate content if a work has been lost, stolen or damaged.

In archives specific works may be damaged when handled too much. Under such circumstances the copying of the entire work may be allowed to for instance, ensure that the original work can be archived while the copied work can be used for reference purposes.

There is not yet clarity on the issue of copying work in the library reserve section and as such you should consult withcopyright lawyers on the issue before allowing it.

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