Copyright is not a subject that most individuals or organizations want to study in depth. They simply wish to be able to copy material in the knowledge that what they are doing is within the law.

Library and information professionals must take a particular interest in copyright matters, because they find themselves placed in the difficult position of, on the one hand, being asked by their users to provide access to content, whilst, on the other hand, needing to be mindful of the legal rights of the creators and distributors of intellectual property.

Copyright law is extremely complex, and consulting a copy of the legislation is not easy or straightforward, given that the Copyright, Designs & Patents Act 1988 has been amended many times over the past two decades. This practical book aims to promote the understanding of copyright compliance by users, and to simplify the task of library and information professionals in advising on it.

Fully supported by examples of case law, the text is divided into two main parts. The first part considers what constitutes an infringement of copyright, and what happens when things go wrong. The second part deals with the question of how to stay within the law, and what one can do proactively to minimize the risks associated with copyright infringement. The contents cover:

what constitutes infringement, and what are its consequences

what are low, medium and high risk activities

some copyright legal cases and what we can learn from them

enforcement of intellectual property rights

dispute resolution: court action, arbitration, mediation

how to ensure that your copying is properly authorized

the copyright clearance process

practical steps you can take to stay within copyright law

developing a copyright policy

the copyright implications of freedom of information.

Readership: This essential guide will help any individual, organization or library and information professional to copy material with greater confidence that they are doing so legally.