SCONUL calls for fair deal for university libraries over copyright law

4 August, 2009

SCONUL has called on the UK Government to adopt a similar approach to Ireland regarding copyright law. In a recent meeting with David Lammy MP, Minister of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, SCONUL Secretary Toby Bainton called on Government to implement a system which reduced the bureaucracy and inconsistency found in current UK copyright legislation.

At his meeting with Mr Lammy Toby raised the problems arising in the current UK copyright regime. Well over half of library material acquired by higher education institutions is now digital, but its use is hampered, both for libraries and their users, by the contracts which govern the delivery of all commercially-published digital information. Delivery contracts may, or sometimes may not, disallow the acts permitted to researchers and students under UK copyright statutes. As was pointed out to Mr Lammy, this causes unnecessary confusion and significant extra work for libraries operating the contracts. Mr Lammy showed a lively interest in the subject and listened to SCONULs recommendation for the introduction of copyright law similar to that of Ireland's Copyright Act. This has a provision safeguarding the user's statutory rights, whatever the contract says.

At the meeting, Toby Bainton was one of four people representing the Libraries and Archives Copyright Alliance. The point was also made that if the UK Government extends 'fair dealing' in copyright works to a wider range of material (for example, films and sound recordings), as was suggested by the Treasury's 'Gowers' review of copyright, it will be essential to allow libraries to make copies on behalf of students and researchers on the same 'fair dealing' terms.

SCONUL Secretary Toby Bainton said:

"It was an interesting meeting and it is encouraging that David Lammy is taking this issue seriously. Too much unnecessary complication arises now that key parts of UK copyright law can be modified in contracts. It is essential to have this changed so that university libraries and the users of their services are not unduly hampered. If the Government is serious about the UK maintaining a world class research community it must not let bureaucracy get in the way."