Copyright: Interpreting the Law for Libraries, Archives and Information Services (5th edition)

Professor A.A. Alemna (Department of Information Studies, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana)

Library Management

ISSN: 0143-5124

Article publication date: 18 May 2010

152

Keywords

Citation

Alemna, A.A. (2010), "Copyright: Interpreting the Law for Libraries, Archives and Information Services (5th edition)", Library Management, Vol. 31 No. 4/5, pp. 367-368. https://doi.org/10.1108/01435121011046434

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


This book is the latest edition of Cornish's copyright which was first published in 1990. This edition has been expanded to include more emphasis in areas such as originality, databases, the use of broadcast material in education, creative commons and open archives.

The author, Graham Cornish, is considered by many in the information profession as a copyright guru. It is thus not surprising that in less than 20 years after the first publication, this book has gone through five editions.

The book is a very practical handbook for any library and information practitioner who is confronted with copyright issues as it relates to job performance. It is divided into 12 sections with particular issues such as Artistic works, Broadcasts, Databases, etc.

What impresses me most in this book is that unlike other books on copyright which are so complex and full of technical language and terms, this book is organized on a question‐and‐answer basis, thereby simplifying the search for particular problems and their possible solutions. For example, all issues relating to the section on literary, dramatic and musical works are tackled in a typical question form as might be expected from the average practitioner. These are then answered as simply as possible by the author. In some cases, the answers are followed by “imaginary” cases so as to make them easier to understand.

It might be pertinent to point out, however, that the question‐and‐answer approach has also led to quite a few repetitions between sections, which the author rightly acknowledges. But I must also affirm that some of the repetitions are necessary because they help to further explain some complex issues.

The final section of this book (Section 12) is titled “Other matters”. This section deals with various international agreements and conventions, the connection between legal deposit and copyright; and issues about freedom of information laws. I congratulate the author for going outside the mainstream question‐and‐answers on copyright to deal with related issues such as these stated above. For those of us who are teaching library and information science, this helps to clarify some of the “unexpected questions” we get from students when treating the topic of copyright.

The wealth of information provided in this book includes a List of abbreviations, List of useful addressees; Selected further sources of information; and Statutory declaration forms (the last three are provided as appendices). The book concludes with a ten page index which can be very helpful to any user of the material. The layout is very clear with simple sub‐headings and appropriate numbering for each question. Wherever necessary, “see also” comments are made to re‐direct users to salient issues.

In the words of the author, “as would be expected, the book focuses on the UK laws, which it aims to interpret, and the answers found here should never be assumed to apply in other countries. Nevertheless, many of the questions raised are equally valid in any part of the world and should help professionals in other countries to address the issues facing their own libraries”. As a non‐UK information professional, I cannot but agree with the author.

I have gained much from going through the whole book, as my attention has been directed to aspects of the copyright law that I would normally pass over. This book is an excellent source for lecturers and students of library and information science and practitioners in all information service, whether public, academic, special or private.

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