This infographic, aimed at library professionals, offers a step-by-step guide helping them to understand important principles of copyright, by presenting a case study on digitising a work and making it available online. It helps turning legal awareness into everyday practice, and contains links to other useful material on this topic.
In six steps, the reader is guided along several elements to be aware of when engaging with material protected by copyright in the library sector:
- Step 1 - Identify the work and the rightholder(s): what kind of material are you handling, and who owns the rights?
- Step 2 - Identify copyright status of the work: is the work still protected by copyright or has it entered the public domain?
- Step 3 - Define intended use and required rights: why and how will you use the work?
- Step 4 - Check if exceptions apply: can you use the material without permission under a copyright exception?
- Step 5 - Contact the rightholder(s) to obtain permission: once you have identified your intended use, how can you obtain the necessary permission?
- Step 6 - Label the work and share: inform users about what they can and cannot do with the work and make your digitised content available in a clear, lawful, and user-friendly way.
As the infographic is a general guide based on the EU legal framework, readers should keep in mind that important details are set at national level and may vary. Always consult your own country’s legislation or a qualified expert before publishing or reusing third-party content.
Read more about EU copyright law.
This infographic can only be downloaded in English but will soon be available in all EU languages.