Understanding copyright - advice for public interest institutions

The Commission has launched a project to raise awareness on copyright in distance education, research and remote access to collections of the cultural heritage institutions.

Libraries and other public interest institutions, such as cultural heritage, education, and research institutions, play an essential role in making knowledge accessible to everyone, while supporting research and education. When giving access to and using content protected by copyright, such institutions need to comply with the relevant copyright rules.

The challenges faced in this context by cultural heritage, education and research institutions have been identified in the forthcoming 'Study on Copyright in distance education and research: exploring the role of copyright in facilitating access to digital collections of libraries and other public interest institutions'.

The main objectives of this project are therefore:

To increase overall literacy about copyright rules in public interest institutions.
To increase legal knowledge and overall understanding of copyright rules and their application in practice among public interest institutions and users, such as teachers and researchers.
To support copyright capacity building in those public interest institutions by expanding copyright expertise among practitioners.
To enhance and promote the exchange of best practices between universities, libraries, museums, and other institutions on access to and use of copyright-protected content, with a focus on education or research.

Within this project, workshops and information sessions on copyright will be organised, with a tailored approach to each type of public interest institution and user, both in ‘face-to face’ and ‘online’ formats. The information sessions will be announced on this page.

In addition, the educational materials elaborated in the context of this project for public interest institutions, researchers and educators will also be made available on this page.

Educational material

Infographic - A step-by-step guide to copyright for museums

This infographic, aimed at practitioners working in the museum sector, 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.

Infographic - A step-by-step guide to copyright in education

This infographic, aimed at teachers and education practitioners, offers a step-by-step guide helping them to understand important principles of copyright, by presenting a case study on using third-party materials in class or via a secure digital platform.

Infographic - A step-by-step guide to copyright for researchers

This infographic, aimed at researchers, offers a step-by-step guide helping them to understand important principles of copyright, by presenting a case study on creating and publishing research materials.

Infographic - A step-by-step guide to copyright for libraries

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.