Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for Digitization for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums

摘要

There was a time not long ago when it seemed possible to work as an archi vist without needing a close familiarity with copyright. But the new digital universe has brought the issue of copyright to the forefront of archival practice. Archives are not only providing copies of their material to individual researchers, they are also making material available online. Consequently, institutions bear additional responsibility for ensuring compliance with copyright law as creators of digital content. Accordingly, this new publication, billed as a copyright manual for American cultural institutions, promises to be well used, at least in the United States. It is based on Emily Hudson and Andrew T. Kenyon's Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for Digitization,' which was written for Australian audiences. As the title indicates, this version of the book was adapted for American use, focusing on American copyright legislation and case law. The question, then, is whether this book has any useful insights for Canadian archivists. In my opinion the answer is yes, albeit fairly limited.