Colleagues
I attach below a copy of a message from Barbara Stratton, the secretary of
the Libraries and Archives Copyright Alliance, which I chair. It contains a
request that anyone who has suggestions to make for the revision of the
Copyright Designs and Patents Act should let us have details, to inform work
that we are doing in preparation for putting proposals to the Patent Office.
I recognise that this Act will not be at the front of the thoughts of most
of you, but if there are aspects of copyright which cause real problems we
should be glad to know about them even if you do not know how reform could
be achieved through revision of the statute. I should emphasise a point made
by Barbara, though: there is no point in proposing things which are contrary
to EU law or international treaties, so please do not bother to suggest
removing the limitation of library and archive copying to non-commercial
purposes.
We look forward to having some interesting and realistic ideas to consider
putting to the Patent Office in due course.
Tim
----------------
Tim Padfield
Copyright Officer
Curator of Photographs
Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Council on National Records and
Archives
The National Archives
Kew
Richmond
Surrey TW9 4DU
Tel +44 (0)20 8392 5381
Fax +44 (0)20 8392 5286
E-mail [log in to unmask]
Website http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
From: Barbara Stratton
Subject: Revising the Copyright Act. Make a wish!
Dear colleagues
Please see the press release below.
Barbara Stratton
Senior Adviser, Copyright, at CILIP and Secretary to LACA
Revising the Copyright Act. Make a wish!
The Libraries and Archives Copyright Alliance (LACA) and the Museums
Copyright Group are starting work on a long-term project to produce
proposals for revisions to the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as
amended by subsequent regulations). This is in response to an invitation
issued by the Patent Office during their 2002-03 consultation on the
implementation of the European Information Society Directive.
As a first step we want to ask you to suggest any ideas to us that you may
have about changes you would like to see in UK copyright legislation. We
welcome any reasonable idea from you, but in order for LACA and MCG to be
able to take it up, we will have to judge whether it is achievable and
desirable and that it does not go against the provisions of European law. We
will therefore evaluate any suggestion received before deciding whether or
not to pursue it!
Copyright issues often get tangled up with contract issues so please
separate them out as we have no expectation of achieving change to basic UK
contract law. However issues about how collecting societies go about their
business of licensing are ones that we could consider.
Don't worry about how much you already know about copyright law. As
practitioners you know what the problems are that you have with
administering it, so tell us what concerns you. If you have a burning issue
about the current copyright law or a brilliant idea about changing it that
you would like to share with us, please email it to
[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> by 30th
September 2004.
Please also include the following information about yourself: Name,
Position, Organisation, Phone Number and E-mail. This is so that, if
necessary, we can come back to you for further information should we decide
to take up your idea.
We are unable to enter into any correspondence with you in connection with
this consultation so please just send in your ideas or issues. Your views
count so we hope to hear from you.
With thanks.
Barbara Stratton
Senior Adviser, Copyright, at CILIP and Secretary to LACA
August 2004
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