Copyright & Digitisation
The State Library of Victoria is taking part in a two-year project which addresses copyright issues facing Australian cultural institutions. Instigated by Museums Australia, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Digitising Collections in Public Museums, Galleries and Libraries, is being conducted with the support of the Australian Research Council and six partner institutions:
- Art Gallery of New South Wales
- Australian Centre for the Moving Image
- Australian War Memorial
- National Museum of Australia
- Museum Victoria
- State Library of Victoria.
The project will evaluate the influence of copyright law on the processes of digitisation being undertaken by Australian cultural institutions. Increasingly, these institutions are using digitisation to make electronic copies of works for preservation or to create online collections which provide greater access to researchers and the general public.
Institutions need to be aware of the implications of copyright law on these activities. Because copyright gives owners certain exclusive rights, including the right to make reproductions of their works, cultural institutions need to be sure that digitisation activities will not expose them to liability to copyright owners.
The project will have two significant outcomes.
- The preparation of detailed guidelines for cultural institutions to facilitate digitisation and the appropriate management of copyright.
- An understanding of cultural institutions' practices enhancing future public policy information about digital copyright in Australia.
Digitisation conference
In August 2005, a one-day conference focusing on the issues surrounding digitisation practices and copyright management in public cultural institutions was held at the State Library of Victoria.
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