Copyright: Best Practices for Academic Libraries

Editors Ferullo (director, University Copyright Office, Purdue Univ.) and Buttler (professor, university libraries, Univ. of Louisville) offer a valuable guide to copyright management in academic libraries. Written by experts in the field, each chapter addresses different aspects of copyright within library environments, including a discussion of the international copyright system, remote learning, digital access, and the TEACH Act. The book excels in discussing fair use and the four key factors for court assessments, illustrated with real-life case examples. Fair use under U.S copyright law and its potential inapplicability in other nations are also helpfully addressed. Another highlight is the chapter on international copyright, which identifies issues for works crossing borders and suggests potential approaches for librarians. Conflicts of laws are considered, as well as how other nations’ laws may apply to a library’s collection and access. Direction is provided for assessing copyright, rights access, and risks domestically, internationally, physically, digitally, and remotely. Discussions about the Berne Convention’s principle of national treatment and the concept of a United States work are also instructive.