Licensing
• Background
• Implications
– Everyday Issues
– Occasional Issues
• Summary
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Libraries
Definition
“Licensing agreements are means for granting
rights in property without transferring
ownership of it”
USE not OWN
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Libraries
Types of Law
Licenses are based on:
• Copyright law
• Contract law
University of Alberta
Libraries
Copyright Law
• Area of intellectual property law
• Provides the foundation for licenses
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Libraries
Contract Law
“Contracts are agreements between parties that
bind the parties to act or refrain from acting
in particular ways”
Contracts trump Copyright
University of Alberta
Libraries
Why Licenses?
• Uncertainties regarding copyright law
interpretation
• Uncertainties regarding protection afforded
by copyright law
• Ease of litigation
University of Alberta
Libraries
Parties to a License
•
•
•
•
Information Provider
Information Vendor
Library / Institution
Library User
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Libraries
License Issues
• Permissions
• Prohibitions
• Obligations
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Libraries
Everyday Issues - Users
• Authorized users
• Authorized locations
• Authorized uses
• Unauthorized uses
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Libraries
Authorized Users
• Primary users
• Secondary users (e.g. walk-in users)
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Libraries
Authorized locations
• Insitution wide?
• Physical restrictions (e.g. to a building)?
• Remote access allowed?
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Libraries
Authorized Uses - Users
• Activities
– Download
– Print
– Store
• Purpose
– Commercial / non-commercial use
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Libraries
Unauthorized Uses - Users
Almost anything else.
• If in doubt, consult license.
• Fallback - copyright law.
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Libraries
Everyday Issues - Library
• Authorized uses
• Obligations
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Libraries
Authorized Uses - Library
• E-reserve
• Course Packs
• Commercial Use (I.e. “fee for service”)
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Libraries
Authorized Uses - ILL
Some vendors are ILL compliant, some aren’t.
CNSLP contract - includes ILL.
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Libraries
Obligations - Library
• Inform users of use restrictions
• Security precautions
• Police users?
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Libraries
Vendors
• Warranties (e.g.)
– Content rights
• Obligations (e.g.)
– System performance
– Respect user privacy
– Statistics
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Libraries
Occasional Issues
•
•
•
•
Breach of contract
Penalties
Litigation
Indemnities
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Libraries
Importance of Licenses
• Impact
• Risk
• Library Environment
University of Alberta
Libraries
Summary
• Two-way agreements
• Institutional Requirements
• Future of licensing
University of Alberta
Libraries
Resources
• http://www.library.yale.edu/~llicense/
• http://www.arl.org/scomm/licensing/
• Harris, Lesley Ellen. Licensing Digital
Content. Chicago, Ill.: ALA, 2002
University of Alberta
Libraries