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Digital Libraries and Intellectual Property Rights
Authors: Mr. Ravindra P. Adav
Number of views: 373
This paper discusses about the developments in the library world in terms of digital media, its distributed access
through network vis-a-vis intellectual property rights implication. The paper sensitizes libraries, information professionals and
users towards their obligation to conduct themselves according to licensing terms of digital media. It explores the effect that
digital technology has had on copyright protection, the trend towards international harmonization of copyright laws based on
international standards set down by the international conventions, agreements and treaties, and the use of copyright works by
libraries. The paper presents status of copyright protection in select countries, including copyright law enactment, term, scope,
sanctions, percentage of piracy and revenue loss in software piracy. Copyright issues for e-information along with forms of
infringement and fair dealing are discussed. Digital copyright protection technologies such as watermarks, fingerprints, digital
signatures etc. are described. In the end the paper emphasizes about evolving general consensus on digital preservation along
with protection of right holders with overall aim of protecting scholarship for posterity.