Are you digitally legit?

Law, Libraries and Technology by Mark van Hoorebeek is a useful guide that should give information professionals a good grounding and insight into the increasingly litigious issues of copyright and intellectual property law as it relates to libraries and their use of the internet and other digital technologies.

The book seeks to break down the complex issue of copyright into manageable chunks. There is plenty of tabular information through the book and the chapters have lots of sub-headings. There are also full notes at the end of each chapter and a comprehensive index and references at the back of the book.

The first chapter provides an introduction to intellectual property. Each subject area of intellectual property law comes under an individual sub-heading, where it is first quickly defined before a full explanation is given at greater length. The chapter explains the legal distinctions between tangible and intangible property, the sources of UK law, and what is meant by intellectual property and copyright.

Further chapters go on to explain how copyright works on the world stage, and in particular how it works in a European dimension. Van Hoorebeek explains the sources of EU law and how they are enforced. He also looks at the implications of EU laws on information professionals in their working life.

There is a chapter on UK copyright law ( click here for latest news on copyright) governing libraries. Another chapter sets out an author’s moral and economic rights, and also contains a section aimed at dispelling a number of the myths surrounding copyright law.

Other chapters deal with copyright infringement and exceptions. Finally, van Hoorebeek looks at likely future developments: he says that libraries need to be actively aware of the health and safety issues relating to computer workstations and he examines what steps they can take to be vigilant against e-piracy.

Law, Libraries and Technology is one of the Information Professional Series from Chandos Publishing – a range of texts that aim to provide readers with an authoritative view of current thinking.

In brief
Law, Libraries and Technology
Mark Van Hoorebeek
Chandos Publishing
£39.00
ISBN 1843340712

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