CFLA Releases Position Statement on Modernizing Crown Copyright

September 28, 2018

The Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA) recently released a position statement on modernizing Crown Copyright.

Modernizing Crown Copyright / Modernisation du droit d’auteur de la couronne

• Position Statement
• Exposés de position

Issue

Libraries and archives must be assured that making, distributing, and preserving copies of digitized and born digital government works does not result in copyright infringement.

Recommendations

CFLA-FCAB recommends that Parliament eliminate Crown copyright on all publicly accessible government works or make those works openly licensed by default (e.g., using a Creative Commons licence).

CFLA-FCAB also recommends that Parliament examine section 12 of the Copyright Act to clarify the need for Crown copyright in other government works. This examination should be an open process that includes submissions, public consultations, and parliamentary hearings.

(Via Canadian Federation of Library Associations)