Navigating copyright and fair use laws can be intimidating and confusing. As information professionals, we want to be sure that we are providing the most accurate and reliable information we can. Yet, according to LeEtta Schmidt and Michael English’s 2015 study, “Copyright Instruction in LIS Programs,” 80% of librarians have received no copyright training at their workplace. On top of that, the study analyzed 51 ALA-accredited master’s programs in Library and Information found only 11 offered an elective dedicated to copyright but no program required it (Schmidt & English, 2015).
MLIS and MLS programs may not be adding copyright and fair use classes as part of their core curriculum in the near future. Yet, they are important topics for information professionals to know, or at least have a working knowledge of. With that being said, we need to remember we are curators and stewards for reliable information, not necessarily experts on all information. Life’s too short to stress about being the Knower of All Things. Therefore, we should recognize when it’s time to take a step back and outsource to the experts and authorities on particular subjects. This way we can ensure correct and reliable information is being presented.
The Virginia Commonwealth University Library (VCUL) in Richmond, Virginia did just that for their student body as well as for members in their community. They created innovative programming regarding copyright laws for their “large concentration” of artists in their community which they outlined in the article, “Copyright for Creators: How we built an arts-focused program at our library,” written in 2019 by the folks who implemented the program, Carla-Mae Crookendale, Hillary Miller, and Sue Robinson. Copyright in creative communities is an ongoing headache that many artists struggle with. Whether its regarding originality, social media, or protecting their work. This library saw a need in their community and leaned into it. Many communities may not have the exact same demographic as VCUL, but there is still a lot to be learned from their approach. Such as, how they partnered with experts from the legal and art sector, as well as, enlisting faculty from their university to help teach the concepts (Crookendale et al., 2019). The programming turned out to be very successful and decided to make it part of their regular schedule, improving upon it with each run (Crookendale et al., 2019).
Society, technology, and media changes at breakneck speeds and the copyright laws themselves are unable to keep up and steadily becoming outdated. Even the experts in copyright laws debate on best practices and how to handle copyright issues that arising up in today’s society. So, as current and future information professionals it’s important to do our due diligence by keeping up with the changes, consult with the experts, and maybe take those electives!
Schmidt, L., & English, M. (2015). Copyright instruction in LIS programs: Report of a survey of standards in the U.S.A. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 41(6), 736-743. doi:10.1016/j.acalib.2015.08.004
Crookendale, C.-M., Miller, H., & Robinson, S. (2019). Copyright for creators: How we built an arts-focused program at our library. American Libraries, 50(3/4), 42-45.http://search.ebscohost.com.leo.lib.unomaha.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=llf&AN=135145489&site=ehost-live&scope=site
