News release
19.5.2011
JISC supports Hargreaves recommendations for better intellectual property
framework
JISC welcomes Professor Ian Hargreaves' independent review of the UK's
intellectual property (IP) framework as a positive step towards easy,
widespread access to information and resources.
Dr Malcolm Read, JISC executive secretary, says: "We support the key findings
in the report which we anticipate will help optimise the impact of UK research
and enable our world class universities to fully contribute towards innovation
and growth.
"JISC has consistently advocated a more liberal, 'open' IP framework that can
support innovative uses of digital assets. For universities and colleges the
following exceptions (below) are crucial as they will allow for and encourage
digitization, preservation, access and re-use of digital content as well as
supporting research and learning," he said.
* Exception for preservation
For universities and colleges to have long term access to electronic materials,
the format-shifting and non-commercial use exceptions are vital. These support
a general transition to electronic-only services, giving users anytime anywhere
access and freeing up space and resources.
* Exception for text mining
Text mining allows researchers to extract and manipulate information and data
from a range of sources. The change would have an enormous effect on the range
and capability of UK research.
* Orphan Works provision
Orphan works are those for which the rights holder is unknown or cannot be
traced. Enabling people to access and re-use these works would support
teaching, learning and research immeasurably. Potentially this would encourage
mass digitisation of digital content on which services and innovation can be
built.
* Ensuring that copyright exceptions cannot be over-ridden by contract law
Currently, contracts can be used to override exceptions to copyright.
Enshrining the exceptions in law will future proof the implementation of new
proposed copyright exceptions and protect the current exceptions, supporting
further innovation and growth.
* Building an exception into EU framework to facilitate adaptability to new
technologies
This new exception future-proofs developments in new technology to make sure
that that harmonised exceptions across Europe remain relevant.
Other recommended exceptions which JISC welcomes include the exceptions for
parody and format shifting as well as extending the exception for non
commercial research to all media.
UK colleges and universities contribute towards innovation and economic growth
as part of a wider, rapidly evolving and complex eco-system which includes a
spectrum of new and emergent business relationships and models. In particular,
recent studies have valued universities' knowledge exchange income (mainly
patents) at £3 billion (2008/09) and the Universities UK report, The impact of
universities on the UK economy, states that they contributed £59 billion to the
UK economy in 2009.
JISC welcomes the full implementation of the recommendations outlined within
the Hargreaves Review of IP to provide a basis for UK innovation, education and
research with unprecedented opportunities to compete internationally in a fast
moving digital age.
Paul Ayris is president of the association of European research libraries,
LIBER, and director of University College London library services as well as
being UCL's copyright officer. He says: "These exceptions provide a robust
basis for UK education and research to support the UK's economic growth and
innovation, digital literacy, the preservation of vulnerable materials and
unlocking digital access to a wealth of vital cultural heritage content
currently warehoused as orphan works. Moreover, the applications of text
mining, which are immense and varied can be better harnessed by UK education
and research, speeding up science and innovation and allowing UK's universities
and colleges to work more efficiently."
Download the Hargreaves report (PDF)
<http://www.ipo.gov.uk/ipreview-finalreport.pdf>
JISC was invited to contribute to the report. Read the document we sent
Professor Hargreaves (PDF) <http://www.ipo.gov.uk/ipreview-c4e-sub-thejoint.pdf>
To find out how JISC can help you with the issues raised by the review, visit
the useful resources alongside this news story online
<http://www.jisc.ac.uk/news/stories/2011/05/ipr.aspx>
