This project is part of the JISC FAIR programme

The Copyright Conundrum: how to populate your repository and stay legalSPARC Workshop, 18-19th November 2004

Morag GreigProject Manager (DAEDALUS)

DAEDALUS is part of the JISC FAIR Programme

Outline

• DAEDALUS Project background• Author’s attitudes to copyright

agreements• My role in dealing with copyright issues• Copyright checking process• Populating repositories v copyright

agreements?• Interpreting copyright agreements

DAEDALUS Project

• Part of JISC FAIR Programme• Aim is to build a collection of institutional

repositories at the University of Glasgow• Funded until July 2005• Core strategic aim for the Library: project

aims to become a fully functioning service• Two strands

– Advocacy– Service Development

Author’s attitudes to copyright agreements

• General lack of awareness of what they have signed and the consequences

• Fear they will not get published if they don’t sign

• Preference for project staff checking copyright agreements for them

• Changing attitudes - balance between informing and dictating

My role in dealing with copyright

• Advising staff on general and specific copyright issues

• Checking publishers’ copyright agreements before full text of articles is added to repository

• Contacting publishers directly/liaising with publishers where necessary

Current deposit process

• Concentrating here on repository for published & peer reviewed papers

• Most content being added via a ‘mediated deposit’ process

• Copyright checking therefore being done as part of this process

Copyright checking process

• Check SHERPA/RoMEO list

• Check publisher web site

• Contact publisher directly to seek permission if situation is unclear or no information about authors’ rights are provided

• Full text therefore added in good faith

Populating repositories v copyright agreements?

• Sticking strictly to the letter of the law can make it very difficult to populate repositories

• Element of ‘risk’ involved in populating a repository

Interpreting copyright agreements

• Lack of clarity, e.g. authors retain copyright, but publishers still set restrictions on what authors can do

• Does one outweigh the other?• Personal/departmental/university sites –

what does this mean in practice?• Publisher versions v authors’ final

versions – becoming a major issue

Conclusions

• Constantly changing landscape, so need to be aware of changing policies

• Need to work with authors to get them to keep their own copy of the final version of their articles

• Authors need to be persuaded to consider more carefully the copyright agreements they sign and in addition to talk to their publishers about retaining rights.

DAEDALUS Project

http://www.gla.ac.uk/daedalus

DAEDALUS