Webinar series: Copyright issues and African Libraries
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SEPTEMBER 26, 2021
Librarians need to understand how to adroitly navigate copyright issues in the digital age to ensure an equitable and conducive operating environment for access to information. Also, as the concept of Openness continues to take root and spread, Librarians need to understand how libraries can achieve a balance between opening up knowledge which is needful for sustainable development as we all seek a transformed world and the protection of intellectual property rights for content creators.
We need to think – the African Continental Free Trade Area has taken off, how is free flow and access to information within libraries configured in? How can librarians in the continent speak up for the inclusion of this crucial point in the AfCFTA initiative? Furthermore, the voices of 21st century Librarians should be heard and considered in Copyright issues. How can this happen? Do Librarians have a seat at the global, regional and national tables as pertains copyright matters? How do we get more informed, passionate librarian voices speaking for the library in the rooms where decisions are made about Copyright matters?
Recently, AfLIA set up a Working Group on Copyright and Legal issues to begin to untangle, speak up, guide others and have templates on how the African Library sector can react as well as take proactive steps on Copyright issues. The Working Group has scheduled a series of trainings for librarians to understand the basics of Copyright and how advocacy in the area can be heightened and sustained for positive outcomes.
If you are interested in the future of African libraries as pertains to Copyright issues, if you want to learn more about Copyright regime in the era of E-resources, if you have ever wondered about Exceptions and Limitations within Copyright provisions in your country or you want to stand up as a Voice for the African Library sector on Copyright and related matters, then this series of webinars are for you! Note the dates please.
Topics, Dates & Times
WEBINAR 1: Copyright Basics and why it is important to libraries – Wednesday, October 20th, 2021 – 10.30 (GMT).
Resource Persons
Dr. Dick Kawooya is an Associate Professor at the School of Information Science (iSchool), University of South Carolina. Dick was Interim Director of the iSchool for the academic year 2018-19 and Assistant Director 2019-2021. Dick is the Coordinator of Advocacy in Africa of the Arcadia Charitable Trust-funded Right to Research Project (2021-2023). He holds a PhD in Communication and Information from the University of Tennessee. Dick has close to 18 years of research, teaching and advocacy work in different areas of intellectual property focusing on copyright and access to knowledge, intellectual property and innovation, and intellectual property and the informal economy in Africa. Most recently, Dick consulted with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) on the study of innovation and intellectual property in the developing countries, case study of Uganda and was one of the experts at AU’s 2019 consultative meeting on copyright in the digital environment. Dick has also served as a member of the Commonwealth of Learning (CoL) Copyright Expert Group and as Uganda’s national copyright expert (representing the Consortium of Ugandan University Libraries) for EIFL.
Teresa Hackett is the Copyright and Libraries Programme Manager at EIFL. She has overseen the delivery of a unique copyright service for libraries in EIFL partner countries, the development of copyright resources in multiple languages and the provision of technical assistance on legislative matters. At EIFL, Teresa has also helped to grow a dynamic network of specialist copyright libraries in over 30 countries, many of whom have achieved success in improving national laws. She participates in negotiations at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for copyright laws that are consistent across borders and that recognize the public interest role of libraries, especially in the digital environment. She has also contributed to 19member states joining WIPO’s Marrakesh Treaty for persons with print disabilities. Ms. Hackett has received awards for her work on Copyright issues for libraries. In 2018, she was awarded the IFLA Medal in recognition of distinguished contribution to IFLA and international librarianship, particularly in the field of copyright and enabling equal access to information. In 2015, Teresa was awarded a Flash Grant as an agent of social change by the Shuttleworth Foundation for her copyright work.
WEBINAR 2: Library rights: L & Es (LAMs, education & research) and licensing – Wednesday, November 17th, 2021 – 10.30 (GMT)
Resource Persons
Professor Japhet Otike is a renowned copyright activist who advocates for unlimited access and use of copyrighted works in the public. He holds a PhD in Library and Information Studies from Loughborough University, UK and currently teaches at the School of Information Science, Moi University, Kenya. His teaching and research interests include legal information with particular reference to copyright and has several publications in internationally acclaimed journals to his credit.
WEBINAR 3: Copyright governance: advocacy opportunities for librarians – national, regional, international (national copyright office, ARIPO/OAPI, AfCFTA, WIPO, WTO) – Wednesday, December 1st, 2021– 10.30 GMT
Resource Person
Teresa Hackett is the Copyright and Libraries Programme Manager at EIFL. She has overseen the delivery of a unique copyright service for libraries in EIFL partner countries, the development of copyright resources in multiple languages and the provision of technical assistance on legislative matters. At EIFL, Teresa has also helped to grow a dynamic network of specialist copyright libraries in over 30 countries, many of whom have achieved success in improving national laws. She participates in negotiations at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for copyright laws that are consistent across borders and that recognize the public interest role of libraries, especially in the digital environment. She has also contributed to 19member states joining WIPO’s Marrakesh Treaty for persons with print disabilities. Ms. Hackett has received awards for her work on Copyright issues for libraries. In 2018, she was awarded the IFLA Medal in recognition of distinguished contribution to IFLA and international librarianship, particularly in the field of copyright and enabling equal access to information. In 2015, Teresa was awarded a Flash Grant as an agent of social change by the Shuttleworth Foundation for her copyright work.
WEBINAR 4: Copyright and Public Lending Right at WIPO – Wednesday, January 19th, 2022 – 10.30 (GMT)
Resource Person
Denise Rosemary Nicholson (BA HDipLib (UNISA), LLM (WITS)) retired from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (Wits) in December 2020, after nearly 38 years’ professional service in various library posts. Her last post was Scholarly Communications Librarian, and she managed the Copyright Services Office for the University. In March 2021, she started her own consultancy, called Scholarly Horizons. She has 25 years’ experience in copyright issues, open access and scholarly communication. She is well-recognised internationally, regionally and in South Africa, for her advocacy and promotion of access to knowledge, open access and copyright awareness, and her campaign for more balanced copyright laws in South Africa. She has been a member of many international, regional and local copyright committees and has presented at many conferences around the world. She is currently Chairperson of the AfLIA Copyright and Legal Matters Working Group. In September 2021, she was awarded the SALI Trust – LIASA Lifetime Achievement Award and in November 2021, she received the UNISA Chancellor’s Calabash Award for Outstanding Educator. Her full CV and list of publications and awards can be found at: https://scholarlyhorizons.co.za/about-denise/.
WEBINAR 5: AfCFTA and access to knowledge in African libraries – Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022 – 10.30 (GMT)
WEBINAR 6: Copyright, Libraries and Collective Management in Africa (includes photocopying and licensing) – Wednesday, March 16th, 2022 – 10.30 (GMT)
WEBINAR 7: Getting ready for SCCR (Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights)/42: Sample or template letter that librarians can send individually to the Copyright office in their countries. The webinar date depends on date fixed for SCCR/42.
Your registration gives you access to all the webinars. Do not miss out on any part of this series. Attendees who participate in more than half of the webinars will be eligible for a certificate of participation.