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How Do I?Key Points Summary
- Cambridge Public Library is not responsible for infringing copies made by users of Cambridge Public Library’s copying equipment or Makerspaces. It’s the user’s obligation and responsibility to determine and satisfy copyright or other use restrictions.
- Cambridge Public Library staff and members may make copies for specific purposes under the fair dealing provision of the Copyright Act.
Purpose
To outline Cambridge Public Library’s role and position related to applicable Copyright and Intellectual Property legislation.
Definitions
Copyright is a legal means of protecting an author/creator’s work.
Intellectual Property refers to the ownership of intangible and non-physical goods.
Fair Dealing is a user’s right in copyright law permitting use of a copyright protected work without permission or payment of copyright royalties for the purpose of research, private study, education, satire, parody, criticism, review or news reporting, provided that what you do with the work is ‘fair’.
Policy Details
Cambridge Public Library seeks to advocate for, inform and support the intellectual property rights of the creator as outlined within Canadian legislation while balancing the social benefit and educational value of fair use.
Cambridge Public Library respects the copyright, patent rights, trademark rights and moral rights of authors and intellectual property rights holders and seeks to educate Cambridge Public Library members about these rights with regard to Cambridge Public Library’s physical and digital collections.
The majority of the materials in the Cambridge Public Library collection are subject to copyright. It is not the role of Cambridge Public Library staff to interpret the Copyright Act for members. Responsibility regarding copyright arising from the use and/or copying is the responsibility of the member making the copy, whether the member uses their own or Cambridge Public Library equipment.
The intellectual property laws of Canada govern the making of reproductions and/or use of some materials. Certain copying may be an infringement of copyright law. Cambridge Public Library is not responsible for infringing copies made by users of Cambridge Public Library’s copying equipment and Makerspaces. It is the user’s obligation and responsibility to determine and satisfy copyright or other use restrictions (such as patent, industrial design or trademark legislation) when using Cambridge Public Library’s collections, equipment and software.
Fair dealing is a long-standing feature of Canadian copyright law that permits certain uses of copyright material in ways that do not unduly harm the interests of copyright owners, but which could have significant social benefits. In Canada, fair dealing does not infringe copyright and is limited to the purpose of research, private study, education, parody or satire:
- Cambridge Public Library staff and members may make copies for specific purposes under the fair dealing provision of the Copyright Act. Any concerns of the legitimacy of staff copying for these purposes will be referred to Cambridge Public Library’s Chief Executive Officer or delegate.
- Cambridge Public Library’s copying services, whether the copy is made by Cambridge Public Library staff or a member, are provided without a motive of financial gain. The fee charged is intended to cover a portion of Cambridge Public Library’s costs.
- Cambridge Public Library pays for a Public Libraries License from Access Copyright to ensure that original creators and publishers are proportionally compensated for copying done on our photocopying machines.
Cambridge Public Library retains copyright for content created by Cambridge Public Library. This material can be used for personal or research use without prior permission. Cambridge Public Library requests attribution in the personal and scholarly use of the material. A credit line, “Courtesy of Cambridge Public Library” should be provided if material reproduced from the Cambridge Public Library’s collections is published for commercial or non-commercial purposes in print, online, or in other media. Commercial use including but not limited to: reproductions, redistribution, publication, or transmission whether by electronic means or otherwise without prior written permission from Cambridge Public Library is prohibited.
Images on the Art Galleries of Cambridge site are subject to copyright. Reproduction is prohibited without prior written permission from Cambridge Public Library and the artists.
More Information
For more information on Intellectual Property, please visit the Canadian Intellectual Property Office’s website.
For more information on Canadian Copy, please visit their website.
For more information on Cambridge Public Library’s Public Libraries Photocopying License please visit the Access Copyright website.
Adopted: September 25, 2019 (Board Motion 19.51)