Electronic libraries and authors’ rights: “Copyright and free access to information” public hearings

The problems of copyright in Russia and related to them amendments to the 4^th part of the Civil Code are the most popular issues discussed by the community of authors and publishers this year.

February 15, 2011 in the Public Chamber of Russia took place public hearings on the “Copyright and free access to information”. The precondition for this meeting was an address to the Public Chamber from the community of book publishers. Thus, authors and publishers expressed their concern due to the fact that all libraries are authorized to freely digitize their holdings which can infringe the rights of authors and publishers.

Another important issue in the discussion was the issue of observance of copyright in the context of transfer of library and educational systems of Russia to electronic format: considering the change for the new technical level, it is obvious that the approach to copyright should be reconsidered. According to the members of the authors’ society, it is needed to encourage the culture of the copyright and have a bilateral dialogue: everyone should have an opportunity to express his opinion and set forth his position. Opinions of the discussion participants were different, especially in regards of understanding technical particularities of use of digital content.

In the course of the meeting the most different arguments were given and the most different proposals suggested in order to regulate the problem of copyright in Russia and the development of amendments to the Civil Code. The discussion was one of the stages in this complex matter. It may not have given all necessary answers but nevertheless it has brought together the representatives of two groups of interest: publishers and libraries.

The participants received evidence that the bill must be changed and not just in its theoretical aspect but also taking into consideration the real practice of our country.