The Information Professional

"To fulfil their mission, libraries need international copyright norms, together with limitations and exceptions. Legal flexibilities in copyright, known as limitations and exceptions, provide balance in a copyright system between users and creators of protected works."

"New technologies have created new opportunities for users to participate in an inclusive information society: Users moved from photocopying chapters from printed books to downloading chapters from e-books. Restrictive copyright laws continue to hamper access and reproduction of material for purposes of knowledge sharing.An updated system is needed to enable libraries to provide users with both historical and new services; in pace with ongoing technological changes, and to cooperate and share resources across national borders.

What is IFLA doing?

IFLA is working with WIPO Member States to gain support for a binding international instrument on copyright limitations and exceptions to enable libraries to preserve their collections, support education and research, and lend materials. To demonstrate what is needed, IFLA, together with the International Council on Archives (ICA), Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL) and Corporación Innovarte, has produced a Treaty proposal (‘TLIB') to guide WIPO's Member States in updating limitations and exceptions for libraries worldwide.

Find out more about limitations and exceptions for libraries at the following pages and learn what you can do to get involved supporting an international binding instrument that meets the needs of libraries in the 21st century."