Copyright within the library sector

The Department of Library Services (DLS) organized a hybrid workshop on Copyright rules and regulations in South Africa for all DLS clients and staff members. The invitation was also extended to various faculties within The University. The workshop was held at the Merensky 2 Library Auditorium, Hatfield Campus on 30 March 2023.

This was a proactive initiative of the DLS’s Scholarly Communications Unit to ensure that all DLS staff members are fully trained to deal with copyright queries and ultimately be able to minimize the potential risks of copyright infringement and its penalties in their faculties.

Ms Denise Rosemary Nicholson of Scholarly Horizons who is an expert in the issues of Copyright Laws in South Africa was invited to facilitate the workshop. In her presentation, she touched on issues such as:

• The Copyright Amendment Bill.
• Current copyright laws.
• Different types of copyright.
• Rights granted by copyright.
• How best to protect these rights.

She highlighted the potential risks and consequences of copyright infringement when sharing, photocopying and using copyrighted material in course packs before obtaining copyright clearance.

It was a highly interactive session where the audience engaged through questions and concerns and role-played scenarios of challenges that they face on a day-to-day basis. The facilitator then provided insights into those challenges with her wealth of knowledge and experience in the subject.

In conclusion, the workshop was a great success and achieved its objective of providing valuable insights and practical knowledge to the participants. Through the interactive sessions, participants were able to learn new skills, exchange ideas and collaborate. The feedback received from the participants was overwhelmingly positive with many expressing their appreciation for the knowledge gained at the workshop. This workshop serves as a testament to the power of collaborative learning and the value of investing in professional development. It is hoped that participants will apply the knowledge and skills gained from the workshop in their respective faculties and increase copyright awareness and compliance within the UP community. 

Attendees at the Copyright Workshop.