Both corporate and publicly funded libraries have expressed great concern about the likely impact of this change on valuable resource sharing arrangements between libraries and community access to highly specialised private sector collections. ALIA, therefore, urges you to accept the committee's recommendation. This recommendation also cuts back on the range of free copying exceptions available to library users and library users for this type of copying. If implemented, this recommendation will remove fair dealing for research or study purposes as a legitimate exception to copyright infringement. It will only permit libraries to make digital copies from print materials for preservation type purposes and for supply to library users living in remote areas without access to normal postal services.
Libraries provide fast and affordable information access to all sectors of the community.
This recommendation will mean that libraries will not be able to supply digital copies of print resources to many of their clients without gaining permission from the copyright owner. Libraries will need to either restrict the range of services to library users or take out voluntary licences in order to make digital copies of print resources and pass on any copyright fees to their users. The Association believes that the fair dealing rights of all library users and the rights of libraries to provide limited access to digital information must be royalty free in the digital environment. The Association therefore urges you to reject Recommendation 1 of the advisory report. Temporary copies are made during the course of every electronic communication such as browsing, caching, transmitting material by email and using electronic equipment such as digital copiers and portable CD players.