Effective rights management is becoming increasingly important in the electronic information environment. An agreed framework involving all players is needed, within which the complexities of rights administration can be managed.
Standard metadata is a critical element in holding the various parts of the process together.
It has facilitated the development of infrastructures and made policy recommendations, which have initiated projects and influenced emerging services in the UK and overseas. Each workshop addresses a specific topic of particular current significance. The main purpose is to bring together the different communities involved in rights management, to talk about the central issues, discuss current initiatives, and try to agree on sensible common approaches. It is essential that solutions are considered on a cross-domain basis, although this may make progress slower. The focus will be on background enabling management issues.