Digital Preservation Coalition

The Digital Preservation Coalition are delighted to offer its members a preview of the latest DPC Technology Watch Report ‘Intellectual Property Rights for Digital Preservation by Andrew Charlesworth of the University of Bristol.

‘While a number of legal issues colour contemporary approaches to, and practices of, digital preservation, it is arguable that intellectual property law, represented principally by copyright and its related rights, has been by far the most dominant, and often intractable, influence,’ explained Andrew Charlesworth. 

‘It’s essential for those engaging in digital preservation to understand the letter of the law and to be able to identify and implement practical and pragmatic strategies for handling legal risks in the pursuit of preservation objectives. Moreover, those engaging in digital preservation need to advance a coherent and cogent message to rights holders, policymakers and the public with regard to the relationship between intellectual property law and digital preservation.  It is in the long-term interests of all stakeholders that modern intellectual property law permits both the implementation of effective and efficient mechanisms of digital preservation.’

This is the third of the DPC technology watch series to have been commissioned with Charles Beagrie Ltdas series editors.  Two more reports – on Preservation, Trust and E-Journals, and Digital Forensics for Preservation - are now well advanced and a further batch are now in development.

The managing editor has been further supported by an Editorial Board drawn from DPC members and peer reviewers who have commented on the text prior to release.  The Editorial Board comprises William Kilbride (Chair), Neil Beagrie (Series Editor), Janet Delve (University of Portsmouth), Sarah Higgins (Archives and Records Association), Tim Keefe (Trinity College Dublin), Andrew McHugh (University of Glasgow), Dave Thompson (Wellcome Library).

The preview report is now online for DPC members:

• Login or register for the DPC site
• Download the preview report

It will be available for general release in the third quarter of 2012.