[A2k] IFLA intervention at sccr/19 this week

[Barbara Stratton]

Dear all

The IFLA intervention at sccr/19 this week.

Kind regards and happy Christmas

Barbara


Barbara Stratton
copyright & information society
consultant and trainer

_____________________________



WIPO SCCR/19 14-18 December 2009

Agenda item 4: Limitations and exceptions


Libraries and Education


Joint Intervention by International Federation of Library Associations
(IFLA) and Electronic Information for Libraries (eIFL)


Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am speaking on behalf of IFLA, the International
Federation of Library Associations, with the support of eIFL, Electronic
Information for Libraries. We welcome Ambassador Trevor Clarke to his new
appointment. We also wish J=F8rgen Blomqvist well in his new role. We thank
the Secretariat for publishing such interesting and informative studies on
exceptions for education. These bring out the role of libraries in
supporting education, and we note that a number of the findings concur with
our own perception of the situation.


Education and libraries go hand in hand.  A good education service depends
on good libraries which are not only physical spaces but also provide 24/7
digital learning environments, and indeed Professor Xalabarder's study foun=
d
that libraries are usually the source of teaching and learning materials. I=
n
high income countries, there is already little distinction between physical
and virtual classrooms. This is because the use of virtual learning
environments in education is now so common that it can no longer be treated
differently from traditional forms of delivery. As technical infrastructure
improves, many developing countries will expand online teaching. For
instance, in July 2009, undersea cables bringing high-speed internet to
eastern Africa went live, so the vision of virtual classrooms throughout
Africa will be achieved sooner rather than later.


Education and lifelong learning are key public policy issues which can only
properly be addressed through legislation. Libraries have statutory
exceptions for educational purposes in many countries. Therefore there is a
strong interaction between the two. It is clear that library and education
exceptions must be dealt with together.


We ask that solutions be found, including norm setting, to address the
disparities and gaps in legislation illustrated in the WIPO studies.
Exceptions for libraries and for education are an international issue
requiring urgent attention from this Committee. National solutions no longe=
r
work in the global digital and networked world we now live in. The Treaty
proposed by Brazil, Ecuador and Paraguay for reading disabled people is a
good example of the forward looking thinking that is needed.


We warmly welcome the United States=B9 statement and commitment to better
exceptions in copyright law as part and parcel of a balanced system of IP.
The studies make it clear that it is important that exceptions for librarie=
s
and education now become a concrete agenda item for this Committee with the
aim of resolving the problems that have been identified to provide a fair
environment for libraries and education.


Thank you for your attention.


Contacts:

Awa Ciss=E9, eIFL

Teresa Hackett, eIFL

Kelly Milam, IFLA

Barbara Stratton, IFLA

Winston Tabb, IFLA