AARL

Libraries and copyright

Dennis Pearce

Abstract: The purpose of copyright law is to encourage authors to formulate new ideas and publish information. It does this by limiting the use that may be made of copyright works without the permission of the owner of the copyright. However, the law has always recognised that to allow unlimited control on the use of works by copyright owners could result in those owners being given the right to determine who can access ideas and information. Hence the law has sought to balance the public interest in having access to ideas and information with the equally important public interest in encouraging and rewarding the formulation and publication of such ideas and information.

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