Information professionals and copyright literacy: a multinational study
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present findings from a multinational survey on copyright literacy of specialists from libraries and other cultural institutions.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is based on a multinational survey of copyright literacy competencies of Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals and those who work in the cultural heritage sector (archives and museums), conducted in 13 countries, namely Bulgaria (BG), Croatia (CR), Finland (FI), France (FR), Hungary (HU), Lithuania (LT), Mexico (MX), Norway (NO), Portugal (PT), Romania (RO), Turkey (TR), UK and USA in the period July 2013-March 2015. An online survey instrument was developed in order to collect data from professionals regarding their familiarity with, knowledge and awareness of, and opinions on copyright-related issues.
Findings
Findings of this study highlight gaps in existing knowledge of copyright, and information about the level of copyright literacy of LIS and cultural sector professionals. Also attitudes toward copyright learning content in academic education and continuing professional development training programs are investigated.
Originality/value
This study aimed to address a gap in the literature by encompassing specialists from the cultural institutions in an international comparative context. The paper offers guidance for further understanding of copyright in a wider framework of digital and information literacy; and for the implementation of copyright policy, and the establishment of copyright advisor positions in cultural institutions. The recommendations support a revision of academic and continuing education programs learning curriculum and methods.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The comparative multinational study is a part of research project with international participation “Copyright Policies of libraries and other cultural institutions” (2012-2014), (financed by National Science Fund of the Bulgarian Ministry of Education, Youth and Science, Contract No DFNI-К01/0002-21.11.2012).
Citation
Todorova, T.Y., Kurbanoglu, S., Boustany, J., Dogan, G., Saunders, L., Horvat, A., Terra, A.L., Landøy, A., Repanovici, A., Morrison, C., Vanderkast, E.J.S., Secker, J., Rudzioniene, J., Kortelainen, T. and Koltay, T. (2017), "Information professionals and copyright literacy: a multinational study", Library Management, Vol. 38 No. 6/7, pp. 323-344. https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-01-2017-0007
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited