<$BlogRSDUrl$> Marcus P. Zillman, M.S., A.M.H.A. Author/Speaker/Consultant
Marcus P. Zillman, M.S., A.M.H.A. Author/Speaker/Consultant
Internet Happenings, Events and Sources


Friday, October 15, 2004  

Intellectual Property and Electronic Theses
http://www.jisclegal.ac.uk/publications/ethesesandrew.htm#content

Converting paper-based theses to digital has implications for the way the materials are created, stored, organized, managed and accessed. Digital media open up both the examination and dissemination of theses, further blurring the distinctions between them. Dr. Theo Andrew of the University of Edinburgh points out that copyright issues are critical. It's often necessary to alter the existing copyright agreements between the rights holders, usually the primary author, and those responsible for theses management, usually the university library. Before entering into any agreements, Andrew says, it's important to determine who actually owns the copyright to the work. There are a number of key stakeholders in the production of theses, including the author, host institution and perhaps the funding bodies. Andrew also urges setting down an End User License Agreement to clearly define what rights end users have to access, downloaded and reproduce material, and to remind users of any restrictions placed on the item. This gives authors and institutions some protection against plagiarism or changes to the content. Andrew's online report includes a number of sample license agreements, covering a range of possible scenarios, including thesis deposition, restriction and use. These can replace the standard agreements sent with digital repository software. This will be added to Academic Resources 2004-05 Internet MiniGuide.

posted by Marcus Zillman | 4:10 AM
archives
subject tracers™