Copyright: Launch of the Section 108 Study Group website

Posted by Andrea Ryce on August 19th, 2005 Posted in: News from NLM

---

What is Section 108?

Section 108 of the Copyright Act permits libraries and archives to make certain uses of copyrighted materials in order to serve the public and ensure the availability of works over time. Among other things, Section 108 provides limited exceptions for libraries and archives to make copies in specified instances for preservation, replacement and patron access (in other words, this is what makes Interlibrary Loan possible).

The Section 108 Study Group is a select committee of copyright experts, convened by the Library of Congress, and charged with updating for the digital world the Copyright Act balance between the rights of creators and copyright owners and the needs of libraries and archives. The website includes a link to Section 108 of the Copyright Act and various background papers and reports discussing issues pertinent to libraries and archives.

For more information, visit http://www.loc.gov/section108/.