Understanding Copyright Law for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Materials

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the last decade the issue of copyright has become more complex for Slavic and East European librarians for a number of reasons. Technological advances have led to new forms of publication and new options for document distribution, and have also had a major impact on intellectual property law in the U.S. and abroad. As the technical means for copying and distributing materials in various formats have increased, and as electronic resources comprise a steadily increasing proportion of the material used in libraries, copyright law has become more integral to the work of librarians. In the background of technological progress, the newly independent states which emerged after the dissolution of Communism have all adopted new copyright laws within the context of global developments in intellectual property legislation. This paper provides a context for copyright as it relates to the work of Slavic and East European librarians in the U.S., by offering a framework for understanding the main issues surrounding copyright and a method for approaching questions related to copyright protection of library materials. The emphasis of this article is on use by U.S. libraries of textual material created or published in Slavic and East European countries.