Copyright guide: what are the rules governing copyright?

The principal copyright legislation in the UK is the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 ("the 1988 Act"). This Act has been amended by a number of Statutory Instruments, arising largely from the implementation of various EU Directives. The Copyright (Librarians and Archivists) (Copying of Copyright Materials) Regulations 1989 ("the Library Regulations") govern the activities of the Library. In addition, the University of Sheffield is signatory to a number of copyright licences.
Under the 1988 Act, the copyright owner has the exclusive right to:

• to copy a work
• to issue copies of a work
• to rent or lend the work to the public
• to make an adaptation of the work
• to perform, show or play the work in public
• to communicate the work to the public

In addition the author of a copyright work has certain “moral rights” that always remain with the author. These are the right to be identified as the author of the work, the right to object to derogatory treatment of his work and the right to object to false attribution of a work.

The copying of material protected by copyright is an act restricted by the 1988 Act and so generally cannot be done without permission from the copyright owner(s), either directly, or through a copyright licence.

A key feature of the 1988 Act is that anyone wishing to make a single copy of a short extract from any book, journal or newspaper for the purposes of research for a non-commercial purpose or private study, is likely to be able to do so under the "fair dealing" provisions. Anyone may also ask a librarian in a not-for-profit library, which includes the University of Sheffield Library, to supply them with such a copy, but must sign a declaration confirming the purpose of the copying. Copying more than a short extract needs permission from the copyright owner(s), or a licence.

For more information on making multiple copies for teaching purposes see:
Library Coursepacks service

For further information on obtaining digitised readings (Eoffprints) see:
Eoffprints service