ABSTRACT
This chapter describes various items in the literature, as represented by the Bibliography at the end. However, the uninitiated - taken as those entering the information professions, since existing professionals should already know something of copyright - may like to start with a concise paper on the basics. Copyright law tries to be even-handed both to rights owners and users, allowing the former to benefit from their work and the latter to make appropriate use of it, especially for the good of society. A ‘balancing act’ may not be found witty by commercial publishers but describes the result. The law gives exclusive rights to the first owners of copyright in respect of particular actions. ‘Research or private study’ happens to be one of the fair dealing purposes as well as the authorised purpose of library copying.
