Copyright for Librarians, a new online, open access course, has just been released by our friends at the Berkman Center and the eIFL.net (Electronic Information for Libraries). The modular course is organized into five levels that can be used for a self-taught, classroom-based, or distance-learning course. Each module is based on a case study and thoroughly explores the terminology, concepts, and issues related to copyright from a global perspective. Copyright for Librarians will be useful to librarians around the world, though it is particularly aimed at eIFL.net’s network of librarians in developing and transitional countries.
Copyright for Librarians is intended not just to provide knowledge about current copyright law, but also to create advocates for access to information. “Maximizing access to educational and learning materials is critical for development in Africa,” noted Benson Njobvu of the University of Zambia and the Zambia Library Consortium, “teaching students about legal information issues enhances the role of the librarian, preparing the next generation for a professional career in the digital age. We aim to produce librarians who will become well-informed advocates for access to knowledge.”