Copyright and Librarians: Seminar in West Africa
Access to knowledge is fundamental to education and research, to improve lives and to the development of societies. And libraries play a key role in providing access to knowledge and learning resources.
As copyright governs the ownership, control and distribution of knowledge, librarians should be informed about copyright law, the aspects that most affect libraries, and how librarians can most effectively participate in the processes by which copyright law is shaped.
UNESCO, through its Participation Programme, is supporting the organization of a seminar on 23-25 October 2013 in Dakar, Senegal to discuss the teaching of copyright to librarians in West Africa, using the online open “Copyright for Librarians” / Les Droits d’Auteur pour Bibliothécaires.
The seminar is co-organized by EIFL (Electronic Information for Libraries) with the Consortium des Bibliothèques de l’Enseignement Supérieur du Sénégal (COBESS).
Academics from Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana and Mali who are involved in the teaching of copyright to librarians will participate in a specialist seminar by invitation, followed by a one day intensive training for local librarians. Guest speakers are Professor Peter Jaszi, American University Law School, Washington D.C. and Benson Njobvu, University of Zambia.
Previous regional seminars took place in East Africa (2009) and Eastern Europe (2010) that resulted in increased awareness about library copyright issues, and take-up of the curriculum.
UNESCO’s Participation Programme functions as a complement to UNESCO’s regular activities by facilitating the implementation of national, sub-regional, inter-regional and regional projects directly related to the activities of the Organization. The funding request for this seminar was kindly supported by the Senegalese National Commission.
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