Copyright in Manuscript Sources
Abstract
This article discusses a number of implications for manuscript sources preserved in archival repositories with respect to the Canadian copyright law, as well as requests a revision of the law. The law inadequately defines certain terms such as literary works, publication, and author, making it difficult for archivists to apply the law without infringing upon it. The clause authorizing fair use of documents for research purposes is the only clause to date to allow archival material to be available to researchers. Although the absence of opposition by those holding copyright on archival materials can be seen as an acceptance of current practices, the law continues to be vague. The law must be revised so as to specifically include the use of material preserved in archives, as well as support current practices that archival repositories have had to adopt regarding the reproduction of their documents.
RÉSUMÉ
Cet article discute de certaines implications de la loi canadienne du copyright pour les sources manuscrites conservées dans les dépôts d'archives et en réclame une révision. Parce que cette loi définit maladroitement certains termes comme travail littéraire, publication, auteur, il est difficile pour l'archiviste de l'utiliser sans y contrevenir; seule la clause autorisant toute utilisation honnête de documents pour fins de recherche a permis jusqu'ici de mettre le matériel archivistique à la disposition du chercheur. Bien que l'absence de protestations de la part de ceux qui détiennent les droits d'auteurs sur la documentation archivistique manuscrite puisse être interprétée comme une acceptation des pratiques courantes, la loi n'en demeure pas moins vague. I1 ne fait aucun doute qu'elle devrait être révisée afin de tenir compte spécifiquement de l'utilisation du matériel conservé dans les archives et sanctionner les pratiques courantes que les dépôts d'archives ont dû adopter quant à la reproduction de leurs documents.
Authors of manuscripts accepted for publication retain copyright in their work. They are required to sign the Agreement on Authors' Rights and Responsibilities that permits Archivaria to publish and disseminate the work in print and electronically. In the same agreement, authors are required to confirm that "the material submitted for publication in Archivaria, both in its paper and electronic versions, including reproductions of other works (e.g. photographs, maps, etc.) does not infringe upon any existing copyright." Authors of manuscripts accepted for publication retain copyright in their work and are able to publish their articles in institutional repositories or elsewhere as long as the piece is posted after its original appearance on archivaria.ca. Any reproduction within one year following the date of this agreement requires the permission of the General Editor.
