Simplifying copyright through digital technology

Over the last decade, the responsibilities and working landscape for librarians and research managers operating in higher education have changed dramatically.

Recognising the increased challenges and the evolving responsibilities of higher education institutions (HEIs), the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) is seeking to make the whole business of copyright compliance easier. To this end, it is investing in new digital technology with the aim of saving time for those obtaining clearances. 

It can be a long and difficult task when asked to obtain permissions to copy additional content. It has previously been common practice that, when seeking clearance to use an additional extract or chapter requested by an academic for a course, the librarian or research manager would have to gain permission through costly third-party agents or by dealing directly with the publisher.

This back-and-forth negotiation can prove to be time-consuming and, at the end of it all, may not even prove to be fruitful. Further difficulty can arise when dealing with digital content. The growth of original born-digital content over the past few years has been significant. Yet, while the digital world seems to offer endless possibility to access information, this content is still subject to a licence or other permission.

Problems can arise when it is not always clear who to contact when seeking clearances, rendering some content seemingly inaccessible.

The CLA has sought to reduce this at times frustrating process by using technology to bring the user and content together. Over the first half of this academic year, the CLA has piloted the new Second Extract Permissions Service with HEIs. The service simplifies the process of gaining additional permissions by giving HEIs the option to buy permissions to copy and use a ‘second extract’, which amounts to another chapter/article or another five per cent, of both print and digital content. Currently available to any institution with a CLA Higher Education Licence, this service is offered on an easy-to-use digital platform; registration and account set up is free.

Licensed higher education customers simply locate the title they wish to copy using CLA’s Check Permissions online search tool, and a simple ‘traffic light’ icon shows if a second extract is available to buy for that title. Once the extract has been selected the system displays the pricing straight away. Extracts are priced per page, per student, with the rate being set by the publisher. There is a service fee of £4 per transaction.

In our continuing efforts to simplify access to copyright licensed content CLA is currently working with HEIs, publishers and technology partners to develop another rights, technology and content platform; the Digital Content Store. This new platform will enable HE librarians to upload and manage PDF extracts, discover those uploaded by other HE users, and run usage reports for content use; transforming the way in which librarians, academics and students can use content under the CLA Higher Education Licence. 

This platform will offer a more efficient way for HEI’s to access and store digital copies and remove time-costly administration. This service is currently in a development stage, being trialled by five universities around the UK, including Edinburgh, pictured left. We plan to roll out the service to all universities by August 2016; some 25 per cent of HEIs are already signed up to the Second Extract Permissions Service.