Understanding Copyright Webinar Series

Understanding Copyright Webinar Series

13 April 2021

Issues surrounding copyright law and related rights are of relevance to archivists and the cultural heritage sector worldwide. With an increased shift to online engagement, it is more important than ever for anyone who collects, preserves, and shares material-both in person and online-to have at least a basic understanding of how to address copyright issues and manage related risks.

Copyright issues can be notoriously complex and nuanced. The Scottish Council on Archives is delighted to be working with Dr Ellie Pridgeon to deliver a series of webinars to help demystify the topic. The series features practical examples and case studies to help those who manage archive collections to approach copyright quandaries with greater confidence and clarity.

Session One: Introduction

The first in a series of five offers an introduction to copyright and archives.

Session Two: Copyright Duration

In our second webinar, Ellie explores copyright duration and offers insight to managing online materials.

Session Three: Managing and Researching Orphan Works

This session focuses on managing ‘orphan works’ in heritage organisations. Ellie looks at approaches to researching, administering, and risk managing orphan works. The session also examines the impact of the UK’s departure from the EU on copyright, and explores how heritage organisations can manage their orphan works in a post-Brexit world.

Session Four: Exhibitions

This session focuses on UK copyright legislation relating to the exhibition of archive material in the online and physical environments. Through an examination of archive sector case studies, we will consider how heritage organisations manage and risk assess material identified for exhibition.

Session Five: Licensing 

This session focuses on UK copyright legislation relating to the licensing of archive material. We will examine licensing content in – agreements with suppliers and volunteers – as well as licensing archive content out. The focus will be on Creative Commons licences. An examination of archive sector case studies will assist in considering how heritage organisations are managing content for licensing.

About Ellie:

Dr Ellie Pridgeon, BA, MA, PhD, Arch Dip, FSA, Director, Consultant Archivist Ltd

As an archives consultant, Ellie works with a range of heritage organisations, including museums, universities, charities and community archives. She was also copyright consultant for Naomi Korn Associates.