Canadian Association of Research Libraries Report on Digital Locks

In February 2012, the Canadian Association of Research Libraries assembled a working group to explore the impact of digital locks on the work of Canadian library staff.

The report about digital locks in a changing copyright environment was made available recently on the association website:

"The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL), the Canadian Library Association (CLA) and a number of groups expressed concerns when Bill C-11, the Copyright Modernization Act was introduced to parliament in September 2011. These concerns focused on the impact that the bill’s restrictive language about the circumvention of digital locks would have on library operations."

"CARL, like many other groups, recommended that restrictions on digital lock circumvention be limited to infringing uses only, so as to avoid preventing otherwise legal uses, such as fair dealing. CLA raised similar concerns, stating that:"

"Legislation which does not include the right to bypass digital locks for non-infringing purposes is fundamentally flawed.  If digital locks trump access for legitimate purposes, Canada’s libraries will have difficulty in fulfilling their mandates and Canadians will lose access to some information that is currently available."

"In the fall of 2012, University of Ottawa law professor and information policy commentator Michael Geist ran a series of blog posts entitled the Daily Digital Locks Dissenter.  For 51 days, Dr. Geist posted statements from a wide variety of organizations and groups across Canada against the digital locks provisions contained in Bill C-11. "

"Digital locks clearly concerned many groups across the country, but questions remained about the real impact these locks will have on the day-to-day work of libraries. This question needed an answer as C-11 moved closer to becoming law, with its restrictive digital locks rules intact. " (...)

"This report of the group’s findings and recommendations can serve as a starting point for libraries as they begin to think about digital locks in a changing copyright environment."