This is somewhat old news but extremely interesting to us:
Copyright deal clears way for European Digital Library
EUOBERVER / BRUSSELS – An EU expert group on digital libraries has agreed to a basic model for handling copyrights for digitalised cultural publications in libraries.
The break-through deal is part of the European Digital Library initiative, launched in June 2005, to preserve European cultural and scientific heritage and make it available online in closed networks.
The deal takes the form of a flat-rate license, payable to publishers of orphaned or out of print works, and the resulting digitised copies may be made available to libraries across Europe. The licensee library would also be responsible for collecting revenue for use from other libraries.
The International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations (IFRRO) welcomed the deal. “I am pleased with this break-through, in particular it is positive that the deal is based on a license model”, said Tarja Koskinen-Olsson, honorary president of the IFRRO.
The exact level for remuneration of rights-holders is not part of the deal, but €1 is considered as a likely payment each time a piece of work is used, according to sources close to the expert group.
Insiders estimate this to be a fairly good payment of rights-holders. In comparison, online downloads of commercial music typically cost one dollar. The exact payment would depend on negotiations of the individual licenses.
The bill would end up with the cultural institutions, which are in many cases funded by public funds.
It is hoped that the libraries could also save some money if they co-operate on digitalising publications and avoiding duplication.
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