COPYRIGHT ENFORCEMENT AND ACCESS TO WORKS IN NIGERIA AND ENGLAND: THE ROLE OF THE LIBRARY

Abstract

Copyright Laws confer a bundle of rights on authors of rights such as the rights of production, publication, performance, adaptation, broadcasting, etc, in relation to their works. This is to allow authors to reap economic benefits accruing from their creation, thereby encouraging them to create more works. However, the Laws create certain exceptions to these rights to enable the general public gain access to copyrightable works, use them fairly to create more works and thereby promote the dissemination of information and knowledge. The Copyright Laws also mandate the Libraries to carry out some functions such as lending, borrowing, production, publication, translation, etc, in relation to protected works for public use. Most often, breach of Copyright occurs in the exercise of these functions. Again, the dichotomy between Public Libraries and Private Libraries as contained in some of these Laws frustrates these Private Libraries in the discharge of their duties. Furthermore, the use of technological protective devices in Digital Libraries tends to inhibit accesses to protected works.. This work adopted doctrinal and empirical research methods in examining the Copyright Acts of Nigeria and England; and other Copyright related Instruments in order to discover the efficacy of these Laws and the performance of these Libraries in the enforcement of Copyright vis a viz public access to protected works. Recommendations were made on repositioning the Libraries to effectively carry out their function of disseminating information to the general public without any infraction of the Law.