Delivery of Information via the World Wide Web: A Look at Copyright and Intellectual Property Issues

Abstract

The advent of electronic publishing and the widespread use by libraries of the Internet, particularly the World Wide Web, to deliver information dictates review of the concept of legal protection of the rights of authors in their works and the "fair use" doctrine in relation to electronic provision of copyrighted materials. Current and proposed laws dealing with intellectual property as well as recent case law in the area are examined in relation to the types of Web-based information delivery currently being usedby libraries.