Effects of awareness of user rights on compliance with copyright laws and policies in academic libraries

The complexities and ambiguities of copyright laws influence compliance for librarians and patrons of academic libraries. The study investigated the relationship between awareness of copyright laws, particularly user rights, and the level of compliance in academic libraries in Ghana. The sequential...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of academic librarianship 2021-07, Vol.47 (4), p.102359, Article 102359
Main Authors: Adu, Theresa L., van der Walt, Thomas B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic libraries
Compliance
Copyright
Copyright compliance
Copyright laws and policies
Copyright violations
Ghana
Infringement
Legislation
Librarians
User rights
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Summary:The complexities and ambiguities of copyright laws influence compliance for librarians and patrons of academic libraries. The study investigated the relationship between awareness of copyright laws, particularly user rights, and the level of compliance in academic libraries in Ghana. The sequential explanatory mixed methods approach was employed for data collection from 530 postgraduate students, and 4 head librarians of two public and two private universities using questionnaires, focus group discussion and qualitative interview sessions. Awareness of copyright laws and policies generally influenced copyright compliance. However compliance was differently influenced by awareness of different aspects of the copyright laws and policies. Awareness of user rights positively influenced compliance of copyright laws and policies. The positive influence of awareness of user rights on compliance implies that copyright educators, in seeking to address the increasing levels of copyright violations in academic libraries, will do well to promote user rights.
ISSN:0099-1333
1879-1999
DOI:10.1016/j.acalib.2021.102359