Features
Copyrights and Wrongs
Six universities share copyright expert as part of collaborative initiative
BY REBECCA KENDALL
Copyright law can be a complicated subject, and people are often confused about what rights they have to use other people's work or how to protect their own. This is especially true when teaching and researching in an academic setting, says Chabriol Colebatch, an intellectual property lawyer from Australia who became the University's copyright officer in January.
Colebatch provides expertise in copyright law and intellectual property protection to Guelph and five other universities - Waterloo, Western, McMaster, Windsor and Wilfrid Laurier - as part of C4, an initiative that sees the institutions co-ordinating, co-operating and collaborating to maximize commercialization and technology transfer.
As part of the initiative, the universities are sharing resources and expertise to establish broader partnerships, applying jointly for funding opportunities, and marketing and commercializing technologies more effectively.
Colebatch travels among all six locations and is at U of G's Business Development Office one day a week for consultation.
Many people have concerns about copyright in the back of their mind but don't have a solid understanding of its intricacies or what they're legally entitled to do, she says. Although most tend to think of copyright in terms of books and journals or artistic works and music, the issue reaches far beyond that. In a university setting, it also includes questions and concerns related to the rights of researchers doing collaborative work and the protection and use of personal websites, web-based databases and interactive teaching tools, bioinformatics applications, questionnaires and computer software, she says.
"Because universities are learning institutions, people often believe the rules don't apply because they're using copyright material for teaching purposes or for education. They think they're covered by some broad exception, but in reality, the exceptions for universities are quite limited and very specific. We can't expect everyone to be copyright experts, so I'm here to help members of the U of G community better understand how copyright works, what exceptions exist and how to protect their own work."
Colebatch's role also involves identifying, evaluating and promoting potentially commercializable copyright material. Guelph produces an enormous amount of copyright material ranging from teaching material and artwork to software and databases, and that work may have enormous appeal for other universities, industry sectors, community groups or government, she says.
"We don't want the results and products of all the great research that goes on within the University to stay within the University, locked up in some lab or office. I'm available to help the U of G community get copyright materials out to those who are interested in them and who would benefit most from them."
Colebatch's expertise complements the already extensive copyright resources found on campus. The U of G Library, the Office of Open Learning and Teaching Support Services (TSS) all have staff available to help with common copyright concerns, she says, adding that she will be one of several speakers taking part in a copyright workshop Oct. 3 at 11:30 a.m. in Room 384 of the McLaughlin Library.
Hosted by TSS in collaboration with Colebatch and the library, "Copyright, Teaching and You: What to Know and Who Can Help" is designed to educate faculty and instructional staff about copyright law and how it affects teaching. The workshop will offer insights into everything from the do's and don'ts of reproducing someone else's work to how to safeguard your own material.
Using a series of scenerios as examples, library and TSS staff will discuss copyright issues such as using audiovisual materials in class or posting copyright materials online, offer practical alternatives to help instructors avoid copyright limitations and liability, and explain whom to contact with questions related to e-reserve, copyright clearance and the use of various digital media.
Register for the workshop online at www.tss.uoguelph.ca. For more information, contact Mary Nairn at Ext. 53571 or mnairn@uoguelph.ca.
To make an appointment with Colebatch to talk about copyright issues and copyright commercialization, call Ext. 58897 or send an e-mail to ccolebat@uoguelph.ca. A list of frequently asked copyright questions and answers can be found online at www.uoguelph.ca/research/bdo/uog/copyright-faq.shtml.