Biblioteca Julio Pérez Ferrero in Colombia

Colombia is currently planning a major reform of its copyright laws which will impact libraries and their users. They offer an opportunity to provide the tools necessary to seize new opportunities to give access to knowledge and overcome new challenges.

 

IFLA has therefore addressed a letter to Ms María Claudia Lacouture, Minister for Trade, Industry and Tourism. Underlining the contribution libraries make to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the letter proposes steps which will help achieve this potential.

 

Suggestions include maintaining exceptions to copyright for reproduction, ensuring that measures are suitable for a digital age, and measures to prevent abusive use of contract terms and technological measures to prevent libraries and their users from enjoying possibilities created for them in law.

 

The letter also looks forward to Colombian ratification of the Treaty of Marrakesh, and to collaboration in achieving a good solution for libraries in the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights. 

 

IFLA and its Colombian members stand ready to work with the government to do the best for libraries and their users.