An examination of the copyright clearance activities in UK Higher Education

Reports results of a questionnaire survey of 57 persons with copyright clearance functions in UK Higher Education Libraries and beyond. research project supported by the 2000 Elsevier/LIRG Research Award, entitled “Clearing the Way: copyright clearance in UK Libraries”. Examines the questionnaire responses and case study interviews with regard to the copyright clearance process. Provides an overview of clearance in UK HEIs, namely: who clears rights and where; what materials were being cleared and for what purpose; and what licences and clearing houses were used. It then examines the clearance procedures themselves: receiving requests from internal customers, tracing rights holders, sending requests, rights holder response times and chasing, refusals and unanswered requests, and the terms of permission, including cost. Concludes that copyright clearance is a complex, time-consuming activity for libraries, and that the problems could be addressed on many levels.