How to untangle the complexities of copyright law in publishing

Laura Craddock reflects on PTCs course on copyright.

Laura Craddock attended the PTCs new classroom course on copyright.

"Copyright is a topic that has left me feeling daunted. Whilst the do’s and don’ts of certain issues seemed clear-cut or obvious, others left me wading through pages of dense legal jargon, feeling more baffled and confused than when I’d started. So, when the opportunity came up to attend the one-day ‘Copyright - How to Get What You Need in the Digital Age’, I was happy to take it.

"The day began with an overview of the basics of copyright law and the legal issues that relate to it, such as intellectual property, defamation and data protection. It was interesting and helped me feel more at ease with the subject and dispel a few myths.

"Next we looked at exceptions and moral rights, data protection issues, contracts and the use of branding, social media and other online content. I hadn’t expected to come away an expert in the subject, but ended the day feeling reassured and with a greater understanding of the principles behind current procedures in my own workplace.

"All-in-all, this course provided a good grounding in helping to untangle the complexities copyright law. The materials were presented in a user-friendly manner with clear, detailed handouts, and the tutor gave thorough answers to the group's questions. There is still a great deal to be learnt, but I’ve gained the confidence to deal with issues as they arise, and the resources to look up anything I may need to confirm.

"A great beginner’s guide."

Laura was part of the launch of Copyright – How to Get What You Need in the Digital Age. This course has evolved into Copyright – the basics, a half-day virtual course run by Leslie Lansman, Global Permissions Manager at Springer Nature.