ALIA Code of Ethic consultation response - “The LIS Workforce” Clause 5 – IP and ICIP

It seems pretty rich to now claim that the people ALIA is forcing to sit at the children’s table are expected to comply with a code of ethics for the profession they have been locked out of. [...] Yet Clause 5 then states that we do this “while upholding the moral and legal rights of copyright holders, creators and distributors of intellectual property.” mailto:hugh@hughrundle.net Some of the most significant barriers we face in libraries when it comes to assisting with the “opportunity and right to use resources” is copyright owners and distributors who assert their legal rights to restric. [...] ALIA acknowledges this in one of the Action examples for Clause 5: “advocates for change [in legal IP and copyright regimes] to ensure a fair and equitable system.” The (accurate) implication here is that the current system is unfair and inequitable. [...] Recommendation: combine clauses 1 and 5, with • an emphasis on the existing language in Clause 1 • care to ensure that upholding moral rights of authors and ICIP holders remain a clear responsibility • the removal of the fifth action in current clause 5 – it cannot be an ethical responsibilty to uphold and defend a legal framework we find to be itself inequitable and unfair Clause 6 – Continuing p. [...] Amend or add actions to more clearly articulate the responsibility of experience and senior members of the profession to actively support and contribute to the development of other members of the profession.