Current Best Practices among Cultural Heritage Institutions when Dealing with Copyright Orphan Works and Analysis of Crowdsourcing Options

The purpose of this study is to establish the current state of best practices among Cultural Heritage Institutions (CHIs) when dealing with in-copyright orphan works in three countries: the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Italy. A baseline understanding of current practice provides a benchmark against which crowdsourcing (or any other proposal) to address the challenge posed by orphan works can be evaluated. The research team used a purposive sample to approach the ‘Big 3’ national libraries and film archives in each country, typically including the national library, the national archive and the national film archive. The researchers also aimed to include at least one institution from each jurisdiction that had used the EUIPO database, and one institution that digitized orphan works but opted not to use the database. 15 cultural institutions are included in the study. A semi-structured interview format was used to gather qualitative and quantitative data about the CHIs, their collections, their diligent search processes, the results of rights clearance for specific digitization projects, their thoughts on the potential of crowd-sourcing as a solution, and their views on the current legislative framework

Safety and utility of image-guided research biopsies in relapsed high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma-experience of the BriTROC consortium.

BACKGROUND: Investigating tumour evolution and acquired chemotherapy resistance requires analysis of sequential tumour material. We describe the feasibility of obtaining research biopsies in women with relapsed ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC). METHODS: Women with relapsed ovarian HGSC underwent either image-guided biopsy or intra-operative biopsy during secondary debulking, and samples were fixed in methanol-based fixative. Tagged-amplicon sequencing was performed on biopsy DNA. RESULTS: We screened 519 patients in order to enrol 220. Two hundred and two patients underwent successful biopsy, 118 of which were image-guided. There were 22 study-related adverse events (AE) in the image-guided biopsies, all grades 1 and 2; pain was the commonest AE. There were pre-specified significant AE in 3/118 biopsies (2.5%). 87% biopsies were fit-for-purpose for genomic analyses. Median DNA yield was 2.87 μg, and was higher in biopsies utilising 14 G or 16 G needles compared to 18 G. TP53 mutations were identified in 94.4% patients. CONCLUSIONS: Obtaining tumour biopsies for research in relapsed HGSC is safe and feasible. Adverse events are rare. The large majority of biopsies yield sufficient DNA for genomic analyses-we recommend use of larger gauge needles and methanol fixation for such biopsies, as DNA yields are higher but with no increase in AEs

Extended Collective Licensing in the UK - One Year On: - A Review of the Law and a Look Ahead to the Future.

This paper presented in two parts, outlines the development of the extended collective licensing regulations in the UK in Part One. In doing so, the paper draws a line through the failed attempt of the Gowers Review 2006 to the success of the Hargreaves Review 2011 and ultimately to the successful implementation of an extended collective licensing scheme in 2014. Part Two reviews the scheme, which has now been in place for more than one year and explores the progress of the licensing organisations in implementing the scheme. Furthermore, from the perspective of one of the oldest extended collective licensing schemes in the world - i.e., Denmark – the paper questions whether the UK can learn any lessons from the Danish system in moving forward

Archives and Copyright: Risk and Reform

This paper considers the place of the archive sector within the copyright regime, and how copyright impacts upon the preservation, access to, and use of archival holdings. It will begin with a critical assessment of the current parameters of the UK copyright regime as it applies to the work of archivists, including recommendations for reform that have followed in the wake of the Gowers Review of Intellectual Property (2006-2010), the Hargreaves Review of Intellectual Property and Growth (2010-2011), the recent Consultation on Copyright (2011-12), as well as the government’s response thereto: Modernising Copyright (2012). It considers the various problems the copyright regime presents for archives undertaking mass digitisation projects as well as recent European and UK initiatives in this domain. It argues that the UK copyright regime, even when read in conjunction with current national and regional recommendations for reform, falls short of delivering a legal framework that would enable archivists to realise the full potential that comprehensive, universal online access to the country’s archival holdings would contribute to local and national democracy and accountability, to education, learning, and culture, and to the sense of identity and place for local people, communities and organisations. Ultimately, a case is made for the differential treatment of archives within the copyright regime – different, that is, from libraries and other related institutions operating within the cultural sector. The paper concludes with a policy recommendation that would greatly enhance the ability of archives to provide online access to their holdings, while at the same time safeguarding the economic interests of the authors and owners of copyright-protected work