Copyright Policy

Glossary of Copyright Terms

Copyright

The exclusive right, granted by law for a certain number of years, to make copies, license, and otherwise exploit a literary, musical, or artistic work, whether printed, audio, video, digital, or other form of expression.

Copyrighted Works

Works protected under the copyright law include:

  • Literary works, including books, articles, and poems.
  • Musical works, including compositions and lyrics.
  • Dramatic works, including plays and scripts.
  • Artistic works, including paintings, drawings, and photographs.
  • Films, videos, and other audio-visual works.
  • Sound recordings, including music and spoken word recordings.
  • Architectural works, including buildings and blueprints.
  • Software, including computer programs and applications.
  • Web content, including websites and online articles.
Economic Rights

Economic rights are a set of rights that give creators control over the economic exploitation of their works. The economic rights of creators include:

  • The right of reproduction: The exclusive right to reproduce a work in any form, such as making copies or creating derivative works.
  • The right of distribution: The exclusive right to distribute copies of a work to the public by sale, rental, or other transfer of ownership.
  • The right of public performance: The exclusive right to perform a work in public, such as in a concert or theatrical production.
  • The right of public display: The exclusive right to display a work in public, such as in an art exhibition or on a website.
  • The right of adaptation: The exclusive right to create derivative works based on the original work, such as translations or adaptations to different media.
Fair Use

Fair use is a legal doctrine that allows the limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright owner for certain purposes, such as criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research.

Intellectual Property (IP)

Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, symbols, designs, and trade secrets, that are protected by law. IP rights grant exclusive rights to the creator or owner of these intangible assets, allowing them to prevent others from using or exploiting their creations without permission.

Law No. 82 Article 171(8)

Authors of copyrighted works aren’t allowed to object to the copying of a single copy of the work by an archive or libraries that do not aim for profit, directly or indirectly, in either of the following cases:

  • 171(8) A. A copy of a published article, a short work, or an excerpt from a work, provided that the purpose of the copying is to meet the request of a natural person to use it for study or research, for a one-time use or for intermittent periods.
  • 171(8) B. The copying is for the purpose of preserving the original copy or replacing a copy that has been lost, damaged, or become unusable, and it is impossible to obtain a reasonable substitute.
Licenses

A license is a legal agreement between the owner of a particular intellectual property (such as software, music, or a patent) and another party that grants specific rights to use, modify, distribute, or sell that property. Licenses can be either proprietary or open source.

National IP Law

The Egyptian Intellectual Property Law No. 82 for the year 2002. "Amended up to Law No. 178 of 2020"

Introduction

The Newgiza University Libraries are committed to provide an environment that supports the creation, preservation, and dissemination of knowledge.

In this regard, the NGU Libraries adhere to the NGU Intellectual Property Policy and copyright laws whether national or global, to ensure that the rights of copyright holders and users are respected and protected.

This policy outlines the responsibilities and expectations for both the library staff and users regarding copyright compliance at the NGU Libraries

Scope of the policy

This policy applies to all employees, contractors, students, and patrons of the NGU Libraries. It governs the use of copyrighted materials, including print, electronic, and multimedia resources, as well as the provision of library services that may involve the use of copyrighted content

3.1 Library Staff

Library staff are responsible for:

  • Adhering to this copyright policy and the applicable copyright laws.
  • Seeking guidance from the University's legal counsel when faced with complex copyright questions or concerns.
  • Providing education and resources to library users on copyright and related issues.

3.2 Library Users

Library users are responsible for:

  • Complying with this copyright policy and the applicable copyright laws when using library resources.
  • Seeking permission from copyright holders or relying on a copyright exception, such as fair use, when using copyrighted materials beyond what is allowed by licenses or agreements.

Respecting the rights of copyright holders and the terms and conditions of licenses and agreements governing library resources.

Copyright Guidelines

The following guidelines are derived from the NGU IP Policy and the Egyptian Copyright Law No. 82 of the year 2002.

4.1 Copyright Guidelines for Purchasing, Donations, and Subscriptions:

4.1.1 Printed Collection:

Guidelines:

  • The Library enriches its printed collection via legitimate vendors.
  • All books provided by them must be original copies to protect the author’s Intellectual Property Rights.
  • All donated materials must be original, and the library maintains all rights to refuse the inclusion of illegitimate books to its collection.

All materials are inspected by the acquisition team upon receival. Failure to comply with these conditions could resort in the termination of contract with said vendor or refusal of donation.  

4.1.2 Online Collection:

Guidelines:

  • All materials provided via the databases, whether open access or paid, are subject to copyright protection unless stated otherwise.
  • The databases are responsible for the materials provided through them. Any copyright infringed material provided via them is the responsibility of the database. Any database that is found to be providing illegitimate or pirated content will be subject to removal from the library collection.
  • In case of paid databases, the NGU Libraries retain all rights to limit access to only the NGU community to protect the copyrighted materials.

4.2 Copyright Guidelines for Services:

4.2.1 Circulation:

The library's circulation service provides controlled and responsible access to copyrighted materials, ensuring that only members of the NGU community (students and staff) can borrow these items and that there are limits on the number of items that can be checked out at one time. This approach helps to ensure that copyrighted materials are used in a responsible manner and that their content is not easily shared or distributed without authorization.

4.2.2 Reproduction and Redistribution of works:

Including but not limited to:

  • Printing
  • Document Delivery
  • Preservation
  • Photocopying
  • Digitization
  • Published content (website/subject guides)

Regarding reproduction and redistribution of copyrighted materials via printing, the document delivery service (Digital copies of the item) or online content.

The library adheres to:

  • Article 171 (Eighth segment) in law No. 82 for the year 2002.
  • Monetary and Public Redistribution Licenses and Public domain rules.

Guidelines:

  • The printed or electronic copy must not be more than one chapter in case of books, or an article, in case of journals.
  • All reproduced materials are to be used for educational and research purposes only unless its license states otherwise.
  • All materials provided via the printing or document delivery services must be from the library collection.
  • The library retains the right to produce a single copy for preservation to preserve or replace the original copy in case it has been damaged or became unusable and it’s impossible to obtain for any reason.
  • Materials published through the library digital platforms (Website, Digital repository, social media, etc.) Including text documents and multimedia content must belong to the library, the library retains a license to use them, or the materials are in the public domain.
  • All materials must be referenced properly and external links to the original may be provided if necessary.
  • Out links must lead to legitimate website. Piracy and other similar websites shall not be included in the library website and will be banned over the library networks or any other medium.

Enforcement

5.1 Failure to comply with this copyright policy may result in disciplinary action, loss of library privileges, or legal consequences, as appropriate.

Policy Review

6.1 This policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure that it remains current and relevant. Any proposed changes to the policy will be reviewed by the University Librarian and approved by the University's legal counsel.

Date: 2023-12-20
Version: 0.1
Created by: Hussain Mossad, Eng. Abdullrahman Hegazy
Revised By: Prof. S. Shaheen