Intellectual property can be defined as an intangible product of ideas, knowledge and expression of the human mind that has commercial value. It can also relate to symbols, names and images. Examples of intellectual property are designs, copyright, patents and trademarks.
I feel it is only right to give authors sufficient control over their work so that they have an incentive to create, while maintaining the right of the public to make fair use of that information. David Shenk's book titled 'Data Smog' P. 220 cites 'In neither context does information want “to be free”. Rather, it needs to be protected.'
As Susy Frankel pointed out in her article in New Zealand Libraries December 1996
‘The growth of the Internet does not mean the end of copyright’. It has definitely caused more problems as copying is much easier in electronic form. The recent copyright legislation passed in New Zealand parliament recently is an example of how people who breach copyright through illegal file sharing could be fined up to $15,000 unless they can prove their innocence. When someone claim that “I am not a pirate. I have never downloaded anything illegally at any time” Will this be hard to believe? Moreover, real pirates are smart enough not to get caught.
Information centres and professionals should be cautious about copyright implications when downloading copyright works on the Internet or for that matter making photocopies over the limit on the copier. In libraries where public access to the Internet is available, libraries should safeguard themselves by displaying warning notices. As the internet is plentiful with information, I suppose copyright infringement can be complicated when there is no one managing the Net.
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