Managing Copyright in Digital Collections: A Focus on Creative Commons Licences

Digital collections in public institutions can benefit from Creative Commons licenses, as they allow the responsible sharing and use of information online by faculty, students, researchers, and the public at large. This essay outlines the proper management of Creative Commons licenses in the following order: first, the current state of copyright in Canada; second, how the Creative Commons functions and its relation to free culture and Open Access; third, Creative Commons for public institution collections, and not just as a holding body, but as a repository; fourth, tools for managing Creative Commons licences online, including digital rights management (DRM) and technological protection measures (TPMs); and fifth, future impacts of the Creative Commons on digital collections. Creative Commons licences offer libraries that opportunity to expand their patronage and explore broader uses of their collections.