I think this is just a case of over zealousness on the part of the library assitant…most libraries nowadays don't even have real, qualified librarians so it's down to the largely ignorant to supervise stuff like this.

My understanding is that libraries have the equivalent of the 'educational licence' that allows a 'copy' to be made for general use, information, teaching and reference etc…the whole point of these laws is to stop wholesale copying in mass to bypass the normal publisher and authors rights to a fair profit for their efforts, not to penalise ordinary students and readers.

…..You need to complain to your 'County Chief Librarian',..which hopefully your county still has!

Bye the way, the drawings you need were also published in the 25 year edition of MEW earlier this year(?)

Yes, Micheal is right, even my local copy shop has an educational licence and I have never had a problem along with the hosts of school kids who get pages copied every afternoon.

If the book you want to copy is yours, I can't see any problem, particularly if you explain the circumstances. If the book belongs to the library, then it is right that they will not allow you to photo-copy it. As a professional writer, I would claim that photo-copying a book or magazine which isn't yours is unethical – basically stealing the writer's intellectual property. If the book is yours, then try your local newspaper office – they often have a photo-copying service. Failing that, do you have a friend with a combined printer and scanner? Personally, I don't want a lot of books I possess to get dirty in the workshop, and I often scan relevant pages.

nb,

I sent you a private messag….

From some of the contributions above, anyone would think authors are either some sort of charity, or wrote books for fun. It may surprise some people, but professional writers write for a living. I am sure no-one who contributes to this forum would steal another man's pay packet, yet copying a book, in my mind, is just about as immoral. No, if you need the information contained in a book, then either buy it or borrow it from a library. Grumpy old man's rant over!

John,

I take your point, and maybe I was a little high-handed. Of course, "lending a friendly hand" is what this forum, Model Engineer, and Model Engineer's Workshop are all about. However, as a professional writer myself, I do get annoyed when I find that my work has been copied without my permission. Perhaps I shouldn't get on-line before I've had my breakfast?

"Fair dealing" for private study or research is one of the exceptions in the UK's Copyright, Designs and Patents Act which allow copying of copyright protected material without the permission of the copyright owner. The concept is not defined in the legislation, but the underlying idea is that the copying should benefit the individual or society without harming the interests of the copyright owner.

The proportion of the work that is photocopied must not be “unfair” in terms of its impact on the copyright owner. There are no defined limits, but the amount that may be copied is usually accepted to be:

• One complete chapter or extracts of up to 10% of a book.
• One article from an issue of a journal or a periodical (e.g. a newspaper).
• Up to 10 pages of a poem, short story, or other short literary work, taken from a volume of short stories or poems.
• Up to 10% (maximum 20 pages) of a short book, report or pamphlet

Private study of a "copy" in your workshop appears to be well covered.

My wife and I worked in fields related to copyright and libraries respectively for many years, so I can tell you this:

Under the copyright law, you may copy part of a book for research purposes. "Part" is often defined as one, maybe two chapters, or maybe 20 per cent, but is not specified in the law.

"Research purposes" includes any private individual researching for his own private purposes. You do not have to be a university professor or journalist or any other kind of professional researcher to make copies for research. You do not need to prove or disclose the nature of your private research.

The copyright law applies to all "literary works" as posted already, which means all printed matter, not just Shakespeare or Irvine Welsh etc.

But libraries can make their own rules, based on whatever whims please them. And increasingly poorly trained staff (most are not actual librarians these days) often get confused or can't be bothered sorting out what's what and just decide to not allow copying at all. Which makes you wonder why they would have a copy machine at a library.

You should take the issue up with the head librarian. They are falling down on the job if they are failing to allow patrons to pursue private research at their library. If they are in doubt, suggest they check with their professional association, CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals.)

Read the OP again.

He's BOUGHT the book so all care and duty has been paid.

He wants to photocopy a few pages to stop the book HE BOUGHT getting crapped up.

Amazing that 5 people have 9 views and have not read the post.

Ooops Naughty boy posted whilst I was having a rant

Edited By John Stevenson on 06/10/2016 10:19:17

We had a similar issue where I used to work. They wanted further copies of a book that was out of print. The copyright owner demanded and got £1 per copy for each copy made on top of the copying costs. Many books are covered by copyright and can have portions copied provided you have a licence. Some books though are not part of the scheme and cannot be copied without express permission, licence or not.

Posted by John Stevenson on 06/10/2016 10:18:11:

Read the OP again.

He's BOUGHT the book so all care and duty has been paid.

He wants to photocopy a few pages to stop the book HE BOUGHT getting crapped up.

Although, it makes no difference if the book belongs to the OP, or to the library, or to the Queen of Sheba. Copyright law treats it all the same. When you buy the book, you do not buy the copyright to the intellectual property. That still resides with the author. All you buy is ONE printed copy of the copyrighted intellectual material. You don't buy the right to make a second complete copy of the author's intellectual property. (But you can legally make partial copies as described above.)

Seems bizarre on the face of it, for sure. But that's the way it is. I doubt anyone ever fronted court for making a copy of their own book for their own use at home, though.

Edited By Hopper on 06/10/2016 11:16:12