Copyright Resources
Welcome to OLA’s Copyright Resource page! The world of copyright and content use is a complicated one to navigate. Explore the links below and access key information, updates, and further reading material to help you manage copyright in your library and information-based organization.
- Accessible Content: A Guide to the Canadian Copyright Act on Searching for Accessible Formats and Producing and Distributing Alternate Formats – released by CARL & CFLA. This guide provides a clear, practical overview of the laws governing access to and use of copyrighted materials for people with perceptual disabilities in Canada. It covers how these laws are applied, offers a checklist of requirements, shares best practices, and provides practical advice for everyday situations. The guide also includes recommendations on eliminating barriers to access and a glossary of relevant terms (also available as an EPUB).
- Information Brief: Summary of York University v Access Copyright, Supreme Court of Canada 2021 SCC 32. (2021) Prepared August 16, 2021 by Professor Margaret Ann Wilkinson, Professor Emerita & Adjunct Full Professor (Western Law), OLA Copyright Advisor. This document is provided for information only and does not constitute legal advice.
- OLA Super Conference 2025: Copyright Update – Presented by David Fewer. In 2024, Canadian copyright law has seen notable developments in case law and policy. Courts have addressed key copyright concepts such as authorization, the overlap between fair dealing and the protection of digital locks, and the scope of moral rights. On the policy front, the government is consulting on reforms to the Copyright Act to address new challenges from artificial intelligence. Key issues include text and data mining, infringement in outputs, and the ownership of AI-generated works, with stakeholder positions polarized between fostering innovation and protecting authors’ rights.
- OLA Super Conference 2026: Copyright Update – Presented by David Fewer. Canadian copyright accelerated in 2025. Ottawa released its “What We Heard” report on Copyright in the Age of Generative AI. The report highlights text and data mining, authorship of AI outputs, and liability. And Canada consulted on renegotiating the Canada-US-Mexico Trade Agreement, including its intellectual property chapters.The courts also reshaped the landscape. The Federal Court of Appeal blocked reverse class actions, disrupting mass enforcement strategies against internet subscribers. In a separate case, the Court of Appeal suggested that “copyright misuse” may operate as a defence. That possibility places new limits on aggressive enforcement models. AI litigation expanded, including an action in which Canadian news publishers sued OpenAI in Ontario. The outcome will influence licensing terms and platform negotiations. New SOCAN tariff cycles continue at the Copyright Board and will affect broadcast and digital budgets for institutions. This session delivers the key cases and policy developments. We explain what they mean for fair dealing, text and data mining, and platform responsibility – and what they mean for libraries and librarians.
- Canadian copyright information:
- Canadian Copyright Term and Public Domain Flowchart (revised 2023) – The University of Alberta Copyright Office updated the format for the chart to make the pathways clearer and easier to navigate for users. Please send any feedback to copyright@ualberta.ca.
- Crown Copyright and Licensing:
- Canadian Intellectual Property Office
- Copyright Board of Canada
- The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) – Copyright page
- CFLA Copyright Resources page
- Copyright Matters! Some Key Questions and Answers for Teachers – 5th Edition (2022) – This booklet gives teachers user-friendly information on copyright law, covering items from the Canadian Copyright Act and its regulations, contractual and tariff arrangements with copyright collectives, and court decisions. Note: The booklet is not a substitute for legal advice, which should be sought in cases where the application of general principles is unclear.
- Fair Dealing Guidelines
- Fair Dealing Decision Tool – This tool helps teachers decide whether “fair dealing” permits classroom use of print materials, artistic works, or audiovisual materials without first getting copyright permission. The tool helps teachers determine whether a specific intended classroom use is allowed by the Fair Dealing Guidelines.
- OHLA Revised Guide to Copyright for Canadian Hospitals, 2021
- OLA Copyright Committee – formerly the Copyright User Group, this is OLA’s team of library and information professionals working with copyright laws and users.
- OLA Copyright Symposium – an annual, two-day event in early December that focuses on issues related to copyright for various types of libraries. Hosted by the OLA Copyright Committee.
- Queen’s University Copyright Libguides:
- Excess Copyright – by Howard Knopf
- Fair Dealing in Education – by Lisa Di Valentino
- Fair Duty – by Meera Nair
- IPilogue – by Osgoode Hall Law School
- Michael Geist
- Sara Bannerman
