Abstract:
The Department of Library Services (DLS) organized a hybrid workshop on Copyright rules and
regulations in South Africa for all DLS client facing staff members, the invitation was also extended to
faculties within UP. This workshop was held at the Library auditorium at the Hatfield campus on the
30th of March 2023. This was a proactive initiative of the DLS’s Scholarly Communications Unit to
ensure that all DLS library staff members are fully trained to deal with any copyright queries and to
ultimately be in the position to minimize the potential risks of copyright infringement and its penalties.
Ms Denise Rosemary Nicholson of Scholarly Horizons who is an expert in the issues of copyright Laws
in South Africa was invited to facilitate the workshop. In her presentation she touched on issues such
as: Copyright Amendment Bill, current copyright laws, different types of copyright, the rights granted
by copyright, and how best to protect these rights. She highlighted the potential consequences and
risks of copyright infringement in the sharing, photocopying and use of copyrighted prescribed
textbooks, pictures, articles etc. in course packs materials if copyright clearance is not applied for
before sharing them. It was a highly interactive session where the audience engaged with questions
and concerns and playing out scenarios and the challenges they face on a day-to-day and the
facilitator provided insights to those challenges with her wealth of knowledge and experience in the
subject.
