Statement from the BPAA re: Access Copyright Downsizing and Restructuring
Posted .
On behalf of the members of the Book Publishers Association of Alberta, I am writing today to urge the Government of Canada to fix the broken Copyright Act, and avert the actions being taken by our copyright collective, Access Copyright, to downsize and restructure their organization.
For over 30 years, Access Copyright has facilitated content use for educational and professional purposes. Access Copyright has helped people make customized use of published materials combined with an assurance that the original creators and publishers also benefit, so that they can continue creating new and innovative works. This is vitally important to a strong Canadian culture and to all who rely on quality publications.
Without the oversight and collective work that Access Copyright does, creators and publishers will be put in the impossible position of having to enter into these negotiations for every individual arrangement that they make. Our independent publishers simply do not have the resources to take on this work, and the absence of Access Copyright within our industry will devastate the book publishing industry in Canada.
There have been meetings, consultations, lobby efforts, position papers, letters, media releases and many other communications between our industry and your government.
We are at the end of the road, here. We need you to act. We need you to fix the Copyright Act immediately, before we reach a place of no return.
For more information, contact:
Kieran Leblanc, Executive Director
Book Publishers Association of Alberta
780-918-8375
kleblanc@bookpublishers.ab.ca