British Library

As a public-sector body, the British Library (BL) strives to balance the broader policy issues of supporting researchers by building a world class digital research environment, with the provision of a range of charged for services and retail activities, through Business Community Engagement. The BL acts as the custodian for collections in which third parties own the rights, as well as owning and generating its own IPR, including copyright, performers’ rights, database rights, design rights, trademarks and trade secrets/confidentiality. Naomi Korn Associates were commissioned by the BL to map and evaluate the various ways in which the BL interacted with IPR across its current activities, processes, relationships and future aspirations. The work carried out by Naomi Korn Associates helped the BL develop a set of standardized IPR principles to support staff, and develop more consistency across the organisation in its management of rights to demonstrate its obligations as a public body, and ultimately allowed it to move forward and embrace the opportunities presented by the digital environment.