TRAINING

Copyright and Digital Preservation

Understand the complexities of both born-digital materials and digital surrogates when regarding copyright.

Duration

Full day

Format

Online

Level

Intermediate

CPD Points

6

Price

£295 + VAT

Course Overview

Are you confident in managing the challenges copyright considerations when preserving digital materials of correctly?

This six-hour CPD UK accredited course, delivered as two half-day sessions, provides a comprehensive overview of copyright issues related to digital preservation. Designed for professionals involved in the management, preservation, and dissemination of digital content—including archivists, librarians, digital preservation specialists, museum professionals, and rights managers—the course explores the legal and practical challenges of copyright and licensing in the digital realm.

Focusing on both born-digital materials and digital surrogates, the course offers an in-depth examination of how copyright and licensing considerations affect the long-term preservation, management, and accessibility of digital collections.

2026 Dates:

  • 15 & 16 June (9:30am-1pm each day)

Further dates potentially available by request – contact us now!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Understand copyright exceptions, challenges and digital asset management systems in the context of digital preservation and access
  • Learn the fundamental concepts of copyright, including its duration, what is protected, and ownership of rights and “originality” particularly in the context of preserving born digital and digital surrogate materials and metadata.
  • Discuss the various types of copyright-protected works (e.g. text, images, audio-visual, software) and understand how copyright interacts with the broader framework of Intellectual Property Rights in digital collections. A brief overview of other related issues, such as GDPR will also be covered.
  • Gain insight into specific copyright considerations when preserving digital materials from social media platforms, including issues of ownership and platform terms of service.
  • Explore exceptions to copyright, such as preservation copying, dedicated terminals, educational use, and the provision of digital copies for non -commercial research and evaluate how these can support your specific digital preservation goals.
  • Analyse the use of digital asset management systems in capturing right and permissions information associated with media rich digital content.
  • Explore the challenges of managing ‘orphan works’ (works with unknown or unlocatable rights holders and learn strategies to incorporate them responsibly in digital preservation efforts.
  • Discuss the importance of licences (e.g., reuse and access agreements) in enabling lawful long-term preservation and use of digital materials. Explore how Creative Commons licences can facilitate access to digital content.
  • Learn strategies to identify, avoid, and address potential copyright infringements when managing and providing access to digital content.

Participant Feedback

“I felt confident by the end that I could go back to my organisation and speak coherently on the subject.”

Kate Parr, South West Heritage Trust, Training Participant 2025

Who Should Attend

This course is ideal for:

  • Archivists, librarians, and museum professionals
  • Media and content creators
  • Rights managers and legal teams
  • Anyone working with or clearing rights for digital preservation

What’s included

What You'll Leave With

You’ll leave this course with a thorough understanding of key legal principles, risk management strategies, and best practices for ensuring compliance while maximizing the usability of preserved digital content.

Explore Learning Pathways

Intermediate Certifications

Intermediate courses are for participants with a solid understanding of the topic, offering a deeper dive into specific areas through practical exercises, examples, and case studies.

Advanced Certifications

Advanced courses are designed for participants who want to build on their existing knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of how to implement and manage complex requirements effectively.

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