Social media | Libraries wonder: Can recommending a book violate copyright?

Culture|Social media

New the copyright license is causing a stir in Finnish libraries. About it with news According to the library magazine some libraries keep the contract recommended by the Municipal Association far too expensive, and in Oulu, for example, there is no intention to conclude an agreement at all.

The pilot agreement developed by copyright organizations, the Municipal Association and a representative of libraries would make libraries pay for the use of literature and illustrations on websites, videos and social media. According to the agreement, the copyright threshold would be exceeded when, for example, the book is read on video or the cover of the book is used, for example, as an illustration for a library reading diploma.

The amount of the compensation is 14.5 cents per resident, if you take the separate contracts offered by both Sanasto and Kopiosto. For example, in the Helsinki region, compensation amounts would rise to tens of thousands of euros.

A library magazine according to some libraries have been afraid of possible fees and have stopped displaying the covers. Editor-in-chief of the library magazine Ville Vaarne considers the situation special in a country with declining literacy rates.

“If things were simple, libraries would be free to present the covers on their social media channels and, for example, in the streams of story lessons. This would be useful both for authors and publishers and, above all, for the general public,” he writes in his editorial.

Also on social media, the matter caused astonishment. For example, book cover photos are enthusiastically shared on Instagram, and Tiktok’s book recommendations are believed to have strongly influenced the popularity of printed books.

The library magazine suspects that even a book tip containing a book cover might violate copyright. Kopiosto’s legal representative Kirsi Salmelan however, it is a misunderstanding.

“This is about a much broader agreement than book covers. It applies, for example, to cases where the book is read with a fairy tale video or its illustration is used in a blog.”

The strongest criticism is directed at the fact that non-profit libraries are made to pay, even though they do free marketing in favor of reading and literature.

“All of us, including copyright organizations, do a lot of work to promote reading. The purpose of these agreements is not to prevent use, but to enable it without having to apply for permission again every time.”

Invoices have been sent to ordinary people for photos published on Some. Can a private person be liable for compensation if they post a picture of the book cover on social media?

“Can not. Kopiosto has not sent and will not send invoices to ordinary people. Basically, a book cover is a copyrighted work in exactly the same way as a photograph, but the copyright law has changed so that an individual does not always have to worry about obtaining a copyright license, but the responsibility will be on the social media platform in the future. We just have to hope that the social platforms take care of their legal responsibility. Based on the citation right, the cover image of the book can also be attached to, for example, a book review, whether it was a magazine article or a social media post. There is also no problem if you take a picture of, say, your bookshelf.”

So the ordinary person and the library are in a different position?

“Some platforms’ responsibility only applies to individuals who share content for non-commercial purposes. However, it is good to note that libraries are allowed – and it is even desired – to make social media tips and attach a picture of the book to it. No one has demanded permission for this before and the situation has not changed even now.”

For example, Oulu’s library has announced that it is not going to sign a contract and anyway the contract is considered expensive. Are you afraid that libraries will be divided into those who pay and those who refuse?

“This is a question of a two-year pilot period, during which costs, among other things, will be evaluated.”

Will the collected money be returned to the authors?

“They will return. The license comes with a reporting service, which allows compensation to be allocated to the rights holders whose works have been used. In mass use, however, reporting has been reasonable from the point of view of libraries.”

So every time the library makes a social media post about a book, there is no need to report it?

“No need. We have other ways to find out whose works are being used. Of course, reporting is always desirable.”