Our own Prof. Giuseppina D’Agostino, Director of IP Osgoode, has just published her new book - Copyright, Contracts, Creators: New Media, New Rules - with Edward Elgar Publishing. The library's copies of the book are on order and should be received shortly: you can check here for their status. Meanwhile, here's a brief description of the book:
The digital world has put content within arm’s reach of desire. No longer can an author be satisfied that her intellectual property is safely encased in a bound book, nor can a photographer know where his work will be displayed or shared, nor can a writer rest assured that her article will be consumed in the intended magazine or newspaper. The Internet-fueled recycling of existing works into new media is the greatest challenge to copyright law.
Copyright, Contracts, Creators evaluates the efficacy of current copyright law to address the contracting and use of creative works. It looks in particular at freelance works and argues that their copyright treatment on a national and international level is inadequate to resolve ambiguities in the contracting and uses of the work. Giuseppina D’Agostino discusses how historically laws and courts were more sympathetic to creators, and how the Internet revolution has shifted the scales to favor owners. Consequently, creators often find themselves at opposing ends with copyright owners, and in a disproportionately weaker bargaining position that places tremendous strain on their livelihoods. She argues that this predicament puts society at risk of losing its most valued asset: professional creators. The author calls for a new framework to justify legislative provisions and resolve ambiguities while suggesting principles and mechanisms to address the inadequate treatment of freelance work.