Reprography: All you need to know about it

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) defines Intellectual Property Protection as creations of the mind such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, logos, names, and images. It serves as a mechanism to facilitate the dissemination of knowledge and ensure the rights of creators, ultimately contributing to advancing innovation and creative industries.

As copying or photocopying became common, the concept of Collective Management Organizations (CMOs) came into being to tend to the challenges of managing individual authors’ copyrights. CMOs aim to protect these rights collectively. ERRA, is a designated reproduction rights organisation in the UAE dedicated to safeguarding reprography. It represents right holders whose works are copied under a voluntary collective licensing system for reprographic reproduction rights.

The association recently conducted two studies to promote institutional and societal awareness of the importance of reprography in protecting the rights of writers and publishers. The first study aimed to investigate the nature of copying practices in the Emirates, the reasons behind resorting to copying books, and the public’s awareness of the risks of copying without verifying right holders’ rights.

The second study focused on exploring the behaviour of e-book users, assessing the prevalence of e-book decryption, and evaluating users’ awareness of having legitimate sources for books while avoiding copyright infringement.