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JAMCOPY compliant institutions up to 34 - HEART Trust/NTA signs tertiary licensing agreement

Published:Friday | November 8, 2019 | 12:22 AM
Dr Janet Dyer (centre), managing director of the HEART Trust/NTA, signs the Tertiary Licensing Agreement between the HEART Trust/NTA and the Jamaican Copyright Licensing Agency (JAMCOPY) on Thursday, October 31. Looking on are JAMCOPY General Manager Carol Newman (left) and Dianne Daley McClure, chairman, JAMCOPY. This signing brings to 34, the number of JAMCOPY’s compliant institutions.
Dr Janet Dyer (centre), managing director of the HEART Trust/NTA, signs the Tertiary Licensing Agreement between the HEART Trust/NTA and the Jamaican Copyright Licensing Agency (JAMCOPY) on Thursday, October 31. Looking on are JAMCOPY General Manager Carol Newman (left) and Dianne Daley McClure, chairman, JAMCOPY. This signing brings to 34, the number of JAMCOPY’s compliant institutions.

HEART Trust/NTA has inked a tertiary licensing agreement with the Jamaican Copyright Licensing Agency (JAMCOPY) to ensure that its students and staff are legally allowed to access and reproduce specific copyrighted material, including Braille, large print, as well as audio.

JAMCOPY, the local agency specialising in authorising the reproduction of printed copyright material in accordance with the Jamaican Copyright Act, manages a repertoire of copyrighted content on behalf of creators worldwide.

Dianne Daley McClure, chairman of the JAMCOPY board, welcomed the HEART Trust/NTA as JAMCOPY’s 34th licensee, noting that the signing is “a clear demonstration of the HEART Trust’s commitment to building a national culture of compliance and respect for copyright”.

The signing occurred on Thursday, October 31, increasing the number of JAMCOPY compliant institutions to 34.

The educational provisions within the Copyright Act are insufficient to cater to the content requirements of education providers, thus the HEART Trust/NTA’s step to be compliant following the example of other institutions such as The University of the West Indies, Mona, University of Technology, Edna Manley College, Excelsior Community College, G.C. Foster College, The Mico University and Northern Caribbean University, among others.

In fostering the creative output of Jamaican authors and publishers, along with securing user’s legal access to content, McClure looks forward to deepening the partnership between the two organisations.

With the HEART Trust/NTA’s move to sign the tertiary licensing agreement, the institution is now able to legally create coursepacks from reproduced works, as well as support research, archival and administrative activities.

In her remarks, HEART Trust/NTA Managing Director Dr Janet Dyer said: “Copyright is fundamental to education. It gives instructors and students the opportunity to legally access and share information, thus allowing us to enhance and innovate.”