What is Orphan Works

This chapter examines copyright issues in a digital library environment. The author observes that the advent of digital technology has greatly accelerated the dissemination and distribution of information which greatly accelerated the dissemination and distribution of information with great speed and accuracy never seen before. The challenges in creating digital libraries include copyright management, development of appropriate technologies, issues related to storage, architectural and technical challenges, collection development challenges and the challenges of user engagement. The chapter recommends ways of managing orphan works and the roles of digital libraries in open access to knowledge. The author concludes that current developments point to the dominant role of information and communication technology in libraries for improved access to information.