Printer Exposed for Copyright Theft

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Printer Exposed for Copyright Theft

New Zealand's print copyright agency, CLL has uncovered illegal copying activity by a printer based in Auckland's Takapuna and warns others that copying published works without permission is breaking the law.

Image Print & Sign Ltd made two copies of the entire contents of a book by Mary Holm and charged the customer $36.00 for each book - more than the normal retail price of $29.99.

Copying from published works is an infringement of the 1994 Copyright Act and deprives publishers and authors of revenue from the sale of their works.

Geoff Walker, Publishing Director of Penguin Group (NZ), publisher of the book Get Rich Slow by Mary Holm copied by Image Print & Sign Ltd says copying of whole books that are available for sale is blatant copyright theft.

"Copy shops need to make sure that any copying they do complies with the copyright laws of the country.'

Copyright Licensing Ltd, a non-profit copyright collective, looking after the interests of publishers and authors in New Zealand, has requested that Image Print & Sign ensures that they do not make further infringing copies of published works. They have also asked the printer to put appropriate copyright compliance procedures in place to ensure they do not breach the Copyright Act in the future.

Kathy Moore, CEO of Copyright Licensing and Secretary of the Copyright Council says it is important that copy shops consider the copyright issue and make sure that any copying they do for clients does not infringe copyright in the work being copied.

"Often copyright infringement can be inadvertent but when students and other members of the public ask for whole books to be copied, they should be aware that this is highly likely to infringe copyright, especially where the work is available for purchase.'

Adds author Mary Holm, "While it's often uneconomic to make the first copy of a book, students and others wanting many copies can then cheaply make further copies. Many authors struggle to earn a living. Depriving them of royalties by copying their books is theft."

Information about copyright compliance is available on the websites of CLL (www.copyright.co.nz) and the Copyright Council of NZ Inc. (www.copyright.org.nz).

ENDS

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