Developing Intellectual Property Policies for Museums
Diane M. Zorich, USA

Workshop: IP Policy

This half-day workshop will teach participants the basics of planning, developing, and writing an intellectual property (IP) policy for their museum. Participants will learn:

What is a Policy?

• How do policies differ from procedures, and why is this distinction important?
• What is distinctive about museum IP policies?

Developing an IP policy - the process

• Gathering necessary information
• Analysis and evaluation
• Writing the policy
• Adopting and implementing the policy
• Policy analysis and revision

The Elements of Intellectual Property Policies

• Standard policy elements (statements of purpose and core activities, administrative oversight)
• Elements pertinent for museums (ownership, use, access)

The workshop will combine both lecture and hands-on activities. Participants will compare and contrast existing museum and university IP policies to examine the philosophical and practical choices individual institutions make when crafting their policies. The workshop will follow the methodology outlined in the new CHIN/NINCH publication, Developing Intellectual Property Policies: A How-to Guide for Museums. (Diane M. Zorich, Ottawa: Canadian Heritage Information Network, 2003).

Important Note: This workshop is not a primer on IP law, nor will it discuss IP statutes or legal rulings. Participants should have a basic knowledge of IP law (especially copyright) and an understanding of IP issues in museums.