Evaluation and Inspiration of “Copyright Statements” in American Museums

Abstract

Under the background of digitalization of collections, in order to avoid copyright disputes, museums and other collection institutions often use a "copyright statements" on their homepage to declare that their collection resources are all belong to themselves. American museums use various methods to restrict public access in practice. Measures such as advocating for "copyright statements" are due to the fact that the collection institutions are fulfilling their management mission, the legal status of digital reproduction copyright is not yet clear, and the cost of open access is also a concern. Analyzing the academic theories and judicial practices of China and the United States, the "copyright statements" ignores the core elements of originality in the recognition of works, as well as the protection period of works. To ensure the effectiveness of the "copyright statements", collection institutions should: improving the differential recognition of digital resource rights; Encourage open access to digital resources; Ensure the stability and openness of digital resources.