Digital Libraries and Network Copyright Protection

Digital library is an information resource system supported by modern high technology and computer network. It is a sensitive zone for copyright protection, for it has provided the clients great conveniences for using the network resources, but it posed new challenges to copyright owners, copyright legislature and implementation as well. Among these issues, the copyright infringement due to lacking of relevant laws and stipulations is the hot topic. This paper examines legislative development of copyright protection in our country, discusses the promulgation background and the main provisions of Network Copyright Protection measure, which is the most relevant legal instrument to the issue of copyright infringement involving computer networks. In combination with the amended Copyright Law, the paper outlines the present framework of copyright infringement from the perspective of works, exclusive rights, infringements acts and infringing liabilities of the network providers.