Today I attended the launch party for the What the Dickens copyright resource in which I was involved at consultation and review stage. It was commissioned by the ALCS and was written as part of a joint venture between ALCS and National Schools Partnership, and was in fact the second such resource commissioned by ALCS and linked to copyright- the first being Copywrite which I wrote for NSP in 2010.
Educational exceptions are proposals to copyright law currently being considered by the government which would mean that copyright protected work could be used without individuals having to seek a licence or permission from the copyright owner.
He's an officer in the All Party Writers' group and obviously a supporter of copyright, hence his link with ALCS.
During the two hour event, he gave a short speech as did John Bercow, the speaker of the House of Commons and a representative from the Dickens' museum.
John Bercow was comical and engaging- a very good orator who entertained the assembled guests. The lovely setting steeped in history, the atmosphere and meeting a few new people, including Sue Penney and the lobbyist from the Incorporated Society of Musicians made for a pleasant break from everyday life. I also chatted to a fellow reviewer of the resource Ruth Brocklebank and fellow writer Chris Corin.
