Copyright seems to have pretty wide coverage, but is it really taken that seriously? I see people copying books and papers all the time, especially at the library.

Copyright rules are very strict, and in Canada those rules are set out in the federal Copyright Act. There are, however, a number of exemptions to copyright that relate to who uses copyrighted materials or how they are used. Some of those exemptions relate to

• "fair dealing" with the copyrighted work;
• educational exemptions;
• libraries, archives and museums;
• private copying of sound recordings;
• reproduction in an alternate format at the request of a person with a perceptual disability.

---

WARNING: The contents of these FAQs are intended as general legal information only.
If you have a personal problem, please consult a lawyer.