Book Title: The Cambridge Handbook of Copyright Limitations and Exceptions

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Abstract: The axiomatic importance of education in any society needs no further elaboration. Article 26(1) of the 1948 UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights asserts that “everyone has the right to education.” In fact, the very first modern copyright legislation, the Statute of Anne 1709, was entitled “An Act for the Encouragement of Learning.” While the Statute of Anne is more commonly remembered for the fact that it replaced the monopoly in printed books granted to printers with rights granted to authors, it should not be forgotten that the Statute also placed emphasis on the continued accessibility of books in public libraries and their affordability to university staff and students.