PLR
This is the website
of the
Irish Writers' Union, 19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.
086 233 00 84
or email
The website is edited by Lissa Oliver
PLR notices posted
All
registered authors will receive an acknowledgement of their registration
for PLR in Ireland, according the PLR office in Dublin. Posting was
scheduled to begin on December 2, 2009.
Registered authors residing outside the Republic of Ireland should also
receive, in the same envelope, a notice asking them to tell the registrar
how they wish to be paid if they are due a payment for 2009.
The choices are: payment through a collecting society, or payment by
euro cheque.
The closing date for notifying the Irish PLR office of each author's
preferred method of payment for PLR Year 2009 is Monday December 14,
2009.
Email for further information plr@librarycouncil.ie.
For detail, see the website:
==============
How to pass a test is first
Most
borrowed item in Irish public libraries in October 2009 was the Official
Driver Theory Test.
1. Official Driver Theory Test Prometric/Road Safety Authority
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J K Rowling
3. The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown
4. Brooklyn - Colm Toibin
5. Heart and Soul - Maeve Binchy
6. Happy Ever After - Patricia Scanlan
7. Horrid Henry and the football fiend - Francesca Simon
8. Once in a Lifetime - Cathy Kelly
9. Horrid Henry's Stinkbomb - Francesca Simon
10. My Sister Jodie - Jacqueline Wilson
Statistics compiled
by the PLR Office from data provided by library services around the
country. Top 10 National List of Most Borrowed Titles and Authors below
is compiled using the Top 100 titles from each of the public library
authorities.
Most Borrowed Authors in October 2009
1. Francesca Simon
2. Jacqueline Wilson
3. Daisy Meadows
4. JK Rowling
5. James Patterson
6. Maeve Binchy
7. Stephenie Meyer
8. Jodi Picoult
9. Dav Pilkey
10. Darren Shan
The influence of the October Children's Books Festival may be seen in
the rankings.
==============
Writers register for the first Irish PLR year
Writers with books in the public library have registered for the first Irish PLR year.
Writers
with a published book stocked in the public library system are entitled
to a share of a central pool which will be used to pay writers for the
public borrowing of their books from a public library in Ireland.
Those who registered their book or books on or before October 9, 2009
will be credited with loans of their books for the PLR year 2009.
Books registered after that date will be included for PLR year 2010.
The PLR Office offers a service whereby a member of the PLR team will
assist writers in registration.
For registration terms and conditions see the website
==============
Public
Lending Right is here
by Conor Kostick,
IWU Executive Committee
At
a time when the global recession is severely affecting the publishing
industry, it is a real pleasure to welcome some good news for Irish
authors: the launch – at last - of a Public Lending Right scheme
to pay authors whose books are borrowed through public libraries.
The Irish Writers’ Union (IWU) representing fiction and non-fiction
authors campaigned for the introduction of PLR and now encourages all
authors to register for the scheme at the PLR website.
Introduction of an Irish PLR scheme could further benefit Ireland and
its authors through reciprocal arrangements with Germany and other European
countries that up to now have been on hold.
The
Irish Writers’ Union would like to pay tribute to Tony Quinn,
who lobbied with dogged determination for the introduction of PLR to
Ireland but who passed away, on April 28 2008.
The fact that Tony’s estate is not eligible to register for the
scheme draws attention to one of the outstanding issues, which is that
registration should be allowed for all writers alive in 1992 when the
government mistakenly tried to exempt public libraries from PLR.
Public Lending Remuneration (PLR) is the mechanism for authors to receive
payment under PLR legislation for the loans of their books by public
libraries.
PLR is administered in Ireland by An Chomhairle Leabharlanna (The Library
Council).
Under PLR, a payment will be made to registered authors, resident in
the EEA, European Economic Area, in respect of books registered with
the PLR and loaned by public library authorities.
PLR
will mean a small but very welcome supplement to the incomes of hundreds
of Irish writers, only a handful of whom are currently able to survive
on their writing alone. Quite rightly, the scheme is capped, so no one
writer will benefit disproportionately.
In an era of enormous overproduction of new titles and fierce competition
for short-lived space on bookshop shelves, PLR offers a modest but long-lived
stream of income for titles that continue to be popular in libraries,
long after they have ceased to be prominent in shops.
The IWU lobbied the European Writers’ Congress and international
PLR networks for introduction of PLR to Ireland.
The European Commission then took legal action against Ireland in the
European Court of Justice. It declared (decision 11.1.07, C- 175/05),
that Ireland breached the Lending Rights Directive 1992 by exempting
all public libraries from PLR in the Copyright and Related Rights Act,
2000.
Together with bodies such as the Irish Copyright Licensing Agency, the
IWU persisted in its insistence that the government address this issue
and carefully followed the progress of the legislation through the parliamentary
system, meeting and briefing representatives of all parties.
We welcome the fact that PLR is funded directly from the Exchequer and
not from public libraries’ budgets. Writers value the role of
libraries and will continue to cooperate with librarians in promoting
Irish literature.
Caveats aside, this is a wonderful moment for Irish writers and we should
relish it.
Please go to www.plr.ie now and register
your books!
-----------------------
IWU welcomes PLR
Irish
authors are to be paid for public borrowing of their books from public
libraries.
The Dáil passed the final stages of the Copyright Bill 2007, on November 28, 2007.
The
long over-due legislation provides a legal framework for a Public Lending
Right (PLR) scheme to pay authors whose books are borrowed through public
libraries.
Tony Quinn, Senator Shane Ross, Conor Kostick at
Leinster House
In
representing fiction and non-fiction authors, the Irish Writers’
Union, IWU, had campaigned for an Irish PLR scheme.
Dr Conor Kostick,
IWU Chair said the union welcomed the new legislation in principle.
“We await implementation of the detailed regulations,” he
said.
The IWU’s role in pressing for the measure to be implemented was recognised in both Seanad and Dáil debates. The IWU had lobbied with the European Writers’ Congress and international PLR networks for introduction of PLR to Ireland.
The European Commission took legal action against Ireland in the European Court of Justice for failure to implement the system. It declared that Ireland breached the Lending Rights Directive 1992 by exempting all public libraries from PLR in the Copyright and Related Rights Act, 2000.
The amending legislation changes that position.
Funding of Irish PLR is to be directly from the Exchequer and not from the existing public libraries’ budgets.
“Writers value the role of libraries and will continue to cooperate with librarians in promoting Irish literature,” said Kostick.
The union called on the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government, not to delay in making regulations to implement PLR in order to bring Ireland into line with other European countries.
PLR payments will assist Irish authors, most of whom, in common with writers throughout the world, cannot earn a full living from writing alone.
Some Irish authors already receive PLR payments for borrowing of their work in the UK library system.
To do so, they must register with the UK PLR registrar. Payment is made once a year to those authors who register for the scheme.
©
irish writers union November 2007
more news here
=========
IWU
praised by PLR delegates
by
Tony Quinn, IWU Executive Committee
Conor Kostick IWU
chair, Jim Parker UK Registrar PLR, Tony Quinn IWU.
When delegates from several European countries came together for a seminar on PLR, Irish efforts to have the system introduced were praised by delegates.
The
seminar, organised by the UK PLR office and the European Writers' Congress
(EWC) and supported by Hungarian official and literary groups, was held
on 20/21 April 2007 in Budapest.
Norwegian writers and copyright agencies paid delegates' air fares and
Hungarian hosts met hotel costs.
Conor Kostick, IWU Chair, Samantha Holman, Irish Copyright Licensing Agency (ICLA) and myself were among some forty delegates, mainly from countries with emerging PLR schemes.
Delegates explained developments in their own countries.
Jim Parker, UK PLR Registrar and Trond Andreassen, EWC president, who chaired the seminar, noted the progress made.
The IWU's efforts were especially praised because the Copyright and Related Rights (Amendment) Bill had been published after a long campaign.
Efforts
of the international PLR networks and the EWC led to the European Court's
declaration that Ireland breached the 1992 Lending Rights Directive
by exempting all public libraries from PLR.
Conor Kostick, chair
IWU Trond Andreassen EWC, Tony Quinn IWU
The Budapest resolution urged the European Commission to maintain pressure for a clear timetable to ensure effective PLR national schemes with adequate payments.
The resolution will be useful in lobbying the incoming Oireachtas and government to proceed with PLR legislation.
International contacts can help countries like Ireland which intend to introduce PLR schemes.
News of proposed PLR legislation has aroused interest among writers and literary agents, many of whom have contacted the union for clarification on behalf of themselves and their clients.
©
irish writers union june 2007
more news here
Union Welcomes European Court Decision On Public Lending Right – PLR
Ireland could be facing large fines following a decision by the European Court of Justice on its failure to pay authors for the borrowing of their books from public libraries.
Ireland
breached Directive 92/100/EEC on Lending Rights, by exempting all public
libraries from the obligation to remunerate authors when their books
are borrowed, according to the European Court of Justice.
The Copyright
and Related Rights Act 2000, which exempted all public libraries from
the obligation to pay PLR, did not meet the 1992 Directive’s requirements.
A clear court decision of 11 January 2007 in Court case C-175/05 increases pressure on the Irish Government to introduce, without further delay, an effective scheme of PLR.
The Irish Writers’ Union, (IWU), which represents writers of fiction and non-fiction including some of Ireland’s most eminent authors, has welcomed the European Court decision.
The IWU has campaigned over many years for an Irish PLR scheme to be introduced to compensate authors whose books are borrowed from public libraries. These schemes are particularly valuable assistance for authors whose works have not stayed on the shelves of retailers.
“In the modern market a small number of titles tend to gain significant promotion, with few shops keeping extensive and varied backlists. PLR rewards all authors for their work, not just the bestsellers, and elsewhere in Europe provides an important component of an author’s income; it is much needed in Ireland” said IWU chairman Conor Kostick.
Through international PLR networks and the European Writers’ Congress, the IWU had urged the European Commission to take the court case to vindicate the rights of Irish authors.
PLR
scheme
The European Commission referred the cases to the Court following the
decision by Spain and Italy to exempt publicly funded libraries from
any obligation to pay PLR.
Although the Directive permits member states to exempt certain categories
of lending establishment from PLR, the Court decided it was unacceptable
for almost all publicly funded libraries to be exempt as this deprived
authors of the remuneration which was the principal objective of the
Directive.
©
irish writers union january 2007
===================================
Proposal for New Intellectual Property Legislation
Minister
for Trade and Commerce, Michael Ahern TD announced his intention on
August 1 2005, to bring forward legislative proposals to provide for
several new schemes in the intellectual property field:
• A Public Lending Right payments system for authors whose works
are lent by Irish public libraries,
• An Artists’ Resale Right payments system for artists whose
original works are resold through the art trade, and
• Transposition of the EU Directive on the Enforcement of Intellectual
Property Rights.
Minister Ahern said Public Lending Right would provide new supports
for Irish authors.
He said: “We need this new intellectual property measure to meet
the obligations arising for Ireland from three EU Directives. This Bill
may also cover some minor adjustments now required in intellectual property
law in general.”
Minister Ahern acknowledged that Ireland has had difficulties with the
European Commissions’ proposals both on the Public Lending Right
and Artists’ Resale Right in the past.
“Both are now part of European Community law and so my job at
this stage is to provide the legal basis for their implementation. I
am confident that this Bill will resolve these differences,” he
said.
He expected to be in a position to bring the intended bill to the Oireachtas
before the end of the year, said the Minister.
Public Lending Right (PLR)
The Rental and Lending Directive (92/100/EEC) dealt with copyright rights
arising on the rental of certain protected materials; on certain general
copyright issues; and on the rights of authors whose works are lent
to members of the public through public libraries.
The last of these obliged Member States, at a minimum, to remunerate
authors for loans of their works by public libraries, but allowed them
to specify certain classes of public library for exemption from the
scope of the remuneration scheme. With some exception (in the EU case,
of Ireland, Italy, Spain and Portugal) most western countries have some
such system in place.
Ireland in the past argued against the introduction of a Public Lending
Right here, citing a small lending pool, the expected modest benefits
for authors in relation to collection costs, and long-standing efforts
to encourage greater use of public libraries.
Ireland’s Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000, which transposed
the provisions of the Rental and Lending Directive into Irish law, did
create a public lending right.
However, the exemption was used to specify, in effect, all public libraries
from the scope of the remuneration scheme.
After a EU-wide transposition review in 2003, the Commission initiated
legal proceedings against several countries, including Ireland claiming
(in Ireland’s case) that, in exempting all public libraries, Ireland
had incorrectly transposed the Directive.
Following a defence of Ireland's approach on the earlier lines, the
Commission issued a Reasoned Opinion in July 2004 citing ‘insufficient
assurances of Irish willingness to respond to its concerns’.
The Commission referred Ireland to the European Court of Justice alleging
failure to implement the Directive correctly in the matter of the Public
Lending Right. Ireland filed its defence in the case with the Court.
Following a full review of the situation, the Department of Enterprise,
Trade & Employment concluded that the early provision of a system
of payments to authors for loans of their works by public libraries
would be required in order to resolve the case.
The
proposed Bill will therefore provide the legislative basis for introducing
a practical Public Lending Right Scheme, according to Minister Ahern.
The proposal is to have the scope of the scheme extend to public libraries
other than those under the management or control of educational establishments,
an exclusion that is permitted by the exception in favour of certain
classes of library allowed by the Directive and mentioned above.
Enforcement Of Intellectual Property Rights
The Enforcement Directive (2004/48/EC) is due for transposition before
the end of April 2006. It requires Member States to apply effective,
dissuasive and proportionate remedies and sanctions against those engaged
in counterfeiting and piracy.
Member States are required to have similar measures and remedies in
place to defend right-holders’ intellectual property across the
Union.
The Directive covers both ‘traditional’ rights such as copyright,
trademarks, patents and designs, but also a number of other more specific
rights like geographical indications of origin and plant varieties.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment is currently in
consultation with the Office of the Attorney General to establish the
most effective manner of transposing the Directive.
To the extent that primary legislation is required, the Minister intends to incorporate the relevant provisions within the proposed Bill, said his department.
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