# Downloaded information from British Library Business & IP Centre Resources is for personal use only!

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2008/11/10/downloaded-information-british-library-business-amp-ip-centre-resources-personal-use-only/
- Published: 2008-11-10T11:25:18+00:00
- Author: Finbar Cullen

For a long time, I have been promoting the use of library resources for fundraisers
and researchers. I think that I have been encouraged to do so by libraries making
resources available in things like The British Library Business & IP Centre (www.
bl.uk/bipc). However, we need to check carefully for that small print, and see what
use is allowed. I have just been told that in the British Library Business & IP 
Centre, downloaded information is for personal use only. However, I have been advised
that many of the publishers’ main commercial concern is that library customers will
sell on content either directly or via added value reports which are sold. In most
cases publishers’ do not have a problem with customers using their content in business
plans or to guide business decisions. It would be reassuring to have that confirmed
in writing.

What about using these databases but not actually downloading data? What about using
reports, books, magazines, journals etc. What are we permitted to do, and how might
this vary from library to library?

I note that the City Business Library (http://digbig.com/4xwbb) online notes state
that FAME (for example) may be used to compile mailing lists, so commercial use 
is OK there, then, it would appear.

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It would be great if someone from the British Library Business & IP Centre, City
Business Library or Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals(
CILIP*) could go into this in a little more detail. I reckon it’s time for me to
send an email to the Researchers in Fundraising committee, and check out the terms
and conditions of other libraries, again!

Finbar Cullen

Research**Plus**

* CILIP (www.cilip.org.uk) was formed in April 2002 following the merger of the 
Institute of Information Scientists and the Library Association.

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