With much added value, this volume stems from the 2009 London Congress of the International Literary and Artistic Association (ALAI)--an association that has been promoting protection of
authors (of literary, scientific, and artistic works) since its founding in 1878. Coverage begins with contributions addressing various aspects of the history, context, and ongoing legacy of
the 300-year old Statute of Anne (recognized as the first copyright law). Subsequent contributions discuss the transition from guild regulation to modern copyright law and the Statute's
influence outside the UK. The remaining contributions (21 of 32) discuss digital libraries and online licensing in detail, and international exhaustion, global administration, and formalities.
The included indexing of this set of papers greatly enhances its usefulness for a wide audience. A website published in conjunction with the bound book contains additional material. Annotation
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