Proposing a Framework for Copyright of Library Resources in Iran: A Comparative Study of Copyright Laws in Iran, Australia, and the United States

Purpose: This study was aimed at analyzing the copyright laws of Iran, Australia, the U.S. and library portals, thereby providing a framework for the copyright of library resources for the NLAI while considering the current situation and the domestic Iranian laws. Method: This is an applied study falling in the category of qualitative research. Documentary analysis method and comparative method were used to resolve the problem and answer the questions of the research. The two National Library of Australia (NLA) and Library of Congress (LC) together with the NLAI formed the research community. In addition, the Iranian Law for the Protection of Authors, Composers and Artists Rights (1970); the Australian Copyright Act (1968) and the U.S. Copyright Law (1976) were purposefully selected as three main resources among other documents and resources. Findings: Findings revealed that the dimensions of fair and non-profit use, duration of copyright, license and agreement, copyright policy, moral rights, economic rights and infringement of copyrights were the main dimensions that, along with 49 main components, formed the proposed framework for the copyright of information resources for the NLAI.Results: It should be acknowledged that there are some differences in different copyright fields between countries' laws, and each country takes into account its domestic conditions to compile and revise the laws. By following the laws of other countries, it is possible to effectively improve and develop copyright laws.