Volume 24, Issue 2

What is the future of copyright and authors’ rights in the light of what is being called “the digital information society?” It is generally recognised that the law responds to a given situation: if the legal fraternity doesn't take the time to observe and understand what is actually happening, it will be almost impossible to ascertain where and what the problems are. Only by careful observation can the lawmakers suggest possible solutions and appreciate their value.

The Treaty Section of the United Nations has embarked on a major project to disseminate its vast collection of treaties, both bilateral and multilateral, using the electronic medium, including the Internet. In parallel, as an essential complementary measure, it is also proposed to bring the backlog in the publication of the United Nations Treaty Series (UNTS) up to date. Both these objectives present a range of challenges, not the least of which is, securing the requisite financial resources in the current financial climate.

This study highlights some factors that have influenced the development of academic law libraries in Nigeria. Inadequacy of local production of legal texts, exorbitant cost of the available texts, and scarcity of foreign exchange, were identified as major constraints. On the other hand, factors which have promoted the development of academic law libraries in Nigeria include the existence and use of published standards for law libraries, accreditation requirement for law faculties, book gifts and loans. Moreover, Nigeria's typical history of political instability and proliferation of states has paradoxically not been a hindrance but a catalyst for the emergence of numerous social and educational institutions including universities and academic law libraries.

One of the major weaknesses of libraries in developing countries is their scarcity of foreign and international legal collections. In desperate need for reliable and up-to-date foreign jurisdiction resources, these libraries try to fill the gap with ad-hoc solutions. New York University's experiences in offering assistance to some of them clearly show that obtaining out-of-date books from “generous donations” , importing short-term visiting “brains” or buying computers (which are used as furniture covered with elegant red velvet) doesn't solve the problem. On the contrary, these stop-gaps feed frustration.