Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery Services – new requirements by the Copyright Ordinance (effective 1 January 2026)

Two pieces of subsidiary legislation under the Copyright Ordinance (Cap. 528) (the Ordinance), namely the Copyright (Libraries, Museums and Archives—Prescribed Conditions for Making Copy) Regulation and the Copyright (Specified Libraries, Museums and Archives under Sections 47 to 53) Notice, will come into operation on 1 January 2026.

There will not be any change in making a request for materials via the Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery Services. Users will only be contacted and required to fill in a Declaration Form (click here for sample) when the Library has successfully located the resource and that the reproduction of that resource falls within the requirements by the Copyright Ordinance.

More details about the Copyright (Libraries, Museums and Archives—Prescribed Conditions for Making Copy) Regulation and Copyright (Specified Libraries, Museums and Archives under Sections 47 to 53) Notice provided by the Intellectual Property Department: https://www.ipd.gov.hk/en/copyright/legislative-proposals-and-amendments/copyright-of-libraries-museums-and-archives/index.html

Please contact us if you have any queries.