Traditional Knowledge sustained by Indigenous communities is often not protected under copyright due to certain exclusions in intellectual property rights laws. This workshop will discuss issues related to intellectual property rights (IPR) and Traditional Knowledge by introducing participants to the basics of IPR within the framework of information literacy. Participants will be engaged in discussions of ownership, protection, and regulation of information through these systems and imposition of IPR on Traditional Knowledge. Participants will also be introduced to tools and resources that are designed to support Traditional Knowledge and Indigenous communities in the management of their intellectual and cultural property.

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• Explain ideas and concepts related to IPR, information literacy, and Traditional Knowledge
• Recognize inequities and problematic practices within IPR and librarianship involving Indigenous research methods and Traditional Knowledge
• Apply and demonstrate this new knowledge in future situations involving Traditional Knowledge or Indigenous research methods

Instructor: Erin Calhoun, Scholarly Communications and Copyright Outreach Librarian, University of Toronto Libraries