Where the whole book is needed, we see students photocopying it integrally in two or three sessions. “Section 16 of the Copyright Act 1997 evokes the notion of single copy. But still the maximum number of pages to be copied has to be determined”, adds the PRO; “Note that universities pay copyright to authors, while some shops, which harbour a photocopying machine, make their profits on the back of the publishing industry.”

But are the moral issues the same when dealing with foreign authors, who have already made their profit? What is stronger in the Internet-ruled world: copyright or access to knowledge? “The management of copyright for foreign authors is possible. This is doable when there is a bilateral agreement between the Masa and the author’s country of origin”, adds Hansley Antoine. “We are working on a new structure with the International Federation of Reprographic Organizations to introduce regulations in that field.”

The associate professor at the Mauritius Institute of Education, also author of books, the latest of which is “Mauritius and its cultures”, Dr Issa Asgarally, is slightly less categorical : “An author can’t live on his works without some returns. But one has to look at the final purpose of reprography. My essay L’interculturel ou la guerre has been edited in digital format by Google and everyone can have access to 20% of it when looking for books.google.com. But the pages are not consecutive and it is impossible to print them ! So my book is presented as in a bookshop where the customer has the opportunity to have a glance at it before deciding to buy or not to buy.”

“The photocopying shops have become so prosperous that a specification book (cahier des charges) should be applied to them in the same way as video shops”, points out the professor. “Some shops lack comprehensive facilities, like double-sided copies. This means everything costs twice as much!” protests Terry, a Form VI student in a State Secondary School. “Not only do the authors suffer, but also book importers and bookshops”, adds Hansley Antoine. “Teachers also have a responsibility concerning the way young people rely on photocopying to the detriment of reading”, concludes a parent.

Finally, maybe one should go back to the original aim of the inventor of photocopying, Chester Carlson. This New York attorney, a part time researcher and inventor, required for his job a large number of copies of important papers. This was in the 1940s at a time when there was no computer or miniaturization technology. Before the time when every format was to become “Xerox-copied”. Not just a time of money-making but one of priorities.

HEALTH ISSUES

<B>Handle with care</B>

■ According to Wikipedia, ultraviolet does remain a concern when using photocopying machines, though modern photocopying machines emit very low levels of ultraviolet radiation through the glass cover (plenum). They also generate some noise and may emit low concentrations of ozone during the processing activity. These machines use a toner, primarily carbon black (for black-and-white printers), to produce a dark print on the paper or transparent film. Thus, potential routine exposures of health interest for photocopy operators can include ultraviolet radiation, noise, ozone and possibly toner. In older machines, toner could be an issue during replacement, although modern self-contained cartridges have substantially reduced potential respiratory and skin exposure.