Panel
Panel Title:
Freeing the Orphans: The Work Begins
Presenters:
Jessica Coates, Libby Baulch, Richard Levy, Elliott Bledsoe
Date:
Thursday 14 May 2026 | 11:00am – 12:00pm
Presentation Description:
After decades of advocacy from libraries, schools, researchers and creators, reform has finally arrived. In early March, the Australian Parliament passed landmark legislation to unlock access to orphan works — the huge swathes of culturally significant works previously locked up because their copyright owners cannot be identified or located.
But legislative change is only the starting point.
What does the new orphan works framework actually mean for day-to-day library practice? How does it reshape the risk landscape for digitisation and online access? What does a “limitation on liability” really protect you from — and where does responsibility sit? Most importantly, how can libraries confidently use these new provisions to open up collections that have remained inaccessible for years?
This panel will move beyond the headline reform to explore the practical realities. We’ll unpack what institutions need to know, where opportunities lie, and how the sector can work together to turn legal reform into meaningful public access.
The orphans have been freed in principle. Now the real work begins.
Jessica Coates
Director of Policy, Education, Research and Training at the Australian Library and Information Association
Libby Baulch
Director Policy, Government and Member Relations at Copyright Agency
Presenter Bio
Libby Baulch is Director Policy, Government and Member Relations at Copyright Agency. Her role includes representing the interests of Copyright Agency’s members on copyright and other policy issues, government relations, stakeholder engagement and oversight of member services.
Prior to her role at Copyright Agency, Libby headed up the Australian Copyright Council, a not-for-profit organisation that provides information, publications and training on a range of copyright issues, and advocacy for creators and copyright-based organisations.
Libby has a law degree from the University of Adelaide, and worked briefly in private practice before working with the Copyright Council.
Libby has written and spoken widely on copyright issues, and represented the interests of content creators in a range of inquiries and other forums.
Richard Levy
Executive officer for ALACC
Presenter Bio
Richard Levy is the new Executive officer for ALACC, focusing primarily on advocacy for copyright reform. Before joining the ALACC, Richard was the Deputy Director of Collections, Copyright and Licensing and Discovery and Access at the University of South Australia. He also spent two decades working in the library technology and publishing industries specialising in discovery services, electronic resource management and library management systems.
Elliott Bledsoe
Co-lead of Creative Commons Australia & President of Wikimedia Australia
Presenter Bio
For over 15 years Elliott Bledsoe has been actively involved in copyright law reform activities in Australia, with a focus on the interplay between rights and creative practice. He is Co-lead of Creative Commons Australia – the local Chapter of the CC Global Network which promotes and encourages the use of CC licences in Australia – and he is the President of Wikimedia Australia (WMAU), the Australian affiliate of the international Wikimedia Foundation. For nearly 10 years he worked at the Australian Digital Alliance (ADA) and the Australian Libraries and Archives Copyright Coalition (ALACC) on copyright advocacy, education and reform efforts. Elliott also runs Agentry, an arts marketing micro-consultancy that supports artists and arts organisations to introduce marketing strategy and optimise their marketing communications efforts – whether IRL, URL or hybrid (in-person, online or both). He is based in Meeanjin Brisbane on Turrbal and Jagera Country.