Abstract:
The objective of this paper was to address the rampant infringement of intellectual property
rights in Zimbabwe, with respect to the literary industry. The paper identifies the various
forms of book piracy in Zimbabwe, their causes and effects and strategies to deal with the
scourge with specific emphasis on the contribution of the higher and tertiary sector. The
methodology included observation, analysis of documentary evidence, and in-depth
interviews with key informants inclusive of government officials, higher and tertiary
education officials, Zimbabwe International Book Fair leadership, publishers, authors,
parents, students and book vendors. The findings revealed that unlawful reprography and
abuse of publication rights are the main forms of book piracy in Zimbabwe. The causes of book
piracy were identified as book scarcity, poverty and ignorance of the copyright laws. The
impact of book piracy was positive as far as the beneficiaries were concerned but had
debilitating effects to the copyright owners. The paper suggests ways in which the higher
education sector could contribute to the reduction of book piracy initially by their academic
staff and students and ultimately by the whole nation through ripple effects. These ways
include awareness, advocacy and enforcement of copyright laws; revitalization of libraries as
well as encouraging curriculum inclusiveness. The paper contributes to the on-going
anti-book piracy debate and provides useful information to Librarians, higher education
institutions as well as policy makers
