Internet Resources for Copyright and Fair Use

Information Services

Internet Resources for Copyright and Fair Use

There are hundreds of Internet sites available to provide information and guidance to the individual seeking resources regarding copyright law and it's interpretation. The resources provided in this list have been selected for their relevance to individuals working in small academic institutions. Contact your departmental library liaison or Beth Hansen, Acquisitions & Media Librarian for specific inquiries concerning copyright issues.

COPYRIGHT BASICS___________________

Copyright Basics
URL: http://www.abanet.org/intelprop/comm106/106copy.html
A guidebook prepared by the American Bar Association, Section of Intellectual Property Law, Committee No. 106. Peruse summaries in this guidebook to learn about the various aspects of copyright law including its duration, processes and protective reach.

University of Texas. The UT Crash Course in Copyright.
URL: http://www.utsystem.edu/OGC/IntellectualProperty/cprtindx.htm#qa

The UT Crash Course in Copyright provides an easy to use, authoritative online tutorial covering all aspects of copyright. Of particular interest are the sections addressing fair use, multimedia and the digital environment.

United States Copyright Law (US Code : Title 17, Chapter 1)
URL: http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/ch1.html#PC1

An online, searchable full-text copy of the Copyright Act provided by the Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School. The search engine provides easy to use keyword access to each individual section of the law.

United States Copyright Office Home Page
URL: http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/
The U.S. Copyright Office is the office of public record for copyright registration and deposit of copyright material. Links to the full text of the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976 and its amendments, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) 1998 summary, and other important documents are provided.

United States Patent and Trademark Office Home Page
URL: http://www.uspto.gov/
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is the office of public record for the examination and issuance of patents and the examination and registration of trademarks.

When Works Pass into the Public Domain.
URL: http://www.unc.edu/~unclng/public-d.htm

Use this chart to find our if an older work is available in public domain or still protected by Copyright. Updated for the Sony Bono Copyright Extension Act. From Laura N. Gasaway, Director of the Law Library & Professor of Law, University of North Carolina.

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
URL: http://www.wipo.org/eng/main.htm

The WIPO, an agency of the United Nations, is responsible for the promotion of the protection of intellectual property throughout the world through cooperation among States, and for the administration of various multilateral treaties dealing with the legal and administrative aspects of intellectual property.

ORGANIZATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS___________________

Copyright Clearance Center
URL: http://www.copyright.com
Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., the largest licenser of photocopy reproduction rights in the world, was formed in 1978 to facilitate compliance with U.S. copyright law. CCC provides licensing systems for the reproduction and distribution of copyrighted materials in print and electronic formats throughout the world. Faculty members may find this service especially useful when preparing coursepaks or seeking permissions for the duplication of materials for course use. Their list of "Copyright Resources" includes an extensive list of international copyright organizations.

CONFU: Conference on Fair Use
URL: http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualProperty/confu2.htm
The Conference on Fair Use (CONFU), created under the auspices of the National Information Infrastructure's (NII) Working Group on Intellectual Property Rights, called upon copyright stakeholders to negotiate guidelines for the fair use of electronic materials in a variety of nonprofit educational contexts. The CONFU guidelines deal with issues including distance learning, multmedia, electronic reserves, interlibrary loans, and image collections.

Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia
URL: http://www.indiana.edu/~ccumc/mmfairuse.html

The Fair Use Guidelines for Multimedia is a nonlegislative report prepared for the Register of Copyrights at the Library of Congress by members of the Consortium of College and University Media Centers (http://www.ccumc.org)These guidelines only apply to educators who produce multimedia, a derivative work. The Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia is not a legal document, but an agreed interpretation of the Copyright Act of 1976 by copyright owners and educational users. Percentages recommended by the guidelines have been greatly disputed and should be used in conjunction with the fair use criteria established in section 117 of the U.S. Copyright Law.

Groton Public Schools, Groton, CT. Media Web. Copyright Resources on the Internet.
URL: http://groton.k12.ct.us/mts/pt2a.htm

The Groton Public Schools prepared this online document as a component of its Copyright Implementation Manual (CIM.) Topics addressed in CIM (for example, citing copyrighted sources) often receive additional online attention here. Hyperlinks to the full text of the statutes, regulations, and guidelines discussed in CIM are also available. The last section, The Debate Over Copyright in the Digital Age, examines the impact of two important bills signed into law in 1998: the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the Sony Bono Copyright Term Extension Act. It also serves as a tool to track new legislation. A useful site despite its intended elementary and secondary school audience.

Music Library Association. A Guide to Copyright for Music Librarians.
URL: http://www.musiclibraryassoc.org/Copyright/copyhome.htm

This guide is sponsored by the Legislation Committee of the Music Library Association and deals with the difficult issues regarding music and music materials. See the FAQs, Current Issues in Copyright, and Copyright Guidelines sections.

Visual Resources Association. Copyright - Intellectual Property Rights - Fair Use.

This guide is prepared by the VRA Intellectual Property Rights Committee Members to provide guidance to individuals dealing with visual resources including artists, publishers and educators.

ACADEMIC RESOURCES___________________

NOTE: Members of the Connecticut College Community are advised that the following sites were designed for use by the individuals affiliated with each individual institution. Any specific copyright policy statements or interpretations are directly applicable to these institutions and may not agree with the policies established in using the resources of Information Services at Connecticut College.

CETUS (Consortium for Educational Technology in University Systems) - Consortium of the State University of New York, The California State University System, and the City University of New York
URL: http://www.cetus.org/index.html
The CETUS Discussion series includes two documents which provide a useful introductory discussion of fair use and copyright law, "Fair Use of Copyrighted Works: A Crucial Element in Educating America" and "Fair Use: Overview and Meaning for Higher Education."

The Copyright Management Center (CMC) serves the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and larger Indiana University community with copyright issues arising in the creation of original works and in the use of existing copyrighted works for teaching, research, and service. This website provides access to a wide variety of resources about copyright in general and its importance to higher education, including a variety of other pages dealing with the subject of copyright.

Franklin Pierce Law Center. Basic U.S. Patent, Trademark & Copyright Information.
URL: http://www.fplc.edu/tfield/ipbasics.htm

The Franklin Pierce Law Center, located in Concord, New Hampshire, is a small, independent law school specializing in programs in public interest law and intellectual property law. Their website provides especially useful information regarding artists, inventors, and website designers.

Stanford University. Copyright & Fair Use.
URL: http://fairuse.stanford.edu/

A thorough and respected site which includes Primary Materials, Current Legislation, Cases and Issues, Resources on the Internet and Overview of Copyright.

University of Georgia. Regents Guide to Understanding Copyright and Educational Fair Use.
URL: http://www.peachnet.edu/admin/legal/copyright/copy.html

One of the most complete resources for educational copyright policy on the Internet. Topical areas are presented as scenarios with questions & answer commentary based on the University of Georgia's copyright policies.

University of South Dakota. Center for Instructional Design & Delivery. CIDD Copyright Information.
URL: http://www.usd.edu/cidd/copyright/index.html

Presents a selection of essays concerning relevant copyright topics such as fair use, copyright and videotapes, and copyright and the Internet. Each includes links to relevant legislation and other sites of interest.

University of Texas. The UT Crash Course in Copyright.
URL: http://www.utsystem.edu/OGC/IntellectualProperty/cprtindx.htm#qa

Yale University Library. Copyright Resources Online.
URL: http://www.library.yale.edu/~okerson/copyproj.html

This page incorporates work by Eileen Gifford and Janet Erickson, graduate students in the School of Information & Library Studies, U of Michigan, as part of their coursework for ILS Copyright for the Information Professional, taught by Ann Okerson Associate University Librarian, Yale University. It provides an extensive list of resources regarding copyright law and it's implications in the academic environment. Links provided for their "Annotated Lists of University Resources and Non-University Intellectual Property Resources" make navigation easier when working through this extensive list of resources.