Copyright Advisory Network

These are online articles and websites about copyright.

Copyright Basics
Education and The TEACH Act
Fair Use
International Copyright
Licensing
Locating Owners and Seeking Permission
Statutory Law

Copyright Basics

• © Primer. (http://www-apps.umuc.edu/primer/enter.php). Center for Intellectual Property, University of Maryland University College (UMUC). 2002 (provides online interactive introduction to the principles of U.S. Copyright for higher education).
• Chilling Effects Clearinghouse: Copyright. (http://www.chillingeffects.org/copyright/).
• Circular 1: Copyright Basics. (http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html). U.S. Copyright Office.
• Copyright Essentials. (http://copyright.iupui.edu/) Copyright Management Center. Indiana University, Purdue University, Indianapolis (provides introduction to the principles of U.S. copyright and to copyright ownership and fair use in higher education).
• Copyright Kids. (http://www.copyrightkids.org/). Website for kids by the Copyright Society of America, teachers and parents for teaching and understanding copyright includes definitions, a quiz, instructions for obtaining a copyright and more.
• Copyright in the Library. (http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/l-intro.htm).
• Copyright for Music Librarians. (http://www.musiclibraryassoc.org/Copyright/). Guide from the Music Library Association.
• Copyright Use Tutorial. (http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/scc/tutorial/copyuse/). Scholarly Communication Center, NCSU Libraries, North Carolina State University (NCSU) (provides introduction to common fair use issues in higher education).
• Copyright Website. (http://www.benedict.com/info/info.aspx). This copyright registration service also provides information about copyright basics for non-legal professionals.
• Crash Course in Copyright. (http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/cprtindx.htm). Office of General Counsel, University of Texas System (provides introduction to the principles of U.S. Copyright for higher education in plain language).
• Know Your Copyrights. (http://www.knowyourcopyrights.org). Association of Research Libraries (ARL).
• Library Law: Copyright and Websites (http://www.librarylaw.com/Copyright_and_Libraries.html).
• What is Copyright Protection? (http://www.whatiscopyright.org/). Basic introduction to copyright, with emphasis on web issues and concerns.

Education and the TEACH Act

• E-Reserves
  • Applying Fair Use in the Development of Electronic Reserves Systems. (http://www.arl.org/info/frn/copy/ereservestatement.html). Association of Research Libraries (ARL) E-Reserves Statement.
  • Fair Use Guidelines for Electronic Reserves Systems. (http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/rsrvguid.htm). University of Texas System.

• The TEACH Act
  • Checklist for Compliance with the TEACH Act. (http://www.copyright.iupui.edu/teachlist.htm). Copyright Management Center. Indiana University, Purdue University, Indianapolis
  • Current Issues and Resources: The TEACH Act. University of Maryland University College. (http://www.umuc.edu/distance/odell/cip/links_teach.html). TEACH Act Resources.
  • Distance Education and the TEACH Act. (http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/WOissues/copyrightb/distanceed/Default3685.htm). From the American Library Association. 2003
  • Laura Gasaway’s TEACH Act Comparison Chart. (http://www.unc.edu/%7Eunclng/TEACH.htm). November 25, 2002 (Comparative analysis of issues between the previous law and the new TEACH Act; also contrasts new and old Sections 110(2) with “classroom exemption” for face-to-face instruction).
  • New Copyright Law for Distance Education: the Meaning and Importance of the TEACH Act. (http://www.copyright.iupui.edu/teach_summary.htm). By Kenneth D. Crews. American Library Association. 2002.
  • TEACH Act Best Practices using Blackboard™. (http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/WOissues/copyrightb/distanceed/teachactbest.htm). American Library Association. 2003.
  • TEACH Act Checklist. (http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/teachact.htm#checklist). Office of General Council. University of Texas System.
  • The TEACH Act Finally Becomes Law. (http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/teachact.htm). Office of General Council. University of Texas System.
  • TEACH ACT and some Frequently Asked Questions (http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/WOissues/copyrightb/distanceed/teachfaq.htm) . prepared by Kenny Crews. From the American Library Association. 2003.
  • The TEACH Toolkit: An Online Resource for Understanding Copyright and Distance Education. (http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/scc/legislative/teachkit/). North Carolina State University Libraries, Office of Legal Affairs, and Distance Education and Learning Technology Applications. 2003.

Fair Use

• Checklist for Fair Use. (http://copyright.iupui.edu/checklist.htm). Copyright Management Center, Indiana University, Purdue University, Indianapolis.
• Copyright and Fair Use. (http://fairuse.stanford.edu/). Stanford University Libraries. 2001.
• Fair Use. (http://www.umuc.edu/distance/odell/cip/links_fairuse.html). Center for Intellectual Property, University of Maryland University College (UMUC). 1996-2003.
• Fair Use of Copyrighted Materials. (http://www.utsystem.edu/OGC/IntellectualProperty/copypol2.htm). Crash Course on Copyright. Office of General Counsel, University of Texas System. 2002. (includes “Using the four factor use test” and “Fair Use Rules of Thumb“).
• Fair-Use: Overview and Meaning for Higher Education. (http://copyright.iupui.edu/highered.htm). Kenneth D. Crews, Copyright Management Center, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis (IUPUI). May 2000.
• Regents Guide to Understanding Copyright and Educational Fair Use. (http://www.usg.edu/legal/copyright/). Office of Legal Affairs, Board of Regents, University System of Georgia. 13 Nov 1997 (includes scenarios for applying fair use in higher education).

International Copyright

• European Copyright User Platform (ECUP). (http://www.eblida.org/ecup/). Provides information on European copyright developments.

Licensing

• Licensing Digital Information (http://www.library.yale.edu/~llicense/index.shtml).
• Priciples for Licensing Digital Resources (http://www.arl.org/scomm/licensing/principles.html).

Locating Owners and Seeking Permission

• Circular 22: How to Investigate the Copyright Status of a Work. (http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ22.html). U.S. Copyright Office.
• Copyright Clearance Center. (http://www.copyright.com/)
• Copyright Permissions Guide. (http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/scc/forms/guide.html). Scholarly Communication Center, NCSU Libraries, North Carolina State University (NCSU).
• Getting Permission (http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/permissn.htm). From Georgia Harper’s Crash Course in Copyright at the UT System.
• How to Secure the Right to Use Copyrighted Works. (http://copyright.iupui.edu/permsec.htm#three1). Copyright Management Center, Indiana University, Purdue University, Indianapolis (IUPUI).
• Locating U.S. Copyright Holders. (http://tyler.hrc.utexas.edu/us.cfm). WATCH File (Writers, Artists, and Their Copyright Holders). The Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, University of Texas at Austin and the University of Reading.
• When You Cannot Get Permission: Dealing With the “Dead End” of a Copyright Quest. (http://copyright.iupui.edu/permdeadend.htm). Kenneth D. Crews, Copyright Management Center, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis (IUPUI). 2002.
• Sample permission letters. (http://copyright.iupui.edu/_permitintro.htm). Copyright Management Center, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis (IUPUI) (includes overview and lists of sample model letters for different types of uses and material) and (http://www3.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/permmm.htm). Office of General Counsel, University of Texas System (general purpose model letter).

Statutory Law

• U.S. Copyright Law. (http://www.copyright.gov/title17/). Find chapters of the law, available in PDF or HTML pages.
• U.S. Copyright Law. (http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode17/usc_sup_01_17.html). Another source for U.S. Copyright Law from Cornell University’s Legal Information Institute.
• Technology, Education, and Copyright Harmonization (TEACH) Act. (http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/scc/legislative/teachkit/act_text.html). From the TEACH Toolkit from the North Carolina State University Libraries
• Pending Copyright Legislation. (http://www.copyright.gov/legislation/). From the US Copyright Office
• GovTrack (http://www.govtrack.us/)GovTrack tracks the status of federal legislation and provides information on bills and votes going back at least until 1998.
• OpenCongress (http://www.opencongress.org/). A website and social networking tool for tracking bills in Congress.