"The Congress shall have the Power…To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries."

United States Constitution
Article I.  Section 8. Clause 8 

COPYRIGHT BASICS
Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) to the authors of “original works of authorship,” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works. Section 106 of the 1976 Copyright Act generally gives the owner of copyright the exclusive right to do and to authorize others to do the following:

  • To reproduce the work in copies,
  • To create derivative works based upon the original work,
  • To distribute copies of the work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending,
  • To perform the work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and motion pictures and other audiovisual works;
  • To display work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, including the individual images of a motion picture or other audiovisual work; and
  • In the case of sound recordings, to perform the work publicly by means of a digital audio transmission.

EXCEPTIONS TO THE PERMISSION REQUIREMENT IN THE COPYRIGHT LAW (TITLE 17, U.S. CODE)

  • Fair Use Exception (Section 107)
  • Library Exception (Section 108)
  • Face-to-Face Teaching Exception (Section 110)
  • Public Domain
  • First Sale Doctrine (Section 109)

COPYRIGHT-RELATED WEB SITES

Examples of books in call number range KF 1893 to KF 3070 & NC1001:

  • Art Law Conversations
  • Bound by Law (graphic novel about copyright)
  • Business and Legal Forms for Photographers
  • Business and Legal Primer for Game Development
  • Copyright Basics
  • Copyright Law for Librarians and Educators
  • Copyright Handbook: How to Protect & Use Written Works
  • Copyrights & Copywrongs
  • Copyright in Cyberspace 2
  • Content Rights for Creative Professionals: Copyrights and Trademarks in a Digital Age
  • Clearance & Copyright: Everything the Independent Filmmaker Needs to Know
  • Digital Copyright: Protecting Intellectual Property on the Internet
  • Getting Permission: How to License & Clear…
  • Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing and Ethical Guidelines
  • Illustrated Story of Copyright
  • Intellectual Property for Paralegals
  • The Law in Plain English for Photographers
  • The New Gate Keeper: Emerging Challenge to Free Expression in the Arts
  • Permissions, a Survival Guide: Blunt Talk About Art as Intellectual…
  • Protecting Your Company’s Intellectual Property
  • Public Domain: How to Find Copyright Free Writings, Music, Art & More
  • 101 Questions about Copyright Law