Copyright Law

Want to work in copyright law?

Posted on May 12, 2009
Occasionally, I need assistance with research, writing, editing and online teaching. If you have the personality to work as a "cyber assistant" and have some knowledge of copyright law and licensing and you are an excellent researcher and writer, please email me at lesley at copyrightlaws dot com...

Your turn to answer copyright questions

Posted on May 05, 2009
A new element has been added to www.copyrightlawscom.blogspot.com, a blog about copyright education and compliance -- a series of quizzes on various copyright issues will be posted there on a regular basis. Copyright Quiz 1.0 was posted March 31, 2009...

7.0 License Agreements

Posted on May 05, 2009
7.1 Question: My organization has been offered a license agreement for a database. We want to license the database but cannot use it as we need to under the terms and conditions of the license.Answer: Except for click-through, Web wrap or shrink wrap agreements, most licenses are negotiable...

Subscribe to Copyright Questions & Answers

Posted on April 28, 2009
If you would like to receive an email notification whenever a posting or comment is made to this blog (recommended for this course), please click on SUBSCRIBE at the side of this page. By doing so, you will be kept up to date when new questions are added to this blog, new replies are made, and new postings are completed...

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16.0 Copyright Management Issues

Posted on April 22, 2009
This is a new section (as of April 22 2009) relating to managing copyright and licensing issues.16.0 Question: What is a copyright policy?Answer: A Copyright Policy is a written document that sets out copyright information, specifically how it applies to the use of content in your organization...

4.0 Duration of Copyright Protection

Posted on April 22, 2009
4.1 Question: Is there a simple way to determine duration of a copyright work in the U.S.?Answer: The duration of copyright protection in the U.S. is more complicated than in other countries due in part to the fact that the length of copyright protection in the U...

Unique Opportunity for Copyright Newsletter

Posted on April 21, 2009
You may obtain a 2009 PDF personal subscription to The Copyright & New Media Law Newsletter for $79 US. This is a substantial discount to the regular print edition price of $149. This is a limited time offer. To benefit from this offer, email editor@copyrightlaws...

This week's question: Is the duration of copyright protection the same throughout the world?

Posted on April 19, 2009
No. The leading copyright convention, the Berne Convention, sets out the minimum duration of copyright protection as 50 years after an author's death, or life + 50. The 164 countries that currently are members of Berne must provide at least life + 50 duration of copyright protection...

This week's question: What does copyright compliance mean to you?

Posted on March 31, 2009
Staying above and within copyright law is the goal of all who read this blog. Share with us what copyright compliance means to you.Lesley

How to test your copyright knowledge

Posted on March 31, 2009
A new element is being added to www.copyrightlawscom.blogspot.com, a blog about copyright education and compliance -- a series of quizzes on various copyright issues will be posted there on a regular basis. Copyright Quiz 1.0 was posted today. Go ahead and test your knowledge on general copyright principles, and see how you do!Lesley

4.0 Duration of Copyright Protection

Posted on March 19, 2009
4.0 Duration of Copyright Protection4.1 Question: Is there a simple way to determine duration of a copyright work in the U.S.?Answer: The duration of copyright protection in the U.S. is more complicated than in other countries due in part to the fact that the length of copyright protection in the U...

This week's question: How to learn more about copyright

Posted on March 16, 2009
On-going copyright education is important -- read all you can, online and in print, attend online and in-person courses (many are available at conferences), discuss with colleagues, join in on list servs.One free e-letter is: Copyright, Licensing & E-Commerce News...

This week's question: What is a copyright policy?

Posted on February 16, 2009
A Copyright Policy is a document that sets out copyright information, specifically how it applies to the use of content in your organization. It may set out basic copyright information, global copyright information, questions and answers in your organization, how to apply fair dealing/use in your organization, and the contact person for copyright in your organization...

15.0 Museum Related Copyright Questions

Posted on February 12, 2009
Do you have a question related to your museum or archive? A question about a sculpture or painting, rights and reproductions, exhibition marketing, in-house and visitor education? Ask your questions by commenting below.Lesley

More questions than answers? Consider copyright education courses...

Posted on January 05, 2009
Beginning January 12, 2009, Copyrightlaws.com is offering a number of online/e-tutorial courses that are quick to teach various copyright principles and provide practical advice, and take only a minimal amount of time to participate in. Further info at: www...

10.0 Digital Copyright Issues

Posted on November 24, 2008
10.1 Question: Do you need permission to provide a hyper link in a Web site to a page in another Web site?Answer: There is no Canadian or U.S. case law that specifically answers this question. There have been out-of-court settlements which suggest that if you hyperlink to a home page, then permission is not necessary, and if you link to an internal page in a Web site then permission is necessary...

13.0 U.S. Copyright Issues

Posted on November 24, 2008
Please post your question.For a blog on U.S. copyright issues from the perspective of Canadians, see: www.copyright49.blogspot.com. Lesley

6.0 Limitations on Rights

Posted on November 24, 2008
6.1 Question: Can employees who receive publications (newsletters, magazines, etc.) through their professional memberships/organizations, copy those articles for distribution to fellow employees if the copying is for research or scholarship? Answer: Research and scholarship are words that may be interpreted in different manners, and depending on the particular circumstances, may fall under fair use or another section of the copyright statute...

Use this blog as an educational tool

Posted on November 08, 2008
Is this blog helpful to you? Would it be helpful to others in your workplace? We encourage you to put a link on your Intranet, work Web site, in your Newsletters, etc., to let your colleagues know about this blog. Use it as an educational tool to let answer copyright questions in your enterprise...

14.0 Miscellaneous Copyright Issues

Posted on June 04, 2008
Please post any questions that do not fall into other categories, or please suggest new categories.Lesley

12.0 Canadian Copyright Issues

Posted on June 04, 2008
Please post your questions.Lesley

11.0 International Copyright Issues

Posted on June 04, 2008
11.1 Question: If I live in a country where the duration of copyright is life+50 (as in Canada), rather than life+70 (as in the U.S. and EU countries), for what duration do I need to obtain permission for works being posted on my Web site?Answer: Since works on a Web site are accessible from around the world, it is best to clear permission for life+70 years for all works...

9.0 Copyright Permissions

Posted on June 04, 2008
9.1 Question: My organization is developing a course on work habits to be used for internal purposes only for all of our employees. We are gathering articles from various academic and non-academic publications. Is it necessary to obtain permission to use these articles in our course materials?Answer: You will need permission to use the articles in your course materials, even if the materials will only be distributed internally...

7.0 License Agreements

Posted on June 04, 2008
7.1 Question: My organization has been offered a license agreement for a database. We want to license the database but cannot use it as we need to under the terms and conditions of the license.Answer: Except for click-through, Web wrap or shrink wrap agreements, most licenses are negotiable...

8.0 Copyright Infringement

Posted on June 04, 2008
8.1 Question: My organization?s Web site has several photographs on it. We were recently asked to remove a photograph with the claim that we did not have permission to post it. However, we have a written agreement with the photographer and this second alleged owner of the photographer claims that he owns it (rather than the photographer with whom we have an agreement...

6.0 Limitations on Rights

Posted on June 04, 2008
Limitations on copyright may mean an exception for a non-profit library in which the library may use specific copyright material in a specific way without asking permission or making a payment.If you have questions about exceptions for libraries, archives, museums, educational institutions or others, please ask here...

5.0 Rights Protected by Copyright

Posted on June 04, 2008
5.1 Question: My organization publishes a print newsletter for circulation to our clients. We have been publishing this newsletter for 10 years. The articles are written by freelance writers. Five years ago, we instituted our first written agreements with these writers to ensure that we had electronic rights in the articles in addition to print rights...

4.0 Duration of Copyright Protection

Posted on June 04, 2008
4.1 Question: Is there a simple way to determine duration of a copyright work in the U.S.?Answer: The duration of copyright protection in the U.S. is more complicated than in other countries due in part to the fact that the length of copyright protection in the U...

3.0 Ownership of Copyright Materials

Posted on June 04, 2008
3.1 Question: Who owns the copyright to the text and illustrations/photographs in a published book?Answer: There is no straightforward answer. Ownership depends upon the publishing agreement signed by the publisher and author/illustrator/photographer...

2.0 Types of Works Protected by Copyright

Posted on June 04, 2008
2.1 Question: I am writing a book on copyright law for laypeople. I am not a lawyer and am getting much of my research is from other books on copyright, rather than giving my opinion on the Copyright Act and court cases. Is this legal?Answer: There is no copyright in ideas, facts or information...

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