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Subject Guide for Copyright
Contents:
IntroductionThis guide explains how to register for copyright protection and how to investigate the copyright status of a work. It also provides links to web sites about fair use, international copyright protection, and selected legal materials. A good overview for copyright is provided by: Copyright Basics.
(Copyright Circular.) U.S. Copyright Office. DefinitionA copyright provides authors of original works the exclusive right to the reproduction of a work, preparation of a derivative work, distribution of copies, and public performance or display of a work. Copyright protection can be claimed for literary, musical, dramatic, pantomimes and choreographic, pictorial, graphic and sculptural works, as well as motion pictures and other audiovisual works and sound recordings. These categories are interpreted broadly to include other intellectual works such as games, computer software, automated databases and web sites. Copyrights are different from trademarks and patents. A trademark is a symbol, word, or name that identifies a product and is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Patents are property rights granted by the Patent and Trademark Office and include the right to exclude others from making, using, or selling a process, machine, article, composition of matter, or plant. The U.S. Copyright Office publishes additional Circulars which cover copyright issues such as fees, licensing, copyright terms, and educational use in detail. Copyright Information Circulars.
U.S. Copyright Office. Copyright FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Registering for Copyright ProtectionCopyright protection is secured automatically when a work is created and may be registered with the Library of Congress Copyright Office. Works do not need to be registered but, there are legal advantages to doing so. The symbol ©, the word "Copyright," or "Copr." and the year of publication and name of owner are used to notify the public that the work is protected by copyright. Sound recordings use the letter P in a circle. Example: © 1997 John Doe. It takes the Copyright Office approximately 5 months to process registrations. Registration is secured by submitting a:
For more information see: Copyright Registration (U.S. Copyright Office).
Forms can also be obtained free of charge by calling the Copyright Office at (202) 707-9100. Investigating the Copyright Status of a Work
Because the Catalog does not contain all the essential facts concerning a registration, and does not include entries for assignments, you may want to have the Copyright Office conduct a search for you for a fee. Contact: Reference and Bibliography Section, LM-451 Copyright Office Library of Congress Washington, DC 20559 (202) 707-6850 Fair Use, Distance Education & Copyright ClearanceFair Use | Distance Education | Copyright Clearance Fair UseReproduction of Copyrighted Works By Educators and Librarians. U.S. Copyright Office. Copyright and Fair Use. Stanford University. Copyright Crash Course. University of Texas System. Copyright and Intellectual Property. Association of Research Libraries. Distance EducationCopyright Office Study on Distance Education. U.S. Copyright Office. Copyright ClearanceLegal ResourcesCopyright Law Materials. Legal Information Institute. Cornell Law School. FindLaw: Internet Legal Resources. Internet Law Library: Copyright. International CopyrightInformation Policy: Copyright and Intellectual Property. International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. International Copyright. U.S. Copyright Office. World Intellectual Property Organization. SDSU Copyright ResourcesThe SDSU copyright policy is included in "Intellectual Property" and is available in a web version.
This page http://infodome.sdsu.edu/research/guides/gov/copyright.shtml is maintained by Carolyn Baber. Please use our Feedback Form for your questions, comments, and suggestions. File saved 08/03/07 10:15 PDT |
FAQs
provide an quick introduction to copyright information and major issues.
