Elementary Copyright © Barbara Benford

What is copyright? Laws that protect the work of people like  Authors – stories, poems, letters  Artists – drawings, paintings, photos  Composers – music, recordings, videos  Web designers – websites from being used without their permission.

Example You find my drawing on the Internet and think it is just right for your homework on shapes, with a few changes. So you copy and paste it into your work.

. You can’t use my work without my permission!

How is something protected? If you make something that is your own idea and work, no one can use it or change it without your permission. That’s the law! You can decide to make copies, give it away, hang it up, or make changes. It is your intellectual property.

If you have permission, you can use the picture or change the picture. But you need to tell who made it first. Drawn by Ms. Benford November 2009 ©

What does that mean?  If you want to use the words or pictures of someone else you need to have their permission.  AND you need to give them credit—say where you found the pictures or words. We call it citing your source.

Cite a Source  When you use a book or website, you need to list the author and title or the website.  Example:  Tigers by Helen Frost  Tigers online by Busch Gardens

Fair Use  When you are using pictures or information for school reports, you can use it without asking the author for permission IF  You remember to CITE the SOURCE!  You can do this for school reports but not if you are trying to make money.  If you have a question, ask your librarian or teacher.

Copyright ©  Protects your work  Protects the work of other people  Use it wisely  Ask for help  Cite your sources