“Pinpoint” the Source Being Mindful of Copyright Etiquette By Brenda Bishop

The Basics “Copyright” means a little more than the FBI warning at the beginning of a video or DVD that not many people notice or pay attention to… According to the US Copyright Law, infringement refers to “anyone who violates any of the exclusive rights of the copyright owner” and can be applied to various forms of media, including videos, music, photographs, images and literature.

What Does This Mean to Me? Several things… - Just because it doesn’t have the © doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. - Even though you’re not making a profit from the item or charging others…it’s a no, no. - The internet is not a free databank of resources! That special something you’re copy and pasting was someone else’s hard work. Give credit where credit is due. YES

What Should I Know? 1. “Facts can not be protected by copyright. The author's choice of words to express those facts, may, indeed, be copyrighted.” (Simpson, 2001) 2.Play it safe. Assume everything has a copyright. “Material is automatically protected by copyright as soon as it is put into tangible form—for example, when it is written on paper, saved to disk, recorded on tape, or painted on canvas.” (Simpson, 2001) 3.Interesting little tid bit… “copyright lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years for materials created today” (Simpson, 2001) 4.Schools are given a privilege of fair use. “[B]ut the exemptions are for materials used strictly for educational purposes” (Simpson, 2001)

Tell Me More… Fair Use Thank you Congress! “Section 504(c)(2) of the Copyright Act provides special protection to nonprofit libraries, educational institutions and their employees.” (ALA.org, 2012) There are four questions to reflect on and determine if the item falls under “Fair Use” 1. According to the American Library Association’s website a criteria to ask: What’s the purpose? Does it support a non profit educational institution?

Fair Use Continued 2.What is the nature of the work? “Is the work published or unpublished? Is it factual or creative? Unpublished works have stronger protections than do published works. (Simpson, 2001) 3. How much are you planning to use? I mean after all, it isn’t yours… 4.How will this affect the demand for the item and item itself?

In the Classroom… Videos and audio tapes… - You can play them in the classroom if it is related to a lesson despite the warning of “at home use only”. HOWEVER, they can not be shown as a reward or incentive. Making Copies - Okay sure, but you’re technically limited. “Educators may make and retain a single copy of an article, map, chart, or chapter for personal use and use in teaching. We can also make multiple copies (one copy per student) of an article, map, chart, or chapter for students—but only once, and only if permission cannot be obtained in time.” (Simpson, 2001)

Good to Know “Educators cannot copy the same copyright-protected items from year to year or term to term without permission, charge students for copies beyond the actual cost of making the copies, or copy materials just because the source is out of print.” (Simpson, 2001) Software Programs Backup copies are allowed as are CD ROMS. Fortunately most campus software programs are purchased for the network. Allowing everyone on campus access. Become more educated and aware! Help your students.

What Students Should Know Students need to be explicitly taught how to locate reference information. Connect the lesson to the students and their own hard work and publications. Great character lessons! Encourage students to use reference materials and practice with various media to cite. If you don’t use it, you lose it! Apply citing references to all forms of media and give them helpful websites and tools to use. EX:

References (AmericanLibraryAssociation.org) Fair Use and Electronic Reserves. Retrieved from erves Family Circus Comic retrieved from 1DarNoeuY/s200/Family+Circus gif FBI warning photograph retrieved from PDF of US Copyright Law from December 2011 retrieved from Simpson, C. (2001). Copyright 101. Educational Leadership. 59(4)