Copyright Law James Fuller

Copyright Basics Applies to all formats – print, electronic, digital Educators may use copyrighted materials under the Fair Use guidelines provided the use meets these 4 criteria: - the purpose of the use - the nature of the work used - the amount of the work used - the effect the use will have on the potential market for the work used.

Copyright History British Parliament passed the first law recognizing the rights of authors. This act established the principles of authors' ownership of copyright and prevented a monopoly on the part of the booksellers. It also created a "public domain" for literature by limiting terms of copyright and by ensuring that once a work was purchased the copyright owner no longer had control over its use. Connecticut became the first state to pass a copyright statute, entitled "An Act for the Encouragement of Literature and Genius". It was enacted due to the advocacy of Dr. Noah Webster. The first motion pictures were deposited for copyright in The earliest copyrighted film that still survives is Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze, January 7, Also known as Fred Ott's Sneeze, the film records Fred Ott, an Edison employee, sneezing comically for the camera. This motion picture was not submitted to the Copyright Office on celluloid film, but rather as a series of positive photographic prints. Beginning in 1962, Congress enacted the first of a series of nine special acts extending the renewal term for existing works. The effect of these laws was to extend to December 31, 1976, the renewal term of all works scheduled to expire between September 19, 1962, and December 31, 1976.

What You Can Do as a Teacher Show a movie (even if it’s labeled “for home use only”) if it meets the following criteria: - Movie is part of face-to-face instruction - Use of the movie is documented in the lesson plan - Movie supports the goals and objectives of the lesson - Movie is a true and legal copy Use parts of copyrighted materials – legally obtained and properly cited – for instructional purposes and student projects. Students may keep their multimedia projects containing copyrighted materials as part of their electronic portfolio for school or job interviews. Retain multimedia presentations for instructional purposes for up to 2 years after the first use. After 2 years, the teacher must have written permission to use any copyrighted materials.

What You Can’t Do as a Teacher Show a movie or other program that has been recorded from a premium cable channel (e.g. HBO, Disney). Make print copies of materials for every student you teach. Use copies of cartoon, TV or film characters for classroom/hallway decorations, bulletin boards, newsletters, web pages, hand-outs. Use portions of copyrighted materials in multimedia projects beyond the Fair Use limits. Post presentations/projects on the Internet without prior written permission from every copyright holder whose work was used.

How to Register a Copyright Complete an application Include the correct fee Include nonreturnable copies (usually, one for unpublished and two for published) SEND THE PACKAGE TO: Library of Congress Copyright Office 101 Independence Avenue, SE. Washington, D.C The Copyright Office receives your package, and your registration becomes effective on that day. We receive about 2,400 submissions each business day. We examine your application and deposit and make sure they're acceptable and meet the requirements of Copyright law and regulations. Your registration is assigned a number and a certificate of registration is issued. You'll receive that certificate in the mail about 4 months after you submit your package.

Copyright FAQS Does Copyright protect my ideas? Actually, copyright law does not protect your idea. Instead, copyright protects the tangible expression of your idea or system. Let's say you come up with a new skateboard jumping technique, and you write a book about the trick. The copyright of your book will prevent other people from publishing the text and illustrations describing the technique. But it will not give you any rights to prevent others from using your new jump. Is it ok to use up to 5% of someone else's work? Under certain circumstances, "fair use" allows you to use parts of someone else's work. There's no magic formula, though. Scholarly criticism, teaching, and news reporting may be valid reasons for reproducing a copyrighted work. A number of other factors also need to be considered. (See Fair Use). When in doubt, it's always a good idea to ask the copyright owner for permission first. Do I have to register my copyright to secure protection? Copyright protection actually begins at the moment the work is created on paper, recorded, or otherwise made permanent. However, for certain types of works, registration may be a good idea because you get certain additional benefits. Registration establishes a public record, which is necessary if you need to sue someone in court for infringement. If you win your case, you may also be eligible for statutory damages and attorney's fees.

Works Cited "Taking the Mystery Out of Copyright (Library of Congress)." Taking the Mystery Out of Copyright (Library of Congress). N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov Iteachtechnologynow. "What Is Copyright Law?" YouTube. YouTube, 23 July Web. 08 Nov “Copyright Tips and Reminders." 7 Nov PDF file.