Subject Guides » Copyright

• US Copyright Office
  United States Government information on copyright. Basic information, searchable copyright records and information on how to register.
  
  
• Copyright and Fair Use
  Stanford University provides information on Copyright and Fair Use.
  
  
• Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States
  Easy to use chart showing when copyrights expire.
  
  
• Fair Use Evaluator
  from the ALA office of Information Technology Policy.
  
  
• Exceptions for Instructors eTool
  from the American Library Association.
  
  
• The Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education
  A code of best practices that helps educators using media literacy concepts and techniques to interpret the copyright doctrine of fair use. This document was created by a team of more than 150 members of leading educational associations.
  
  
• Copyright Advisory Network
  "A community of librarians, copyright scholars, policy wonks."
  
  
• Copyright Myths Debunked
  from Bryan Cave's Art Law Blog.
  
  
• Creative Commons
  "Enabling the legal sharing and reuse of cultural, educational, and scientific works" "Creative Commons licenses provide a flexible range of protections and freedoms for authors, artists, and educators."
  
  
• The Copyright Website
  General copyright information for educators, students, websurfers and confused citizens; Specialized information for webmasters, musicians, moviemakers, screenwriters, programmers and photographers.
  
  
• Library Law
  Overview of copyright issues, both in general and as they pertain to libraries. Many links.
  
  
• Kasunic.com
  "The copyright law and litigation resource." Thorough and well-organized collection of links to many excellent resources about copyright.

Music Copyright and Licensing

• Music Publisher's Association Copyright FAQ
  Guide to copyright in regards to the music industry.
  
  
• Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
  
  
• Public Domain Music
  A reference site to help identify public domain songs and public domain music . . . lists of public domain music, royalty free music recordings you can license, and public domain sheet music reprints
  
  
• Music Library Association's Copyright Guide

Licensing Agencies

Check these databases to find copyrighted songs and apply for permission to legally use them.

• BMI
  
  
• The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)
  
  
• SOCAN (Canada)
  
  
• The Harry Fox Agency, Inc

Digital Content and Copyright

Information and perspectives on digital copyright issues.

• Digital Millennium Copyright Act
  Plain text and PDF versions of Public Law 105 - 304 - Digital Millennium Copyright Act from US Government Printing Office.
  
  
• ALA’s DRM Resources
  The American Library Association guide to digital rights management.
  
  
• Electronic Frontier Foundation
  Free speech, privacy, intellectual property and digital copyright issues from a civil liberty perspective.
  
  
• World Intellectual Property Organization
  The website of WIPO, a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to developing an international intellectual property system.
  
  
• ALA Guide to the WIPO
  ALA guide to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) issues and their impact on libraries.
  
  
• Digital Future Coalition
  An organization committed to striking an appropriate balance in law and public policy between protecting intellectual property and affording public access to it.
  
  
• UCLA Online Institute for Cyberspace Law and Policy
  Online archive of Cyberspace Policy Resources during the formative years of 1995-2002.
  
  
• BC Intellectual Property and Technology Forum
  A legal publication dedicated to providing readers with scholarship, reporting, and discussion from the legal community concerning technology law and intellectual property.
  
  
• ALA’s DRM Resources
  The American Library Association's list of resources, statements, and papers regarding Digital Rights Management issues and concerns for libraries.
  
  
• Public Knowledge’s Citizens Guide to DRM
  Washington,DC based public interest group’s guide to Digital Rights Management.