Some resources on © and Fair Use

 

Copyright:

Federal Copyright Law -- A complete online transcript of U.S.C. Title 17 and related laws

Frequently Asked Questions about Copyright -- A FAQ provided by the U.S. Copyright Office

University of Texas Copyright Crash Course -- by Georgia Harper, a noted expert on universities and copyright.

Baruch College's Guide to Using Copyrighted Media in Your Courses  -- Available for use by members of the teaching public.

Copyright Clearance Center--Copyright resources and online permissions purchases

Friends of Active Copyright Education—a good presentation on copyright, sorted by media/format type. Excellent coverage of the myths.

10 Big Myths about Copyright Explained—a layman/geek’s explanation of copyright realities.

Fair Use and Alternatives:

When Copying is OK: The “Fair Use” Rule—a good discussion on one of the most confusing aspects of copyright law.

Creative Commons—a site that offers legal alternatives to copyright.

Future of Music Coalition—site for an advocacy group that seeks to bring together musicians, technologists, and industry lawyers and executives.

Internet Archive—A wonderful “digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form.” Have fun with the “WAYBACK MACHINE.”          (Check out the film section on ©, especially these short films)  

Untold Stories: Creative Consequences of the Rights Clearance Culture for Documentary Filmmakers (2004)

Copyright Criminals: This is a Sampling Sport (10 min Work in Progress)

Public Knowledgean advocacy group “working to protect your rights in the emerging digital culture,” PK seeks “a balanced approach to copyright and technology policy, one that promotes openness access, and the capacity to create and compete.”

To gain an understanding of the issues, see the Public Knowledge - Point/Counterpoint  page for a discussion on Copyright Owner’s rights versus Consumer’s Rights.

Check out their list of public domain image sites on this page: http://www.publicknowledge.org/resources/askpk/pkinitials#againstcopyright