Copyright is a confusing fact of life. The United States Constitution acknowledges the right of authors to benefit from their work. This right is codified in Title 17 of the U.S. Code, where users are also granted certain rights to use copyrighted information. As information has grown in quantity and technology has changed the formats in which this information is delivered, the laws and guidelines governing the rights of authors and users has become a quagmire of cantankerous debate for experts and muddled perplexity for novices.
The following resources are guidelines to help faculty and staff at Union College gain a better understanding of copyright issues in order to help them make wise and ethical decisions about the use of copyrighted material. This is not legal counsel.
Resources
- Copyright Law of the United States - Portions of the code are surprisingly easy to read. We encourage you to read the sections referred to below.
- Copyright Crash Course (University of Texas)
- Electronic Frontier Foundation - A liberal perspective on intellectual property and privacy issues.
- Section 108 Spinner - Guidelines for libraries and archives to make reproductions for their users, for replacement, or for preservation.
- U.S. Copyright Office - Provides helpful FAQs, guidelines, information on copyright registrations, and much more.
- University Publishing: Copyright (Washington State University)
- World Intellectual Property Organization - Learn about the international protection of intellectual property.