Copyright
The simplest definition of copyright is that it is a law that protects the rights of the owner or creator of a particular image, song, video, artwork, or other type of creative product.
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Why do I need to know about copyright?
As information consumers and producers, it is imperative that people understand the laws that govern the use of materials in both the physical and virtual (online) world. Copyright not only protects big name producers (music labels, movie studios, etc.), it also provides ownership of creative products to you and me, too!
How can I follow copyright guidelines?
One of the best ways to be sure you are giving credit to a copyright holder is by citing your sources. By creating a list of Works Cited and/or Works Consulted (MLA), you are referring people back to the original sources you used when writing your paper, creating your PowerPoint presentation, building your website, making your book trailer, or working on another type of project.
What is the public domain?
The public domain consists of works that are outside the realm of copyright protection. These works are often ineligible for copyright or were created prior to 1923.
What is Creative Commons?
Creative Commons is a non-profit organization that works to provide creators an option regarding copyright protections. Creative Commons licenses are free and they allow a creator to waive some of the copyright law's more restrictive elements. Visit Creative Commons for more information.
What about Fair Use? Isn't anything educational covered?
Fair use is a doctrine created to give some limitations to the restrictions imposed by copyright law. Many educators are under the impression that fair use covers any use of creative materials in education, but this is not always the case. Fair use has its own restrictions.
For more information visit the U.S. Copyright Office's webpage on fair use. You can also visit Purdue University's Copyright Exceptions page or the Action Coalition for Media Education's Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education to see if your situation qualifies as Fair Use.
In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered should include:
1. the purpose and character of the use, including whether the use is commercial or nonprofit
2. the nature of the use
3. the amount of the use
4. the effect of the use on the potential market for the copyrighted work
*Disclaimer: Copyright laws are subject to change. Visit www.copyright.gov or see your Library Media Specialist for more information.
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