Other Useful Copyright Links

The Actual Documents Pertaining to Copyright, e.g. Constitutional and legal original documents:

U.S. Constitution: Article One, Section 8, 8th clause:
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript 
"A Power of Congress: To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries"

U.S. Copyright Act: Title 17 of the U.S. Code:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17

www.copyright.gov/title17

TEACH Act text:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-107s487es/pdf/BILLS-107s487es.pdf

Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works: http://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/overview.html

The full text of CONTU, which determined how the Copyright Act of 1976 should address computers and copy machines.
http://digital-law-online.info/CONTU/PDF/index.html

TEACH Act:

This is the text of the TEACH Act:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-107s487es/pdf/BILLS-107s487es.pdf

University of California Community: UC Copyright
http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/copyright/
The site presents University of California and its specific campus policies on copyright issues. But it focuses most of its attention on benefits and responsibilities under the TEACH Act, including those for the institution and those for instructors.

Fair Use:

Libraries: Copyright and Fair Use
http://fairuse.stanford.edu/
The site is a comprehensive overview of copyright and fair use issues. It discusses the public domain, releases, and various kinds of permissions including educational and web site permissions. It has special sections on resources for librarians and on new issues and legislation.

U.S. Copyright Office: Copyright and Fair Use
http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
The site covers sections 106 and 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act, which cover the reproduction of copyrighted materials according to fair use. It discusses the four standards of fair use: the purpose and character of the use; the nature of the copyrighted work; the amount and substantiality of the portion used; and the effect of the use on the potential market for the work.

Intellectual Property:

University of Texas: Crash Course in Copyright
http://copyright.lib.utexas.edu/
The site starts by discussing fair use separately and then applies it to multimedia presentations, the digital library, and licensing resources. It answers the question, Who owns what? And then it allows visitors to work their way through the crash course on copyright.

A thorough description of the various areas of intellectual property: http://www.bitlaw.com/.

A bibliography of Web sites relating to intellectual property law: http://www.hg.org/intell.html.

General:

Official U.S. Copyright website: www.copyright.gov

Copyright Clearance Center: Copyright.com
http://www.copyright.com/
The site offers to assist the visitor to register a copyright. It has information on using millions of written resources for business, academic, and service provider purposes. It will assist both authors and publishers to license works internationally.

University of St. Francis: A Visit to Copyright Bay
http://www.stfrancis.edu/cid/copyrightbay/
Using the image of a bay with an inlet, wharf, cove, reef, murky waters, etc., the site explores applications of "fair use" in single copying, multiple copies, multimedia, audio-visuals, and distance education. It distinguishes safe areas from danger zones.

The Digital Millenium Copyright Act of 1998
http://www.copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf
The act deals with the World Intellectual Property Organization treaties, Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation, Computer Maintenance Competition Assurance, miscellaneous provisions, Vessel Hull Design Protection.

United States Copyright Office: Copyright
http://www.copyright.gov/
The site explains all the basics of copyright. It has sections on publications, licensing, and registering works. It discusses copyright law and policy with sections focusing on Federal Register Notices, regulations, and current legislation.

Legal Protection of Digital Information by Lee A. Hollaar
http://digital-law-online.info/lpdi1.0/treatise4.html
The site deals with the history of copyright law, which began with the printing press. In England the "Stationers Company" controlled copyright until 1692. The author follows different stages in the history of American copyright law up to the Copyright Act of 1976 and beyond.

University of Hawai'i at Manoa Libraries: Copyrighted Materials
http://libweb.hawaii.edu/uhmlib/copyright/protected.htm
The site first explains what kinds of works are not covered by the copyright laws. It then explains what is meant by the public domain with an emphasis on how much time must have gone by. The site also has links to the TEACH Act and to U.S. Copyright law.

Please note the following disclaimer: This website should not be construed as a substitute for legal advice, nor does it guarantee complete accuracy or comprehensiveness on the subject of copyright. Please consult an attorney for specific situations.