Educational institutions continually work to balance between providing students with access to data and protecting copyright owner's exclusive rights. The Copyright Act of 1976, effective in 1978, provided exemptions for live and distance education. As digital technology grew in capability, its capabilities were incorporated in distance education,…

Copyright in the world of digital information is changing at a fevered pace, even as educators and librarians digitize, upload, download, draw on databases, and incorporate materials into Web-based instruction. It's essential to stay abreast of the basics of copyright law and fair use. Kenneth D. Crews has completely revised his classic text to…

The first sale doctrine says that after a copyright holder first sells a copy of his or her work, the new owner may do whatever he or she pleases with that copy (assuming that use is legal). This concept came up through common law and was eventually codified in the Copyright Act of 1976. In 2010, two cases were working their way through the U.S.…

University administrators who have distance learning programs under their charge are on the horns of a dilemma. Given the growing litigiousness of copyright holders and the unsettled state of the law, it has become very difficult to establish failsafe administrative rules to guide faculty and student use of copyrighted materials. But the use of…

This is the first comprehensive, national-level study of the state of sound recording preservation ever conducted in the U.S. The authors have produced a study outlining the web of interlocking issues that now threaten the long-term survival of the sound recording history. This study tells everyone that major areas of America's recorded sound…

When Lars Ulrich, drummer for the rock group Metallica, testified before Congress about his group's lawsuit against Napster in 2000, many people who followed copyright issues in the music industry were not surprised (Ulrich, 2000). Ever since downloading audio files became as easy as clicking a few buttons on a personal computer, charges of…

Understanding the tenets of copyright in general, and in particular, in online communication and publishing with Web 2.0 tools, has become an important part of literacy in today's Information Age, as well as a cornerstone of free speech and responsible citizenship for the future. Young content creators must be educated about copyright law, their…

This article explores some of the legal and law-related challenges educators face in designing, implementing, and sustaining globally networked learning environments (GNLEs) in the context of conflicting international laws on intellectual property and censorship/free speech. By discussing cases and areas involving such legal issues, the article…

The Technology, Education, and Copyright Harmonization (TEACH) Act of 2002 was developed to update copyright law to accommodate the uses of copyrighted materials in distance-education environments. This article presents an analysis of the TEACH Act and its implications for teaching writing, with an aim toward building awareness among faculty and…

August in the U.S. capital is typically quiet. Congress is in recess, and most bureaucrats choose this hot steamy month for their vacation. In a normal year, serious legislation is put off until September; in a close election year such as this one, it is put off until "after the elections." This year, with the exception of agency…

This research examines the copyright guidelines and policies from a purposeful sample of colleges and universities in the United States. It is a descriptive, qualitative study of 39 copyright and intellectual property policies and guidelines from these institutions. Compliance to the Teach Act of 2002 was the initial feature that this research…

Discusses issues that deal with the interface of copyright law and online systems. Areas of change needed to maintain the balance between users and creators of electronic information are identified, limits of the Copyright Act are explored, and it is suggested that existing copyright law can be applied to electronic information. (four references)…

The integration of new technologies using digital media materials in preservice and inservice programs to prepare educational personnel presents both opportunities and challenges for teacher educators in special education. The TEACH Act of 2002 provided some guidelines for appropriate use of copyrighted materials in face-to-face, televised, and…

Music teachers are used to finding creative methods for accomplishing large tasks in spite of overwhelming obstacles, such as an insufficient budget and limited time. Yet, when it comes to incorporating technology into the classroom, many allow these obstacles to get the best of them. Finding ways to use computers in the classroom with limited…

Section 108 of the Copyright Act of 1976, Title 17 of the United States Code, spells out conditions under which libraries may photocopy copyrighted works without infringing the rights of their owners. Section 108(i) directs the Register of Copyrights to prepare and file a report every 5 years setting forth the extent to which this section has…