The TEACH Act of 2002 was passed into American Federal law to give educators guidance for the use of copyrighted material in online courses. It gives broad leeway to a variety of uses and protects educators from copyright holders who do not want their work used without compensation even if the work is clearly allowed under previous provision of…

This paper highlights some issues of concern for national libraries about the way national copyright legislation and, increasingly, international agreements may effect how successful they are in carrying out their mission. Discussion includes copyright and exceptions to copyright; preservation and access; preservation exceptions; access…

Federal and state legislation which provides funds in support of library programs and legislation that has financial implications for libraries are reviewed with examples from public and academic libraries. Implications of accepting library funds, the impact of the Copyright Act law, Title II-C of the Higher Education Act, postal regulations, the…

The Constitution empowers Congress to protect the rights of authors. There is disagreement, however, over whether Congress may grant authors a limited monopoly on their works or may regulate authorship by permitting reasonable public access to creative works. The traditional view of expansive pre-publication rights for authors is supported by…

This paper briefly summarizes the Copyright Act recently passed by the United States Congress as it relates to graphic arts and points out that the law ignores the major problem facing that field: the lack of copyright protection for typography and typeface designs. It then explains the reasoning used for denying protection to typography and…

Discusses legal, political, and economic implications of technological advancement that may affect the operations and services of libraries. The emphasis is international; however, many problems have national counterparts. Included is a description of ownership and copyright problems experienced by the international MARC network. (Author/RAA)

Electronic data interchange (EDI) permits two parties to enter into a contract without the use of paper and human signatures, which are historically associated with commerce in goods and services. As federal legislation governing contractual information changes to accommodate electronic formats, provisions must be crafted in a technology-neutral…

This review of the literature addresses the issue of the fair use doctrine and its application to off-air taping of news and nonnews programs broadcast by radio and television. Conclusions drawn include: a temporary arrangement has yet to be reached between copyright proprietors and educators wishing to use copyrighted works for nonprofit,…

Discussion of the effects of copyright on microcomputer software highlights the nature of copyright and situations in which the copying of copyrighted software may be permitted. Rights that a purchaser should insist upon when contracting for computer equipment are noted, i.e., right to test hardware and software prior to purchase. (EJS)

This paper discusses the aspects of copyright law pertinent to World Wide Web users. Topics addressed include: the purpose of copyright law; what can be copyrighted, including categories that do not qualify for copyright protection; notice of copyright; copyright infringement; and the factors that determine fair use, (purpose and character of use,…

This paper presents an overview of copyright issues for research and teaching. The first section provides historical background from the origin of the concept of copyright in 1557 in Britain to the present. The second section looks at fair use, including parameters and guidelines for reproduction. The following sections discusses the Berne…

This discussion of the 1976 Copyright Law highlights the librarian's responsibility, guidelines for interlibrary loan copying published by National Commission on New Technological Uses of Copyrighted Works (CONTU) and the American Library Association Interlibrary Loan Committee, and nonprint materials and copyright. Thirteen references and an…

This discussion of the difficulties of protecting copyright for audio and video recordings focuses on the application of the 1976 Copyright Act and the Fair Use principle to educational off-air taping and private home recording. Court cases such as Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation versus Crooks and Universal Studios, et al. versus…

This paper addresses international issues and problems raised by the impacts of technology that may result in new legislation which, in turn, may affect the operations and services of libraries. Areas of international concern for libraries include increased information flow, greater dependence on information and communication services, information…

This paper examines the role of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) as it relates to copyright and to visually impaired people's right to read. The paper starts by summarizing the barriers that can arise both from refusal to grant permission for alternative formats and from the use of rights management schemes incompatible with…