COPYRIGHT MATTERS

Why It’s ImportantBy Jamesha Outlaw

COPYRIGHT? WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Copyrights are issued under civil law to help protect the originality of an author’s creative work. To use another individual’s work without giving them proper acknowledgement or credit can result in being sued by the author for infringement .

Written works, music, dramatics, motion picture, sound recordings, multi-media can be protected by copyrights.

FAIR USE? WHO CAN USE IT?

The term fair use is the exception to the rule of when it comes to copyright. It allows an individual to freely use a portion of another author’s creative works without permission for the purpose of commentary, criticism or parody.

Students, teachers, staff and educational facilities are allowed to copy portions of materials under fair use

CONSIDERATIONS UNDER FAIR USE

Purpose & reasoning for use Nature of the copyrighted

work Amount and substance of the

portion being used Effect of the use on the

potential market/audience

FAIR USE IN ACADEMICS

Multi-media Presentation Copyright Limitations

Portion of copyrighted works can be used with proper credit and citation

Up to 10% or 1000 words (text) which ever is less Up to 10% but not more than 30 seconds of music or lyrics Up to 10% or 3 minutes whichever is less from motion media (animation,

video, film) One photograph or illustration in its entirety. No more than 5 images by

the same artist/photographer. No more than 10% or 15 images in a collection

Up to 10% or 2500 field/cell entries whichever is less from a database or data table

ACADEMICS- COPYRIGHTED TEXT

Can Use: Complete poem if less that 250 words,

except of not more than 250 words from longer poem

A complete article, short essay if less than 2500 words

10% or 1000 words of text whichever is less

TEXT SAMPLES

ENTIRE POEM 250 WORDS OR LESSSHORT STORY 250 WORDS OR LESS

Just Passing ThroughLight travels through lightair through airSometimes we travel

through each otheras if we weren’t there

Prize Rivals.Ann and Viv were rivals since their first day at school; wanting to sit on the same chair had started it. All through their school years and at college they vied to be number one in academic work and sports. Eventually, being competitive was less fun and they were almost like the best of friends. Except twice a year, at the Christmas fair and summer fete they battled it out to win the prize for the best cake. Often, when the results were announced they would say the prize goes jointly to the Jones twins Ann and VIv.

ACADEMICS – COPYRIGHTED MUSIC

Teacher can make copies of excerpt of sheet music provided excerpt is not the whole song, section or movement. No more than 10% of the whole work can be copied & only 1 copy per student.

Student can make a single recording of a performance of copyrighted music for evaluation or rehearsal purposed (teacher/school can keep the copy)

MUSIC SAMPLE

SHEET MUSIC COPY CHILDREN RECORDING

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh441TwfcVc

ACADEMICS- COPYRIGHTED TV SHOWS Recordings can be kept for 45 days, but can

be used to instructional purposes during the first 10 days. After 10 days, the video can only be used to teacher evaluation purposed only. After 45 days recording should be erased or destroyed

If teacher wants to keep as part of their curriculum, then they need to ask permission to do so

CONSIDERING ASKING FOR PERMISSION??

Determine if permission is needed Identify owner Identify Rights Needed Contact the owner & negotiate whether

payment is required Have permission agreement

documented in writing

KEEP IN MIND- POSTING TO WEBSITES Projects and multi-media posted on the

internet can be accessed by others and subject to NOT BEING COVERED BY FAIR USE

Assume everything is protected Read agreements on clip art, freeware or

downloadable material If notified of violation, remove illegal

material and research claim against you If in doubt, seek permission