Snowcrest Jr. High

Copyright Library Guide

What is Copyright?

How does it affect you?

How can you avoid copyright infringement?

Imagine you are a struggling musician in a local band. You’ve

taken lessons for years, practiced extensively, and done the work to earn a recording

contract. Your band’s original song has become a hit, and now you can support yourself

with your passion.

Soon you learn your song has been used as background music for a random

school’s video production which was then copied and sold to the public. You understand

this use does not meet copyright conditions, and school officials did not seek your prior

permission or pay any accompanying royalties. Though this may not seem like such a big

deal, it is illegal. Why? Because your music is your intellectual property. YOU created it,

you own it, and you have rights regarding how it is used within the parameters of the law.

Though you may be flattered that others chose to include your song, certain conditions

must be met in regard to its use—or formal permission must be granted in order to protect

your rights and the rights of all artists.

This doesn’t mean you, the student, can’t use music clips or other artwork in

school projects, however. If you follow copyright and Fair Use laws, you may use music

and other art forms for specific purposes. Learning about copyright infringement protects

you and the artist. Think about it…if copyright laws are not followed, artists of all types

ultimately lose the ability to support themselves effectively. This means we lose the

benefit and enjoyment of their music, art, photography, and abundant other creations

we’ve come to enjoy. When everybody follows copyright rules and regulations, everyone

wins!

Don’t be guilty of copyright infringement. Respect the

rights of an artists’ work or intellectual property by

meeting copyright and Fair Use laws, choosing royalty-

free works, or by gaining appropriate permission prior

to use.

Copyright Articles:

http://www.atg.wa.gov/teenconsumer/rights_and_responsibilities/copyright_laws.ht

m

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/technology-explained-digital-media-copyright-act/

http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/2006/06/article_0009.html

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2008/02/teens-parents-the-main-source-of-info-

about-copyright-rules/

http://www.teenink.com/hot_topics/all/article/195215/Copyright-Laws-how-far-

does-control-over-intellectual-property-go-in-the-music-industry/

Helpful Websites:

http://www.copyrightkids.org/cbasicsframes.htm

http://www.copyrightandschools.org/

http://copyright.cornell.edu/resources/publicdomain.cfm

http://schoolvideonews.com/Copyright/Copyright-issues-when-using-music-in-videos

http://www.slideshare.net/cwhite449/beginner-guide-to-copyright

Additional Copyright Resources:

Fishman, Stephen. The Copyright Handbook: What Every Writer

Needs to Know. Nolo, 2011. ISBN-10 1413316174

Copyright laws (United States and international) are covered in this handbook. Instructions for receiving permission are included, and

this book provides the necessary steps to receive permissions.

Fishman, Stephen. The Public Domain: How to Find and Use Copyright-Free Writings, Music, Arts, and More. Nolo, 2012.

ISBN—10: 1413317219

This book targets materials that are free for public use, so students and teachers can avoid copyright infringement. The

content includes strategies for users on how to find such materials, and provides warning signals to determine when you need permission for materials and when you don’t.

Stim, Richard. Getting Permission: How to License and Clear

Copyrighted Materials Online and Off. Nolo, 2010. ISBN-10: 1413312705

This book teaches readers how to gain permission to use

copyrighted materials so they don’t face lawsuits for using material incorrectly. The author is a copyright attorney, and provides step-by-step instructions on how to acquire materials for use…whether

you need photos, music, art or other copyrighted material for a variety of purposes.

Simpson, Carol Ann. Copyright for Schools. Linworth, 2010. ISBN-10 1586833936

The author of this book addresses the importance of appropriate

copyright practices for schools. As students use multi-media to create projects for school use, they (and educators) must become aware of the

laws and best practices in order to guard themselves against copyright errors and potential lawsuits.

Frohwein, Robert J. and Gregory Scott Smith. Copyrights. Alpha, 2004.

ISBN-10: 1592572286

This book not only covers the basics of copyright law (in a pocket book-size

form), but provides information for artists who want to know their individual, intellectual property rights. The information within provides understandable explanations of difficult laws, so readers can navigate

complex issues quickly and accurately.

Created by Angela Bulloch 2013