Digital piracy is a problem that may never disappear from society. Through readily available resources such as those found in a university, students will always have access to illegal goods. While piracy is a global phenomenon, an institution's resources combined with the typical college student's lack of funds makes it more lucrative. Students…

Colleges have deployed various tactics over the years to deter illegal file sharing, usually of commercial music and movies, by their students. This month, the U.S. Department of Education will begin crafting regulations that specify strategies, a prospect that is making some campus officials wonder if plans they have already invested in will pass…

Discusses legal issues involved in developing and distributing multimedia publications. Examines libel; rights of publicity; and such elements of copyright law as copyright protections and infringements, fair use and public domain policies, and use of ideas and factual materials. Uses a hypothetical multimedia project to illustrate the legal rules…

A statement by Senator Orrin G. Hatch opened the hearing on The Computer Software Rental Amendments Act of 1988, a bill which would amend title 17, United States Code, the Copyright Act, to protect certain computer programs. The text of the bill is then presented, followed by the statements of four witnesses: (1) Dr. Alan C. Ashton, president,…

Explains the exceptions incorporated in the Copyright Act to deal with problems raised by computer software. The exceptions discussed include the right to load copy, to make backup copies, and to modify software, as well as the fair use doctrine. (CLB)

This book was written to help educational institutions and their faculty and students meet the responsibilities of U.S. copyright law. Part I is a model board policy written for large or small school district or college and university boards. The policy can be modified to meet specific needs. Part II contains the details and procedures applying to…

The Copyright Act of 1976, particularly the guidelines on fair use, did much to clarify the ambiguity of the 1909 Copyright Act in relation to new electronic media. Although some specific guidelines for teachers were included, it should be noted that microcomputers and disk drives were not yet widely available in 1976. Because experts were divided…

Briefly reviews the laws pertaining to copyrights, patents, and trade secrets, and discusses how each of these may be applied to the protection of computer programs. The comparative merits and limitations of each category of law are discussed and recent court decisions are summarized. (CLB)

Explains provisions of the Copyright Act of 1976, highlighting the fair use doctrine, which allows limited reproduction and use without copyright owners' permission under certain conditions. Fair use may be successfully invoked for reproducing protected materials for classroom use if each copy bears the copyright notice and the reproduction…

This guide is designed to help librarians, researchers, and teachers understand and negotiate licensing agreements for electronic resources. Chapter 1 is an introduction to contract law. Chapter 2 describes the various types of licensing agreements, including shrink-wrap, Webwrap, and custom licenses that are negotiated clause-by-clause; examples…

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 review of sections of copyright laws most relevant to media librarians covers requirements of authors, sole rights of copyright owners, fair use and other exceptions to sole rights, the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) case, the Sony case, exempt public performances, and computer software. Twenty-nine references are provided.…

Problems involved in distance learning where teachers utilizing public chat sites and interactive software crosses the Internet students online are examined. The provisions of the TEACH Act that became law in 2002 and provides guidelines on the use of copyright-protected material are discussed.

Intended to help librarians, library media specialists, administrators, and educators better understand the ramifications of the copyright law, Public Law 94-553, this document asks and answers some of the basic questions concerning compliance with the law. Topics covered include definition of the copyright law; scope of copyright protection;…

Discusses the copyright act in general; presents a discourse on three sections of the law especially significant to computer programs (fair use, first sale, and like rights in computer programs); and discusses copying to and from hard disks and library liability with regard to the law's three specific sections. (MBR)