(This is a "Page")Help, I received a copyright complaint!

Copyright complaints can have serious ramifications, and it is important to take them seriously. Even if you feel the copyright complaint is wrong in some basic way — wrong about the facts, or wrong about the allegation of law — you should assess it and determine the appropriate response. Below, we provide some basic information…

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copyright & teaching Show movies in class Uploads to course website Syllabus statements … MORE copyright & publishing Publishing agreements Negotiation – how and why Should I register my copyright? Dissertations & published papers Managing your data Protect your figures & images! Open access … MORE fair use What is fair use? Fair use checklists…

(This is a "Page")Copyrightability

Copyrights are easy to get — no registration or application required, not even a (c) notice (although those are helpful for other reasons). The copyright automatically happens as soon as a work is “fixed” in some medium — written down, recorded, or put in an electronic medium. However, although it’s dead easy (automatic!) to get…

(This is a "Page")Other Resources

Interested in learning more?  Here are some exceptional resources to learn about copyright or other caselaw. General Legal Guides Law Research Guide (UMass Library “Lib Guide”) – Guide to library resources for searching law and policy-related materials. Copyright & Related Law Sites University of Texas, “Copyright Crash Course” by Georgia Harper Stanford University Libraries, Summaries of Fair Use Cases…

(This is a "Page")Site Index

On this website, we provide basic fact sheets and tutorials about copyright and other information law topics that may affect your research or teaching. For further research, major copyright and publishing treatises and references are available for reference in the Scholarly Communication Dept., 19th floor, Du Bois Library. Authors and Publishing Author Organizations Author Rights…

(This is a "Page")Copyright & Related Expertise Workshop

The Copyright & Related Expertise Workshop (CREW) is a training & study group within the UMass Amherst Libraries, beginning January 2019 & going thru early 2020. TOPICS and READINGS Winter/Spring 2019: Copyright Basics 1. Information Law & Policy: Overview, part 1. Sources & Mechanics of Law. Readings: (handout) “Intellectual Property Cheat Sheet”  (handout) Discussion dates: Wed. Feb….

(This is a "Page")Copyright cases, subject index

Copyrightability Baker v. Selden, 101 U.S. 99 (1879) – US Supreme Court case: Ideas, as expressed in forms, were non-copyrightable; established the idea-expression dichotomy in copyright law. Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Co., 499 U.S. 340 (1991) – US Supreme Court case: Compilation of facts was not copyrightable, although original organization or selection could be. Situation…

(This is a "Page")UMass Libraries Copyright & Information Policy Education Program

The UMass Libraries offer educational consultations, workshops, departmental meetings, and guest lectures about copyright and other information law issues that may affect research and teaching. We also provide fact sheets, online reference, and learning materials about copyright. Copyright Resources at UMass The Copyright & Information Policy Librarian holds office hours by appointment. Contact copyright@umass.edu to schedule…

(This is a "Page")Copyright Basics

This is an index page to copyright content, that is currently being developed.  If you have a question about a topic raised on this page, please feel free to contact copyright@umass.edu . Copyright Basics – Learn More About Copyright What is a copyright?   What’s the difference between a copyright, and a trademark, or a patent?…