Free, Fee, and Fiddle-Dee-Dee: Exploring Copyright, Public Domain, and the Commons
A Research Guide
What key words will help me find information about copyright?
Where can I find print resources about copyright?
What are some good internet sites about copyright?
SELECTED SOURCES AT PAMUNKEY REGIONAL LIBRARY
This guide tells you how to find information about copyright using online and print library resources. You'll also find information and resources on the public domain (those works whose term of copyright have expired and are no longer owned or controlled by anyone) and the commons (which usually refers to resources that are collectively owned, including everything from land to software).
Copyright (and the related subjects of patents and trademarks) is a form of protection given to the authors or creators of “original works of authorship,” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic and other intellectual works. There are three important aspects of copyright that library users should be aware of - Free (meaning works in the public domain or otherwise part of the commons), Fee (referring to works you must purchase before you can use them), and Fiddle-Dee-Dee (those works or services that are distributed in violation of the Copyright Act of 1976).
The author of a copyrighted work has the right to do any of the following or to let others do any of the following:
- make copies of the work;
- distribute copies of the work;
- perform the work publicly (such as for plays, film, dances or music);
- display the work publicly (such as for artwork, or stills from audiovisual works, or any material used on the Internet or television); and
- make “derivative works” (including making modifications, adaptations or other new uses of a work, or translating the work to another media).
The current copyright law, the Copyright Act of 1976 (as amended), was enacted in Congress and is codified in Title 17 of the United States Code. In general, it is illegal for anyone to do any of the things listed above with a work created by someone else without the author’s permission or if the work has passed into the public domain. There are some exceptions and limitations to these rights, including the popular doctrine of “Fair Use,” which allows limited use of copyrighted material without requiring permission from the rights holder(s).
1. What key words will help me find information about copyright?
To find books that can be checked out, choose the SUBJECT search in the online catalog, and type (one at a time) these subjects:
You may also want to browse subjects: when in the catalog, choose BROWSE and type in “Copyright” or "Intellectual Property." This will allow you to browse narrower subjects related to copyright.
2. Where can I find print resources on copyright in the library?
Most of the books will be shelved according to their Dewey Decimal Classification number where the non-fiction shelves are:
343.7309
|
Intellectual property--United States.
|
| 346.04 |
Copyright and electronic data processing. |
|
346.7304
|
Copyright--Social aspects--United States.
Copyright--United States--History. |
| 364.1 |
Intellectual property infringement. |
Keep in mind that Juvenile non-fiction is not separated from the Adult non-fiction.
When you are doing research, make sure that you search in the reference area as well; these books cannot be checked out like the general collection can, but there is a lot of valuable information available. Some reference books you might look at might include
|
R 345.755 VIR
|
The Code of Virginia
|
Available at Ashland, Atlee, Hanover, and Mechanicsville |
Your library may not have all these titles available, but other titles will be available at other branch libraries or through interlibrary loan (ILL) — when in doubt, just ask the Library staff.
3. What are some good internet sites about this topic?
If you are interested in legal issues on the the subject of copyright, you may want to find information using one of our databases, LegalTrac, available at each of our branch libraries and at your work, home, or school. LegalTrac indexes 1,427 highly regarded legal publications, 123 of which are full text. These include major law reviews, legal newspapers, law specialty publications, bar association journals, and international legal journals. Be sure to have your library card handy if you are visiting LegalTrac from work, home, or school.
There are a variety of excellent resources on copyright available through the Internet, including the following topics:
Learning about Copyright, Intellectual Property, and Public Domain
Teaching Copyright - www.teachingcopyright.org/
The Electronic Frontier Foundation's (EFF) Teaching Copyright curriculum was created to help teachers present the laws surrounding digital rights in a balanced way. Lessons and ideas are provided for opening up classroom discussion and guiding students toward an understanding of the boundaries of copyright law.
Creative Commons - creativecommons.org/
Creative Commons (CC) is a non-profit organization devoted to expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share. The organization has released several copyright-licenses known as Creative Commons licenses, which allow creators to communicate which rights they reserve, and which rights they waive for the benefit of recipients or other creators.
Copyright Advisory Network Blog - www.librarycopyright.AdvisoryNetwork.net/wordpress
The Copyright Advisory Network encourages librarians and others to discuss copyright concerns and seek feedback and advice from fellow librarians and copyright specialists. The Network is sponsored by the American Library Association's Office for Information Technology Policy.
Union for the Public Domain - www.public-domain.org
The Union for the Public Domain (UPD) is a non-profit, independent citizens group whose mission is to protect and enhance the public domain in matters concerning intellectual property.
Tools to Help You Determine Copyright
Section 108 Spinner - www.librarycopyright.net/108spinner/
This tool helps you determine if a work is exempted under Section 108 of the U.S. Copyright Code. Section 108 allows libraries and archives (and their users) to make reproductions of copyrighted materials without permission of the copyright holder.
The Digital Copyright Slider - librarycopyright.net/digitalslider
The Digital Copyright Slider was developed by the American Library Association as an easy reference to find out whether a work is protected by copyright. Set the arrow on the date of the work’s publication to find out whether the work is in the public domain, whether it was registered when copyright registration was required before 1989, and where to find more information about tracking down copyright owners to request permission.
The Fair Use Evaluator - librarycopyright.net/fairuse
The Fair Use Evaluator is an online tool that can help youunderstand how to determine if the use of a protected work is a "fair use." It helps you collect, organize, and document the information you may need to support a fair use claim, and provides a time-stamped PDF document for the your records.
The Exceptions for Instructors eTool - librarycopyright.net/etool
The Exceptions for Instructors eTool guides you through the educational exceptions in U.S. copyright law, helping to explain and clarify rights and responsibilities for the performance and display of copyrighted content in traditional, distance and blended educational models.
The Catalog of Copyright Entries - onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/cce/
This page from the University of Pennsylvania provides information on The Catalog of Copyright Entries, published by the US Copyright Office, which contains a list of all copyright registrations received. This information can be used to see whether a copyright has been registered or renewed and/or find out who registered a copyright and what the copyright covers.
Now that I Know More about Copyright, Show Me the Goodies!
So once you have a handle on what is and isn't covered under copyright, how do you find works you can use?
Music
Sheet Music/Scores
Gutenberg:The Sheet Music Project
Public domain sheet music, digitized by Project Gutenberg volunteers, using a variety of techniques, to enable study and performance. Most available musical pieces are chamber music, by composers such as Brahms and Beethoven.
International Music Score Library Project
A public domain sheet music library featuring original scores scanned to PDF.
Mutopia Project
The Mutopia Project offers free downloads of sheet music editions of classical music, also digitized by volunteers. These are based on editions in the public domain and include works by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Handel, Mozart, and many others.
Free online streaming music
These sites let listeners stream music over the Internet, usually for free, instead of downloading it to their computers. Some of the sites don't always give consumers song-by-song choices of what they're listening to.
Pandora
Users create their own radio stations simply by typing in the name of an artist or song. Music that stylistically or thematically matches that choice is added to a streaming playlist. Pandora pays royalties to musicians and record companies
MySpace Music
The former social network juggernaut now is known mostly for its music site, where bands blog, promote new albums and often offer up full versions of some of their songs for users to play on demand. Observers look for the music aspect of MySpace to make or break the original site, which is being eclipsed by Facebook and Twitter.
Social music
Concerts are a social experience, so why not online music? These sites combine elements of online social networking with trends like mixtape trading of the 1980s and our inner desires to be everyone's favorite DJ.
Blip.fm
Blip.fm turns its users into micro-blogging DJs. Blip fans post songs they're listening to and make comments along the way in a Twitter-like fashion. Site users can tune into anyone's radio station to learn about new music and to keep tabs on friends' moods. The site also integrates well with social networks like Twitter, where you can fill your Twitter feed with the latest tunes.
imeem
Imeem combines social networking with music discovery. Users can stream music from the site for free and can easily share tracks with their friends. It's essentially the digital revival of the mixtape -- make a playlist and send it to your friends online. No dual tape deck required.
Other takes
The Hype Machine
The Hype Machine offers a new take on the radio station. The site looks for song files posted to music blogs, then stitches together the week's coolest tracks in a single feed. The free service is best for the indie crowd or those looking for something new.
Images
GIMP Archive - gimp-savvy.com/PHOTO-ARCHIVE/index.html
Gimp-Savvy.com provides high-level educational and practical resources, including this archive of over 15,000 copyright-free photos and images in an easy to browse format, for the GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP), the premiere open-source image editing and painting program.
The Commons on Flickr
Twenty-seven private and public institutions from all over the world make works available with "no known copyright restrictions."
Moving Pictures
Free Movies in the Public Domain - publicdomainmovies.info
This blog draws from federal and non-profit sources for daily posts of U.S. government video, feature films, documentaries, and more.
National Archives and Records Administration - Motion Picture, Sound and Video Unit
NARA has an extensive collection of films created for and produced by the U.S. government that are in the public domain, including military films, educational, and documentary films (1915-1976). NARA also has gift materials from private sources, such as Universal Newsreel releases and outtakes (1929-67). You can search some of their holdings using the ARC online catalog. For further information, contact NARA.
Multimedia
Internet Archive - www.archive.org
The Internet Archive is a growing virtual library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Like a library in real space, it provides everyone free access to movies, music, audio, archived web sites, and texts. Some of the things you’ll find in the Internet Archive’s searchable catalog include full-length public domain feature films, independently produced songs & albums, speeches, classroom films, radio shows, vintage & rare books, student films, and more.
Wikipedia's List of Public Domain Resources
Wikipedia's content related to popular culture is extensive, which may account for some interesting resources related to public domain.
Images - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain_image_resources
Movies - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_in_the_public_domain
Music - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_public_domain_tangos
Books and Audiobooks
LibriVox - librivox.org/
LibriVox provides free audiobooks from the public domain in mp3 and ogg formats and read by volunteers. Find a book you want using LibriVox’s searchable catalog and then download the entire book or portions of the book. LibroVox also has podcasts you can stream or download.
LoudLit - www.loudlit.org
Loudlit.org offers free audio downloads of books in the public domain. Loudlit allows you to download the audio books or listen to a high quality streamed version in your browser. Additionally, Loudlit prints the book in your browser so you can follow along as you listen without downloading anything.
Project Gutenberg - www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
Project Gutenberg is the “first producer of free electronic books (ebooks)” and has been producing ebooks for over 35 years. Books are available as texts in HTML, plain text, and Plucker (palm organizer and smartphone compatible) formats or sound files in avi, speex, mp3, iTunes, and ogg formats. Project Gutenberg has a searchable catalog of over 20,000 books in many languages.
If you have a particular search term that you would like to use, go to our Rollyo page to search all these resources at once.
You may also want to check out the resources at the Internet Public Library. These websites will provide you with reliable information.
As always, please feel free to ask a library staff member, or email us at Ask a Librarian!
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compiled by the PRL Reference and Training Department (2009)
PRL Website:
http://www.pamunkeylibrary.org/
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