Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) has released a short animated video designed to help people understand copyright law. “Copyright Basics” is a six-and- a-half minute video that follows the dashing “Jim T. Librarian” as he explains the importance of copyright to a co-worker.
The video is free to use for educational purposes by organizations or individuals and can be viewed and downloaded at www.copyright.com/copyrightbasicsvideo.
In this first installment, Jim helps his co-worker Jill understand why she shouldn’t distribute published content without first checking to see if the company has the rights to do so. He goes on to explain the basics of copyright, what is and isn’t covered under U.S. copyright law, how a copyright is created, and why copyright is important. Finally, Jim tackles some of the more confusing issues such as “what is fair use,” how the “first sale” doctrine works, and why attribution isn’t always enough — and he does it all in less than seven minutes!
Copyright Basics, CCC’s newest educational resource, complements the company’s mission of advancing the understanding of copyright law and improving respect for intellectual property. CCC has created a variety of workshops, seminars, online tutorials and custom programs that annually reach thousands of people in academic institutions and businesses worldwide.
“Copyright Basics makes copyright approachable,” said Bob Weiner, senior vice president at CCC. “We’ve found that when people understand copyright, they are much more likely to show respect for the intellectually property of others. That is good for publishers of content, because it protects their rights, and also good for organizations and individuals, because it reduces the likelihood that they may inadvertently violate copyright law.”
This article was last modified on December 14, 2022
This article was first published on April 27, 2009
Commenting is easier and faster when you're logged in!
