A Bi-Weekly Update
1/14/11
Does Out of Print Mean Out of Copyright?
Publications of all types fall out of print sometimes rapidly–too rapidly– but copyright remains intact on those same works for decades. Unless the work was released to the public prior to 1923, it is very likely still under copyright.
What does this mean in terms of your teaching?
If the amount of a work you will be copying/scanning to distribute to your students falls within the amount allotted by fair use (roughly 10 percent of the total work–let’s say a chapter or two) you can proceed immediately to scan and post the material electronically to a secure website made available to your students only, i.e. the library’s e-reserve system or Blackboard. (To use library e-reserves, send inquiries to Chris Brady, Reserves Asst, at cbrady@muhlenberg.edu who can help you with all your scanning needs, and can clear for copyright at the same time. The library e-reserve system hyperlinks to Blackboard for easy student access.)
If the amount of a copyrighted work you wish to distribute to your class exceeds fair use (more than 10 percent of the total work) then the holder of the copyright should be contacted and permission requested from them. The library is well-equipped and happy to make this request on your behalf. Moreover, funds have been made available from the Provost to the library to cover reasonable permissions fees that the copyright holder may require. Again, send inquiries to Chris Brady at cbrady@muhlenberg.edu .
If the copyright holder prohibits your posting of the work (any portion that exceeds fair use) then a legitimate alternative is to place an original of the work owned by the library or faculty member on traditional print reserves, where a student can make his/her own copy. Individual scanning or photocopying for personal use is protected by a strong fair use argument and moreover by library exemption section 108 of the U.S. copyright code.
For further questions about copyright, contact Kelly Cannon, Scholarly Communication Librarian at kcannon@muhlenberg.edu
Infomaniac Tip
Upcoming online, free seminar from NITLE:
Digital Scholarship Seminar: National Perspective, January 21, 4-5 pm
“Jennifer Serventi, Senior Program Officer in the Office of Digital Humanities (ODH), will share a national perspective on developments in digital scholarship. The Office of Digital Humanities (ODH) is an office within the National Endowment for the Humanities(NEH). Its primary mission is to help coordinate the NEH’s efforts in the area of digital scholarship. As in the sciences, digital technology has changed the way scholars perform their work. It allows new questions to be raised and has radically changed the ways in which materials can be searched, mined, displayed, taught, and analyzed. Technology has also had an enormous impact on how scholarly materials are preserved and accessed, which brings with it many challenging issues related to sustainability, copyright, and authenticity. Serventi will share insight from ODH into trends in digital humanities projects and approaches, e.g.,
- What areas, topics, methods, etc. are appearing in grant applications?
- What areas are being funded and what characterizes successful projects?
- What are current and future goals of ODH for digital humanities?
- What particular challenges are faced by the digital humanities?
This seminar will focus on the big picture for digital humanities to establish a context for digital scholarship at small liberal arts colleges.”
For more information, see the full event description.
To register, send an e-mail to participate@nitle.org by January 17, 2011. Registration is free, but space is limited.
Check out other upcoming NITLE Conferences and Events.
Calendar of Events
1/19 – Lt. Gen. Becton’s reception (Fulford Room, 4:00-5:00 p.m.)
1/20 – Meditation Group (Fulford Room, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.)
1/24 – Oxfam Book Discussion (Periodicals Reading Room, 8:00-9:00 p.m.)
1/27 – Meditation Group (Fulford Room, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.)
