BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Understanding the ins and outs of copyright laws can be as confusing as navigating a continually shifting maze. With the U.S. Supreme Court debating legislation on copyright issues this summer, Illinois Wesleyan librarians shed light on the challenges of upholding copyright in a digital world.
“We live in a copy-and-paste society,” said University Librarian Karen Schmidt, who oversees copyright compliance at the University. “The inclination in the public is to say, ‘I found it on the Internet, so it must be okay.’ There are an incredible number of resources on the web, but that amazing access also makes it foggy to understand what the obligations are for the ethical use of information.”
Copyrights can cover anything from the text of the novel The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to a painting by Kandinsky or a song from a Broadway musical. Use or reproduction of a copyrighted item without permission of the owner is illegal. Copyrights generally lapse 70 years after death of the creator, according to the U.S. Copyright Office. Once the copyright expires, the work enters what is called “public domain,” meaning anyone can reproduce the work without seeking permission.