Copyright

Research Guide
This guide is intended to provide users with helpful resources for determining copyright
status and obtaining permission to publish copyrighted materials.

Copyright Basics
U.S. Copyright office
http://www.copyright.gov/
The homepage has been created with the desire to serve the copyright community of
creators and users, as well as the general public, and includes such topics as "What is
copyright?" and the latest on orphan works.
U.S. Copyright Catalog
http://www.copyright.gov/records/
Search for works registered and documents recorded by the U.S. Copyright Office since
January 1, 1978.
WATCH (Writers Artists and Their Copyright Holders)
http://tyler.hrc.utexas.edu/
A database of copyright contacts for writers, artists, and prominent figures in other
creative fields in the U.S. and U.K., run by the Harry Ransom Center and University of
Reading Library. Also includes links to other U.S. and U.K. copyright resources.
FOB (Firms Out of Business)
http://tyler.hrc.utexas.edu/fob.cfm
A database of publishing, literary, and other firms that have gone out of business, run by
the Harry Ransom Center and University of Reading Library.
Copyright Slider
http://librarycopyright.net/digitalslider
Answers the question "Is it protected by copyright?" for works first published in the U.S.
Copyright Clearance Center
http://www.copyright.com/
This Program is made available for your use by the rights licensing experts at the
Copyright Clearance Center.

Guides and Tutorials

Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States chart

http://copyright.cornell.edu/resources/publicdomain.cfm
This quick guide helps determine public domain status (updated yearly), and also
includes information on sound recordings and architecture.
The Committee on Intellectual Property's section of the College Art Association website
http://www.collegeart.org/ip/
Resources on U.S. copyright: Fundamentals and Documents; Visual Art/Visual Artists;
Publishing in the Visual Arts; Libraries, Archives, and Museums; Image Sources and
Rights Clearance Agencies; Fair Use Guidelines, Practices, and Policies; copyright
outside the United States and Legal Assistance.
University of Minnesota Libraries Copyright Information & Education webpage
http://www.lib.umn.edu/copyright/
Includes "Copyright Basics" and "Fair Use Analysis Tool" (a worksheet that helps you
conduct a four-factor review of your proposed use).
Crash Course in Copyright/Copyright Tutorial
http://www.lib.utsystem.edu/copyright/
Teaching Copyright
http://www.teachingcopyright.org/
This curriculum is designed to give teachers a comprehensive set of tools to educate
students about copyright while incorporating activities that exercise a variety of learning
skills.
Orphan Works: Statement of Best Practices
http://www2.archivists.org/groups/intellectual-property-working-group/orphan-worksstatement-of-best-practices
This statement from the Society of American Archivists describes the best practices
regarding reasonable efforts to identify and locate rights holders.
Reproduction of Copyrighted Works by Educators and Librarians
http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ21.pdf
Provides information regarding reproductions and fair use for purpose of study, research,
and teaching.
American Library Association Copyright Advisory Network
http://librarycopyright.net/resources/
Resources include: Copyright Genie, to help determine if a work is covered by copyright
and calculate its term of protection, and a Fair Use Evaluator.

Other Resources
Resources for the Visual Arts and Images/Artists Rights
George Eastman House
http://www.eastmanhouse.org/collections/access/photo.php
Includes copyright information for several prominent photographers.
Picture Archive Council of America
http://www.pacaoffice.org/
Includes links to "Copyright Education" and "Orphan Works and OrphanSearch."
DIRC - Digital Image Rights Computator
http://www.vraweb.org/resources/ipr/dirc/index.html
This program is intended to assist the user in assessing the intellectual property status of a
specific image documenting a work of art, a designed object, or a portion of the built
environment.
ARS - Artists Rights Society
http://www.arsny.com
VAGA - Visual Artists and Galleries Association, Inc.
http://vagarights.com/
ARS and VAGA are artists' rights organizations and copyright collectives representing
the intellectual property rights (copyright) of visual artists in the United States. Through
agreements with affiliated international organizations, they also represent the copyright
interests of thousands of foreign artists worldwide. Both Web sites provide a partial list
of artists represented.
Locating Author or Artist Life Dates
Getty Vocabulary Program's Union List of Artist Names (ULAN)
http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabularies/ulan/
Library of Congress Name Authorities
http://authorities.loc.gov
Locating Publisher Information
Association of American Publishers, List of Members
http://publishers.org/members/

Includes an alphabetical list with links to most American publishers websites and contact
information.
Ulrichs Periodicals Directory
http://www.ulrichsweb.com
Authoritative resource of bibliographic and publisher information for more than 300,000
periodicals of all types.
Literary Market Place (LMP) and International Literary Market Place (ILMP)
http://www.literarymarketplace.com
LMP is the directory of American and Canadian book publishing. ILMP provides
publishing data for more than 180 countries around the world.